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Show time: Phillip Leishman, veteran host of Sky TV's 'The Golf Club', films a segment at Millbrook's new nine-holer while in Queenstown for the NZ Open at the weekend
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Frankton Golf Course’s battle for survival has support of one of the sport’s household names and visiting pros.
Phillip Leishman, veteran host of hit Sky TV show The Golf Club, says it'd be “unfortunate” if the nine-hole course was axed.
The popular short course, ideal for juniors and the elderly, is under threat with Queenstown Lakes District Council wanting to terminate its lease in 2012. A petition to save it has attracted more than 3000 signatures – and now includes pros like Aussies Peter O'Malley and Andrew Buckle, among many of the players who signed on while competing in the NZ Open.
Leishman, in the resort for the NZ Open and filming at Millbrook, says it concerns him and he’d also be happy to sign.
“Unfortunately, in this country it’s always been difficult for juniors to get the opportunity to play golf,” he says.
“I think any situation where you are taking away that facility has got to be a negative. It would be like going to rugby players and saying ‘well, boys, I’m sorry but we’re going to have to take away your field’ ...
communities wouldn’t handle that.”
Leishman says with the amount of “fairly exclusive courses” in Queenstown, “the end result is you’re very restricted in the outlets for junior players”.
“This is a great area for golf so they should be encouraging juniors to play golf. If there’s no facility ... if this happens, then I think the clubs have got to look at themselves and say we’ve got to pick up the slack here.”
Queenstown Golf Club made its presence known at last week’s NZ Open, taking the petition to The Hills and leaving it with NZ Golf officials.
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