This week, we had a chat with Waipu Golf Club Board Secretary Hugh Stringleman. Hugh discusses the rapid rise in the number of rounds they are seeing being played at Waipu, and what he finally achieved after 60 years of trying.
What golf course do you work at, what’s your role, and how long have you been there?
I serve on the Waipu Golf Club Board of Management as the secretary, which is a voluntary position. Right now, I am also sending out the weekly newsletter by Mailchimp to 670 members, as the Club Manager, Vic Martick, is on a month’s holiday leave. I put my hand up for the secretary role because the Board was struggling with minutes and agendas. We use BoardPro site and software for all the back office stuff and it works very well.
What are the biggest challenges you face in managing a golf club?
The biggest issue facing Waipu at present is the continuation of a $1.5m course redevelopment and the need for extended and updated clubhouse and facilities, which are up to 40 years old and too small for the numbers of members and green fee players we have. We need to complete the redevelopment, doing two greens a year along with tee box and bunker work. These are issues arising out of success, as the club is in very good heart and the rounds played have increased dramatically, from 1600/month over the spring and summer months in 2022 to 3400/month between September 2024 and end January 2025. The growth rate of members playing more rounds is matched by more green fee players as the reputation grows of Waipu as a links course with outstanding views, welcoming staff and superb food.
What trends or changes do you see shaping the future of the golf industry?
The average age of members is 60-plus and we are encouraging families, women and children to take up the game. Our club purpose is to “delight members and visitors by creating and unforgettable experience on our spectacular links golf course and in our safe and welcoming clubhouse”.
If you weren’t working in golf, what would you be doing?
My golf work is part-time but complementary with my employment as a freelance agricultural journalist over more than 50 years, with a keen interest in pastures, pests, agricultural science and sustainable forestry. I attended Massey University and have a Bachelor of Arts in English and History. I am also a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for my journalism work, awarded in 2022.
If you could play a round of golf with three people dead or alive, who would they be and why?
I took up golf aged 13 when Sir Bob Charles won the Open for NZ and my father and mother were a keen golfers at Harewood in Christchurch. I spent the 1970s in Sydney and played a number of different courses, before moving to Auckland in the 1980s and joining Whitford Park. When we moved to Northland, in 2004, I joined Sherwood Park in Whangarei, and after moving to Bream Bay in 2015 I joined Waipu.
What’s your handicap?
27 now, with Parkinson’s Disease affecting coordination. Previously I was in the range of 14 to 24 most of my life.
Ever had a hole in one?
First hole in one after 60 years of trying was on hole 17 at Waipu in 2023. The hole and the base of the flagstick were not visible from the tee, so great anticipation as we walked up to find my ball in the bottom of the cup.
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