New corporate challenge at Humewood
[caption id="attachment_34291" align="alignright" width="300"] SWINGING INTO ACTION: Launching the PwC Corporate Challenge at Humewood Golf Club are, from left, Humewood general manager Werner Bernhardt, marketing consultant Jessi Low and PwC representative Andrea Puggia. Picture: BRIAN WITBOOI[/caption]
HUMEWOOD Golf Club launched a new competition aimed at the business sector in Nelson Mandela Bay this week when they unveiled plans for the inaugural PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Corporate Challenge on June 24.
The event is an initiative from Mark Wiltshire Golf, which took over the running of the golf course in September 2012.
The corporate challenge, which is part of Mark Wiltshire Golf's plans to improve the status of the course, will take the format of a four-ball alliance with a shotgun start. The idea is for corporates in the metro to use the event as a platform to socialise and network.
Explaining the concept, Mark Wiltshire Golf marketing consultant Dave Emslie said: "We are trying to create a comprehensive corporate family unit through this challenge, which is something that I don't think has been tried before in PE."
Entrants will be afforded the opportunity to advertise on an allocated tee or green on the course, as well as the chance to win themselves 20 rounds of golf at Humewood in a post-play business card swop competition.
PwC is the main sponsor of the event and naturally has a financial interest in its success. However, senior partner Andrea Puggia said his firm also wanted to support Humewood Golf Club on account of its importance to the city and South African golf.
"Generally golf clubs around the country are losing members," Puggia said. "People are joining virtual clubs so that they can play anywhere, and this is hurting traditional golf clubs."
Humewood, however, has managed to stay above the curve in the past few years. Last year, the club moved up five places to a commendable 15th in Golf Digest magazine's course rankings list. Mark Wiltshire Golf founder and owner Mark Wiltshire accredits this achievement to the efforts of greenkeeper Ivor Peterson and his team.
"Ivor has taken the improvements of the course as his personal project and it is so good to see the course and his efforts being recognised," Wiltshire said.
Besides the improved maintenance of the course, club president John Black said the success of the club was due to the loyalty of their members. This was emphasised by Puggia, who said: "Rounds from members are up by 20% from last year."
The corporate challenge is a major move by the club as it aims to make its mark on South Africa's corporate and golfing communities. There are still spots available for corporates looking to get involved in the event. - Douglas Smith
