People of Asuwere - Matt Owen
Meet Asuwere member and General Manager of Pupuke Golf Course Matt Owen, whose leadership has propelled the club to new heights.
A British expat with a passion for sports, he transitioned from a corporate career to create a vibrant golfing community that embraces all. With recent accolades, including Golf New Zealand Club of the Year and the Harbour Sport Event of the Year, he believes golf is more than just a game; it's an opportunity to foster connections and enhance lives. We caught up with Matt to hear more on his journey and what's been happening at Pupuke Golf course.
Firstly, congratulations on all of the recent accolades, the trophy cabinet is getting rather full at Pupuke. Golf Managers Association GM of the Year, Golf New Zealand Club of the Year, Golf New Zealand Event of the Year - Flat Day Out, Harbour Sport Club of the Year and Harbour Sport Event of the Year - Chip and Sip, She Loves Golf. What do these awards mean to you personally and to the Pupuke team, and how do they reflect the culture and values you’ve built at the club?
Thanks Sam, seeing them laid out like that makes me immensely proud, but even more so that it really shows the team effort that goes into winning them and the spread of what they were earned for. I have a brilliant Greenkeeping team who I lean on for their expertise, I have a great Golf Operations team that I lean on for theirs and they are just two teams within the Club, my job is to just try and mix them all together to make it work.
Our She Loves Golf program is a prime example. A call for a few ladies to make up a group of 10 has led to nearly 300 women going through the program so far and over 200 plus taking part in weekly programs. We weren't afraid to think outside the box and throw away the traditional golf playbook in order to improve people's enjoyment of the game - both members, visitors and those new to golf.
"She Loves Golf, He Loves Golf or They Love Golf". What difference should it make to us who play as long as we are giving opportunities to everyone? We love partnering with Asuwere and For The Brothers emphasising that physical exercise, fresh air and talking about things with your mates can make a huge impact in people's lives.
People come to a game of golf for an escape. My job is to make sure they want to come back for another one and recommend it to their friends.
Transitioning from a corporate career to the world of sports is a significant change. What motivated you to make that leap, and how has your previous experience shaped your approach to managing Pupuke Golf Course?
I lived in the Caribbean for over a decade working firstly as a national rugby coach and then getting my hands dirty in the world of offshore finance.
We have always been a sporting family. We have had debentures at Cardiff Arms Park/Millennium Stadium since before I could walk and rugby is in my veins. My brother and I played every sport under the sun and were always loyally supported by our parents.
Jumping to a corporate career was purely financial and enabled me to move to New Zealand. Once I was here I realised that sport is where i wanted to be.
Without being flippant, running a Golf Club is like nothing I've ever experienced in either my sporting or business life. When your name gets called to pick up the awards its the best job in the world, when your office door flings open on a daily basis as if the world was ending for one of your 1000 members not so much.
As you look to the future, what are your goals and aspirations for the club? How do you plan to keep enhancing the member and visitor experience whilst growing that connection with the local community?
We are stymied by the footprint of the course to do too much from that point of view so we need to focus on "Golf doesn't pay for Golf". We want our members to keep inviting visitors to events to try and suck them in, we want to be welcoming to all visitors so they come back and play the course and more importantly we want to turn the clubhouse into a destination where the local community are part of the Club not "a" part of the Club.
How does Asuwere suit your lifestyle? What would you rather be doing than shopping for clothes?
I stumbled on Asuwere on a Newmarket walk around a few years ago, tried on a few items and my fiancee paid for my subscription out of her own pocket then and there as she loved the clothes."Smart Casual" doesn't have to be both, one or the other. I can put on an Asuwere outfit and not worry about what anyone thinks. This is perfect where you could be doing sponsors in the AM or if the sun shines sneaking out for 9 holes in the PM.
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