Volunteers wanted for ISPS Handa New Zealand Open golf tournament

Organisers of the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open are once again on the hunt for keen golf enthusiasts to volunteer – and one lucky ‘volly’ will get drawn to play in the Pro-Am section of the 2018 tournament.

The ISPS Handa New Zealand Open tournament, a tier one event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, will be held from March 9 to 12 2017 at Millbrook Resort and The Hills golf courses in Queenstown.

The growth in tournament size – with both Millbrook Resort and The Hills hosting the event for the fourth year running – means up to 450 volunteers are needed over the first two days of the four-day tournament.

All volunteers will once again go into a draw to win a space as an amateur player in the 2018 tournament, and there are complimentary rounds of golf on offer too.

Tournament Director Michael Glading says volunteer assistance is “absolutely key” to the success of the event.

“The 2017 event needs the support of enthusiastic volunteers to ensure successful delivery throughout tournament week, and across both golf courses,” he says.

Arrowtown ‘local’ Richard Hoskin is the new volunteers’ manager, working for New Zealand sports marketing agency The Clubhouse which is managing the 2017 event.

Former first-class Otago cricketer Hoskin is also the former chief executive of Sport Southland, and he currently operates Arrowtown Lodge with wife Sally. Daughter Laura, 21, is a rising young golf star currently training in the United States.

Hoskin is relishing his new volunteers’ role with New Zealand’s leading tournament.

“We’re looking for anyone who’ll bring enthusiasm, motivation and passion to this outstanding sporting event. You don’t have to be a golf lover to be a volunteer, though it certainly does help,” he said.

Volunteers are needed to carry out roles such as carrying scoreboards, marshaling on course, shuttle drivers, ‘ball spotting’, overseeing the leader board, walker scorers and inputting data in the media centre.

Tournament organisers are looking for ‘vollys’ for either the entire four days of the event or for just Thursday and Friday. They’re asked for a minimum commitment of six hours on any given day, benefitting in return from free tournament admission and parking, a commemorative shirt and cap, and lunch each day.

Prospective volunteers can register by contacting Richard Hoskin at richard@theclubhouse.kiwi and all details are at http://www.nzopen.co.nz/volunteers.html