After leaving Timaru at the age of 19 to pursue his goal of becoming a globe-trotting ski instructor, the Timaru Boys' High School old boy worked at Mt Dobson for eight seasons until 1995, and did all his training there.
Now, fresh from a summer spent fly fishing from a base at his family's Lake Alexandrina property, Mr Cuff has taken over the top job from friend Jane Stevens, who has taken up a fulltime position as head coach of the British disabled ski team.
The summer sojourn was his first in New Zealand after 20 years - that is 40 consecutive winter seasons - spent working at ski areas in New Zealand, Andorra and the United States.
Now, two weekends into the new season at Mt Dobson, Mr Cuff heads a team of five fulltime instructors that includes two Americans and a Briton.
One of his major goals is to encourage more young skiers from South Canterbury to train as instructors at the field.
Its easy-going atmosphere and friendly clientele made it an ideal place for aspiring instructors to improve their skills and gain qualifications, he said.
"For a small commercial field, the training opportunities and skiing quality has always been good at Mt Dobson."
There were unlimited opportunities for qualified instructors to earn a good living working at ski resorts throughout the world, with New Zealanders favoured because of their excellent basic training and work ethic.
The country's Ski Level Two Certification was well recognised internationally, he said.
Mr Cuff said he did not fully realise how much he loved the skiing life until his early 20s, when he ruptured a knee ligament at a ski resort in Andorra. At that time, the necessary operation was considered major surgery and had the potential to end his career.
The long rehabilitation period gave him time to reflect on what the life of a ski instructor meant to him.
In the years since, he has taken care with his fitness and has no plans to hang up the skis any time soon.
"If I'm physically able, I wouldn't do anything else by choice."
