SunLive – a weekend of golf that lasted 50 years

In 1974, several school friends from Oakland convinced their wives to let them take a weekend away from work to relax and play golf.

They headed to Lake Okareka in Rotorua, where a golf tournament was being held over the memorable weekend. Since then, they have gathered each year at a chosen course, vying for the coveted Okareki Cup for Incredible Golf trophy.

Now, 50 years after that first tournament, a group of golfing friends are back where it all began, playing in Rotorua during the first three days of November.

Bruce Wyness, the organizer, has been playing since the tournament began and says the boys’ weekend away tradition is growing stronger as more friends join the “annual exodus.”

“The number of players over the past 50 years has fluctuated from four to 16, and this year there are 12.

Okareka Classic group in 1980, when bell-bottoms were still in fashion.

“There are only three originals left, most of us have been competing for at least 40 years. There are some younger players who are sons of old codgers, so the next generation will ensure the tournament continues,” Wyness said.

He said the older players are now in their seventies and intend to continue playing.

“Now we don’t have to ask for a weekend away from us, the wives seem happy to spend the weekend without us.”

Traditionally, three games are played on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and the format of the tournament has changed over the years, with the winner of the trophy determined by the combination of the two best stableford results.

This year marks the 50th edition of the trophy, with each winner engraved on the trophy.

“It’s a tradition to never engrave your name,” Wyness said.

“You have a nickname or some other alias engraved on you, so if anyone looks at the cup, they won’t know who won, only the people in the group.”

Okareki Cup – for incredible golf.

Besides the camaraderie and storytelling that has developed over time since 1974, Wyness said it would be great if someone scored a goal.

“If we assume 10 players play three games every year for 50 years, that’s 1,500 games and no one has ever played a hole.

“This is the Holy Grail of golf, so it would be great if it happened this year,” he said.

Ken Grieve, a member of the original core, said most of the group came from Auckland, one from Palmerston North, one from Gisborne and one from Wellington.

“The tournament started with us going to Rotorua and I would say for 50 years Rotorua has been our favorite place.

“We had to go back to Rotorua, 50 years have passed. We would go there the most, we’ve been to the top half of the North Island over the years, but there’s just a bit of nostalgia about Rotorua being a favorite place,” Grieve said.

In the early days, the tournament was a fun weekend because not everyone played golf regularly, he said.

Forty years of Okareka Classic.

“It kind of came into being just recently, starting with a core of four people and just talking to each other and convincing others to come, we made it an annual event.

“It’s about communication and also just being friends.

“We all want to participate and now we’ve got a few sons joining us just to keep the tradition going,” Grieve said.

Wyness and Grieve said the group tends to reminisce a lot when looking back on the fond memories they have made over the last 50 years of the Okareka Classic.

“One of the guys in the band plays guitar and sings and jokes a lot, so it’s become a bit of a feature in recent years,” Wyness said.

Said Grieve: “The cup was lost a year ago and it took 24 hours before we got it back. There was a lot of anxiety around it.”

The couple expects the tradition to continue among the younger generations, with some of the grandchildren demonstrating excellent golf skills. They can produce originals to continue Okareku Classic for many years to come.

– Rotorua Daily Post.