We hope you and your juniors are enjoying their golf and continuing to develop their skills and love for the game.
As we continue to evolve our junior programme and learn to grow with the success of it we’d like to share some important updates and reminders about on-course etiquette, Sunday junior tee times, and some exciting new support we’ve put in place for our junior players.
Golf Etiquette: Let's Lead by Example
As junior members, you are the future of our club, and we want you to be proud ambassadors of the game. With that in mind, we kindly remind all players to be mindful of golf etiquette at all times:
- Speed of Play: Play ready golf. Mark scorecards on the next tee box, not on the green.
- Bunkers: Please remember to rake bunkers after playing from them, leaving them as you would like to find them.
- Noise Levels: Respect other players on the course — please keep voices down and remember that inappropriate language (especially swearing) is not acceptable and reflects poorly on everyone involved.
To help reinforce these habits, we’ve included links below to short videos that do a fantastic job of explaining good golf etiquette in a fun and accessible way:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Nrp_TZi5R1U
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/mXIXGHWwqXY
Sunday Junior Tee Times – What You Need to Know
We’ve received great feedback about the Sunday junior tee slots, and we’re pleased to see many of you making use of this opportunity.
To ensure fairness and inclusion:
- Players who sign up will be drawn into mixed groups – balls will be thrown up on the tee.
- This is to help juniors get to know others and grow more confident playing with a range of players — a vital skill as they develop.
- We understand this might feel uncomfortable at first for some, but growth happens outside of comfort zones.
- In fact, the juniors currently embracing this format are seeing improvements and are more likely to play to their handicaps.
?? We kindly ask parents to encourage their children to take part — it’s a great way to build confidence, independence, and adaptability.
Pro Support for Junior Tee Times
To help our juniors settle in and gain confidence, we’re delighted to share that a club professional will now accompany the group for the first few holes during Sunday tee times. This is a fantastic opportunity for juniors to get guidance and support in a real-game environment.
Members and parents alike have responded very positively to this – it reassures everyone that our juniors are learning the right habits and playing the game the right way.
Thank You for Your Support
We’re proud of our junior program and grateful for the support of parents and members alike. Please help us keep building a positive and respectful environment by encouraging these behaviours and expectations.
If you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Golf Committee.
SG Jones Junior Fund – Applications Now Open
The SG Jones Junior Fund was established in 1985 to honour the commitment of the late Stuart Jones to junior golf development at Hastings Golf Club, providing financial assistance to help our young members enhance their golfing potential.
The Fund is invested through the Hawke’s Bay Foundation, ensuring sustainable growth to support juniors each year. Funds are used to assist with coaching, equipment, tournament fees, and travel expenses to help juniors take their game to the next level.
We are now inviting applications for the upcoming year. One junior member (aged 18 or under) will be selected, based on golfing achievements, commitment to the game, academic performance, and potential for improvement.
Interested juniors should submit their application, including personal, academic, and golfing information, along with a short statement on how this funding would help their development.
Applications close 14 September 2025.
For application forms CLICK HERE and for further details, please contact the office.
This is a wonderful opportunity to support and celebrate the future of golf at Hastings Golf Club.
If you wish to donate to our junior fund with HB Foundation (and claim a tax credit), please head to their website HERE.
We look forward to seeing all our juniors out on the course soon!
Best regards,
Brett Allan - Head Professional
Jasmine Wilson - Junior Coaching Professional
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