TigerTurf provides surfaces for new indoor golf complex in Auckland inner city

Aucklanders living and working in the inner-city will now be able to perfect their game at the newly opened City Golf complex in Albert Street which has been based around a range of different TigerTurf golfing surfaces.

Designed to give golfers the opportunity to practice their putting, swing and short game, City Golf caters for a wide range of clientele from children through to professional golfers.

Incorporating TigerTurf's different golfing surfaces, complex designers have included a putting green with four holes, computer simulator bays for swing practice and a short game course with long grass, roughs and bunkers. 

Zaine Mikkelson, one of the two Directors of City Golf and a NZPGA professional, said the aim was to create a 'true to life' golfing experience.

"As a professional coach I wanted to be able to offer clients the opportunity to build their game off the golf course.  In essence rather than them coming to me, I'm now coming to them.  A key element is the fact that the TigerTurf surfaces perform very true to that of a regular golf surface making it very easy to transfer the skills they develop here back out onto the golf course,” says Mikkelson.

According to TigerTurf representative, Stephen Holmes, the City Golf Directors were looking at alternative surfaces from the US, but after playing on an existing TigerTurf indoor surface they preferred the New Zealand made option.

"City Golf opted for a TigerTurf putting surface laid on top of a 'Dynamic' metal base for the putting green and a long pile '3GS' grass developed for the chipping bays.  A number of different TigerTurf surfaces were also used for other specific areas around the complex. We also used specialised underlay under some of the products to assist with ball control and cushioning of the swing impact,” said Holmes.

Golfers are able to make use of the three professional coaches on site and also the P3 ProSwing computer simulator to hone their skills.  This high tech computer simulator enables players to see how far they have hit the ball, the degree of angle and speed. The system is the first of its kind to be used in New Zealand.

City Golf opened at the beginning of October and will be having an official opening in the near future