Members of Methven Golf Club were hosting the South Island Age Group Championship this week.
One hundred and eight of the best golfers, from age 12 to 18, competed in the 54-stroke play championship over three days.
Methven golfers Tejas Madan and Finn McGrath were among the mix of young players who met the under 10 handicap entry criteria.
Tejas, who has been playing for seven years, said he values the opportunity championships like this presented to him.
‘‘This is such great experience playing against better players and making friends and having fun.”
Tejas, who practices golf most days, said his biggest supporters were his parents.
“They spend a lot of time driving me to tournaments and practices,” he said.
Tejas said he is not sure where golf is going to take him in the future.
“I will see where is takes me,” he said.
“I may go to uni next year.”
Finn, also said family featured strongly in his sporting career, particularly in his golf warm-up.
‘‘I don’t have any superstitions as such before I play, but I do like to have clean golf shoes and I listen to music with headphones while I warm up.”
His play list includes music his family likes; the Cranberries are a favourite.
‘‘This music takes my mind off what I have to do and reminds me of my family.”
Golf is really the only sport where he gets nervous before tee-off.
‘‘I get a bit nervous to start with, but after one or two holes I settle in to my game and I’m pretty confident from there on in.”
‘‘Golf is a funny game, one bad hit and it can go sideways pretty quick.”
Finn said he not only enjoys playing golf but watching too.
‘‘I pick up tips from watching players better than me.
‘‘When I am playing a round with them they will give me pointers too.”
The 17-year-old is somewhat of a sporting guru.
He also plays cricket, touch rugby, football, rugby, and come winter, picks up his skis and heads to Mt Hutt.
“Mum and I were talking the other night about me choosing one sport over the others, but I don’t have to do that yet. I want to be good at them all,” he said.
NZ Golf general manager of championships & tournament director Dave Mangan said some of the very best junior golfers from the South Island were competing including Kanichiro Katano.
“Kanichiro returned from Australia this week after winning the 2026 Australian Junior Amateur.”
Methven Golf Club golf manager Donna Lee was thrilled to have the tournament in Methven for the first time in its 40-year history.
“Everybody has been so nice and I have had some great laughs with the parents,” she said.
She was thankful to club members who had given up a tremendous amount of hours to get the tournament off the ground.
These volunteers, along with head greenkeeper Paul Plimmer, have done an amazing job, she said.
Enthusiasm has been evident at the championship with some of the players on course at 6.30am; in the dark, she said.
A local resident who lived near hole two, saw the lights and jumped on his bike to see what was going on.
Lee said she enjoyed seeing the young players migrate towards to each other at the end of each day.
‘‘It is so lovely to see them sitting in groups on the green in front of the club house, relaxing, chatting to each other.”
“Come practice time they will also book times with other players they know from other parts of the South Island.”
