A MEETING to be held at Club Taree's Melaleuca Room on Sunday, June 15, will discuss ways to get more people regularly playing golf at Taree.
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The meeting has been called by Club Taree Golf Club captain Ken Sheather.
"We currently have 439 financial members in our club categories that allows them to hold a handicap and play in club events,'' Mr Sheather explained.
"Yet we struggle to get 100 participating in our weekly Saturday competitions. We want to find out why.''
Mr Sheather is surprised that members who are fully paid up aren't making more use of the golf course.
"You'd think they'd want to get value for money,'' he said.
Mr Sheather added that the Taree course is in superb condition and that should be a magnet for golfers.
"It's in as good a condition as it has been for the past 30 years,'' he said.
"In a recent conversation with an officer from NSW Golf I was told that the course would be of Group One standard if it was located in the Sydney area. At the district championships this year a number of visiting golfers made favourable comments about the course.
"It has a great variety of holes that provide a test for golfers of all standards.''
Mr Sheather said the club wants to see an increase in the number of social golfers using the facility.
"Social golf is growing in popularity around the State,'' he said.
"A lot of people like the fact that the game isn't always taken that seriously and that they get to play regularly on different courses.
"We're looking at ideas as to how to make social golf more accessible in our area.''
Mr Sheather said it is a concern that the number of juniors playing golf in Taree has fallen away.
"Schools no longer offer it as a sport option and kids seem to be less interested in outside sporting pursuits than in the past. We're looking at ways to get them on the course and interested in golf.
"Golf is a sport that can be a useful skill to have in later like. Many a business deal and executive decision have been made on the basis of a golf course discussion right across the world.''
Mr Sheather said the club needs to start thinking outside the square in a bid to get more golfers playing regularly at Taree.
He added that Sunday's meeting, which starts at 11.30am, is open to the public and isn't limited to club members. He will also invite PE teachers from local schools to attend to get some input on how to spread the golf gospel among juniors.
"Ideas will be gathered and sorted by the golf management committee into the basis of an action plan for future direction,'' Mr Sheather added.