Course criticised by outgoing club pro

Garth Domigan.
Garth Domigan.
DepartingWanaka Golf Club professional Garth Domigan has taken a swing at the management and the course of the club where he has worked for the past 10 years.

In an email to the club's 1000 members, Mr Domigan criticised its management and the circumstances leading to his contract being "terminated''.

Clubhouse manager Kim Badger declined to respond when approached by the Otago Daily Times yesterday.

Mr Domigan said in his email the course was "in decline'' and he had never been invited to provide "input'' into golf operations despite having represented New Zealand and played in the New Zealand and Australian Open Championships.

Mr Domigan told the ODT he hoped club members would take on board his criticisms of the course.

"Wanaka is a beautiful course, and was once immaculately groomed. It has some good holes and a few great holes, but it is not a good course,'' Mr Domigan's email said.

"Golfers should judge a course by how it plays, not how the course looks. The natural beauty of the lake and mountains visible on the front nine seriously and favourably influence visitors' opinion of the course.

"But, as a course, Wanaka is in serious decline.''

There was, he said, "bare, bumpy, cracked dry ground right up to the edge of the green'' that was getting worse every year.

"This is a constant gripe from members and visitors but nothing has been done to rectify the problem.''

Except in winter, the greens were too hard, Mr Domigan said.

"There is nothing more frustrating than hitting a high iron shot that lands nicely on the green only to bounce over the back.

"It is nearly impossible to stop a ball on our greens for much of the year.''

Redevelopment of the No4 hole had made it into a "poor hole''.

"The fairway still slopes too much down to the right, the bunker is in the wrong place and you can't hit the ball on to the green, which lies the wrong way.

"The approach and surrounds of the green are shocking.''

He believed the No3 hole could be redeveloped by members at little cost and the No12 and No16 holes also needed to be redesigned.

He believed the course was "falling behind'' other courses in the region.

"You, the members of this golf club, should be consulted and have a say in the ongoing development of your golf club.''

Mr Domigan said he had spoken up before but been told to concentrate on his job as it was set out in his contract.

"It is too late for me but you, the members, can fix these problems.

"Take a look at the new No11 tee. Who is responsible for this stuff-up?

"The tee is aligned to point straight into the trees on the left side of the fairway. You can't make the 11th a dog-leg by pointing an expensive new tee into the trees.''

Mr Domigan, who finishes at the end of the month, wished the club's new pro, Alan Rose, "every success''.

mark.price@odt.co.nz

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