Magazine - Michael Hill & the NZ Open

By Editor in Golf on 24th Jan 2010 6:15

In the space of four years the New Zealand Open has become synonymous with Michael Hill. Sports editor Nathan Burdon talks with the tournament's major sponsor on the eve of next week's third edition.

Few events have become as closely associated, this quickly, with a single person as Michael Hill and golf's New Zealand Open. Before Hill launched an audacious bid to stage the Open at his private The Hills course on the outskirts of Arrowtown in 2007, this country's flagship golf event was a crippling financial drain on the sport and a relatively limp affair. Hill provided money, a quality course that few people had heard about and even fewer had played, and a vision for a professionally run, quality tournament that would showcase the Queenstown area.

Hosting the Open had been good for what Hill refers to in his familiar, clipped tone as "the team" at The Hills. "It's good for everybody here. It keeps them sharp and on their toes. If there's nothing to ever look forward to, to push the boundaries, you sort of slip into a routine and you never push yourself," Hill says.

Hill has made it clear he wants to retain the Open, although he has floated the idea of increased financial support from the Government, which contributes $100,000 annually from its major events fund. What it actually costs to prepare for and run the tournament is a closely guarded secret. It's safe to say it's not cheap.

Hill's three-year agreement with New Zealand Golf ends after this tournament. Before coming to Arrowtown, the Open had not been played in the South Island since 1982.

You have to have a vision (and) everyone has to be aware of it. You have to be very focused. "It's quite difficult to get a golf course up to a very high standard. It takes a lot of eyes and a lot of effort.

"The weather has been extremely unusual this year. We've had a lot of frustrations with a lot of rain, much more than usual, and it's been cold so it's been difficult to get growth. However, that's the challenge for greenkeepers. When you see it you are going to be impressed."

Something working in the favour of head greenkeeper Ian Douglas was the move late last year towards organic fertiliser. Hill has been impressed with the results. "We have gone quite organic. There are not as many of the nasty chemicals on the course, which are quite a health hazard. Golf courses can be quite nasty things.

"In particular, we've gone with a lot of seaweed fertiliser and, in fact, now all our fairways and greens are fertilised with a ground seaweed which goes through our filtration system," he said. "(Ian) was surprised at how quickly it kicked in compared with chemical use," he said.

Source & More: www.stuff.co.nz

Read more articles in Golf, by Editor or from January 2010.