The man who keeps on giving

The Professional Golfers’ Association of New Zealand publishes a case study each month on golf industry success. This is the latest.

The community coach of the year award is dedicated to the coach in New Zealand who is inspiring the growth of new players to the game and demonstrating innovation, community connection and generating visible and accessible pathways.

This year’s recipient was New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association member, Stuart  Thompson. 

Throughout his golfing career, Thompson has jumped on board with as many community based programmes as possible.

Why? Simply because he likes helping people, and if that leads to introducing those people to the game of golf, even better. He’s all about connecting with others and believes the key to this is to treat everyone equally — one of his own personal rules to live by.

When asked how he feels about being this year’s community coach of the year, Thompson said he felt “extremely humbled”.

“It’s great to do what you do as a coach but even better to hear someone saying you do better than you thought did.”

Thompson proudly stated that he thinks of his job as a responsibility. He describes it as “not about the game itself, but as much as the community around it.”

Thompson’s aim is simply to know everyone around him and get them involved with the community.

He goes on to say he wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without the Professional Golfers’ Association, New Zealand Golf, Counties-Manukau Blind Foundation and everyone else he has collaborated with or worked alongside.

Over the past year alone, Thompson’s community involvement has been huge.

Earlier in the year he was a part of the Hine Toa programme in association with the New Zealand Police. The Hine Toa programme aims to help at-risk youth to build their confidence and a better future for themselves. Thompson had several sessions with the girls, getting them out on the golf course for first time.

“They teach me far more about life than I teach them about golf.”

When the New Zealand Blind foundation came to Thompson asking for help, he was all ears. He helped introduce 15 visually impaired people to the game, saying that for him it was more about inviting them to the club and creating a connection to the community with them than anything else.

Thompson’s passion for teaching all abilities shines through in both his words and this actions.

Reflecting on previous coaching, Thompson discusses his time with Special Olympics in south Auckland. He comments that in these sessions the participants taught him far more about life than he taught them about golf.

And what’s in store for the rest of the year — more schools, more kids, more programmes and more golf, Thompson said.

This includes have-a-go days alongside his trainee professional, Stacey, as well as anything else he can get involved in.

Ever the humble man, Thompson mentions he already knows who he’s voting for as next year’s community coach of the year, commenting that he couldn’t be happier to have won but any good community coach recognises another and that he wants to see as many as possible.

When it comes to schools, Thompson said it’s more about life skills and values that you can provide for the children and that golf was just a vehicle for that. 

He currently has involvement in Auckland with Willowbank Primary School, where he sees over 300 children throughout terms one and two, as well as Ormiston Intermediate where he provides after school tasters for 27 kids who are brand new to golf. 

Thompson said getting paid to do these sorts of gigs was a bonus and that for him it was not about the money, it was the achievement along the way.

It was from Special Olympics that he made a connection with one gentleman in particular, who he fondly refers to as Beechy. They met around 15 years ago and Thompson said they go out for a hit every week, whether they’re hunting for golf balls or playing 18 holes. 

Stuart Thompson who was named community coach of the year.