Register Now To Get Inside The Ropes

To All Wellington Region Golf Clubs

As you know, Royal Wellington Golf Club has been selected to host this year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) from 26 – 29 October 2017.   This is a prestigious international event that is now ranked as the most significant men’s amateur event in the world.  It is a huge honour for New Zealand golf that a New Zealand club has been selected to host it.  The AAC will be the biggest golf tournament ever held in New Zealand. 

The Founding Partners for the event are The Masters, the R&A, and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation. The tournament was first held in 2009.

As the host club, Royal Wellington has been charged with providing local support to the AAC and has been working with representatives from the three partner organisations on the detailed planning required. We have received financial support from the Government’s Major Events Fund, and from Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency, to assist us to meet our obligations.  Upper Hutt City Council and Wellington City Council are also being very supportive.

The Royal Wellington course is undergoing a number of further improvements to ensure it is in appropriate condition for an event of this significance.  The Championship will be contested by 120 players from over 40 countries and will be broadcast live for three hours daily to over 150 countries. The winner gains direct entry into The Masters Tournament and The Open Championship in 2018.  We can expect to see some future major champions in the ranks of this year’s players.  Hideki Matsuyama of Japan is a two-time winner of the tournament.

The success of events such as this is built, in part, around having an army of committed volunteers.  The AAC will be no different.  Clearly, there are number of people already involved in event planning but by far and away the largest number of volunteers will be required when the golf tees off. 

We are now recruiting volunteers to act as caddies, and to assist with a number of on and off-course roles. Traditionally, the majority of volunteers in an event of this stature are golfers who know and understand the game. We are pleased to invite your club's members to act as volunteers at this compelling golf tournament which will bring great benefit to the wider Wellington region. For the event to succeed, we will require estimated 110-115 caddies and 150-200 other volunteers to fulfil a number of tasks. 

Details of these roles and registration for them can be found on the Royal Wellington Golf Club website (www.royalwellington.com).  The organisers have advised that volunteers will each receive a championship hat, shirt and lightweight jacket and the opportunity to play a round of golf at Royal Wellington.  Details can be found on the website.

We are asking all of the Wellington region golf clubs to circulate this information to their members to ensure they have the opportunity to be part of this exciting golfing experience.

We are also keen to encourage as many spectators to attend as possible as possible to attend so as to create an atmosphere worthy of the event and of New Zealand. Attendance is free. Further details about arrangements for visitors to the tournament will be made available in due course.

We very much look forward to your support, and to welcoming you to Royal Wellington in late October.

If you have any enquiries, please contact the undersigned, or Kurt Greve, Chief Executive, at Royal Wellington   kurt.greve@royalwellington.com

Many thanks.

Andrew Harcourt                                                          Marty Scott

Captain                                                                           President

Royal Wellington Golf Club                                         Wellington Golf