Redwood Park Golf Club - plans to avoid a flooded pump house in the future

NZCT has awarded the Redwood Park Golf Club in Swanson, Waitakere, a grant of $20,000 to reposition and upgrade the club's irrigation pumping system.

"Playing and socializing at the Golf Club is the highlight of our week" - Lewis Qin & Jayden Baek.

Board Chairman John Harrison said, "Earlier this year, West Auckland experienced two major weather events that caused massive flooding to our course. On both occasions the creek that runs alongside our irrigation pump house has risen to unprecedented levels, submerging the pumping system and destroying the electronics. Insurance has enabled us to replace the pump twice, but it is imperative that we upgrade the water pump and relocate the pump house to an area that will allow us to have certainty of irrigation.

Normally, our own funding would pay for this, but the two major weather events have decimated our cash reserves. Insurance has helped to a certain extent, but having the course closed due to the flooding has taken its toll. Tree removal, bunker reestablishment, path reforming, and debris removal from fairways and greens has meant lengthy course closures. This has had a severe impact on revenue for green fees, cart hireage, and clubhouse usage.

With this grant from NZCT, we can start earthworks and the piping required to move the pump house further up the hill, away from the creek and the flood zone. We will raise additional funds over the Summer and hopefully can complete the move before next Winter."

Redwood Park Golf Club was established in 1970 in Swanson at the foot of the Waitakere Ranges. For over fifty years the Club has been a golfers home to the West Auckland Community. Through the game of Golf the Club provides for all sections of the Community. Twice a week our Junior Director holds coaching clinics and course experience for Junior Girls and Boys from the age of five.

Our older Juniors are encouraged to mix with more Senior Members gaining life experiences while competing at the game for all ages. Most importantly the club is a place where our senior players can regularly meet and socialise. Not only does it benefit the older members through increased fitness and mobility, it also does a lot for the mental health of our members. Our Ladies section holds several events during the year, notably the "Choctober" event that involves woman from all over Auckland and beyond.

We host several tournaments for Special Groups and our Masters Tournament provides funding to various charity organizations. Past recipients have included Star-jam - an organization devoted to young people with disabilities through music and to funding for the work of Autism NZ. This year, we held the All Abilities Tournament for golfers with disabilities.

The attached photo is of Jayden Baek, a Redwood Park player coached and mentored by our Golf Director, who won his section of the event. The other photo is Lewis Quin