Otago Golf Club: From 20 events a year to more than 300

By Neville Idour

This story is a nod to all those club administrators who work hard behind the scenes, sometimes not fully appreciated, yet making a significant impact on the success of their club.

One such person is Jane Kubala who recently left the Otago Golf Club in Dunedin after a very fruitful 15 years service.

The club’s president Lloyd Morgan acknowledged her time with the club saying: “There is much Jane has done that goes unnoticed. We thank Jane for her many years of wonderful service and loyalty to the club. We will miss her contributions and she will leave big shoes to fill. The club is losing an asset.”

So how did it all begin for Kubala who was happy to talk to Golfer Pacific?

“I was born and bred in Dunedin and lived at Mornington. I went to High Street School, Kenmure, and St Hildas Collegiate. I’m the only girl with two older brothers. My father started Jacks Snack Crisps and Munchoes which you can still buy today.

“At the age of 19 I took off to Auckland with Paul Kubala, got married and went travelling.

``I have travelled extensively. I spent five years travelling around the world with Paul. We lived in London and have been to 32 countries so far.

``We have also travelled New Zealand all over from top to bottom. We decided to do that before we went overseas and we continue to do that. I am very active and enjoy snow skiing, water skiing, tramping, cycling, rafting, kayaking. We both love the outdoors. I now have three boys who are very active with rugby, basketball and football.”

What about golf?

“In my 15 years at the Otago Golf Club I have only played one round of golf although I played golf when I was at school.

“When I first started at the Otago club I had a young child and because of that I was self employed. I had five small companies I worked for on contract. Basically it was helping them with their administration. Having a small child, it was convenient. I could work from home and if necessary work in the evening after my husband came home from work.

“Then a friend approached me about coming to the Otago Golf Club to help them get computerised. So I agreed to fit them in. I got them up and running and then Warren Lucas the general manager at the time was diagnosed with a brain tumour and sadly died. So I was hired by the club as administration and events' manager.”

Changing circumstances have brought about Kubala’s decision to leave the Otago club. She expects to continue in administration work, a field she is extremely skilled in despite, as she says, “After leaving school I did a secreterial course at polytech and hated every minute of it.

``However I knew I was good at accounting and maths because my school results were always high in them. So I am basically self taught and going overseas and working in administration was also a good experience that helped me find my forte. Back then New Zealanders had such a good reputation as hard workers it was not difficult to find work and be a valued employee.’'

What was the appeal of working for the golf club?

``I think it was the challenge when I first came, and I was given the opportunity through Athol Stephens who was the financial director at the time. He saw my potential and because it wasn’t computerised, they did everything manually. I really liked it at the club because there was a great atmosphere.

``I have loved my job for the 15 years. I have enjoyed the challenges through the years. When I started there was over $600,000 of debt.''

President Lloyd Morgan pointed out that it was not widely known that it was Kubala who identified that the club was operating with such a debt. So there was certainly a challenge to embrace.

Kubala continued: “Many golf clubs are in debt these days but now Otago is not. So it was great … a bit like a small business growing.

“It was the whole scenario really. My vision was to get the clubhouse full Monday to Friday on a shoestring.”

To say that has been achieved would be a sizeable understatement. During her role as events' manager it has grown almost unbelievably from about 20 events a year when she started to 321 last year.

“We took on the catering which had been leased to outside contractors by setting up Otago Hospitality Ltd so it is now an events' and catering business owned by the club. Then we changed the club manager's liquor licence to an on licence. All of this effectively separated the licensed premises from the golf side of the club. We then took over the pro shop in 2016.”

“So things have always been evolving and happening. Since covid it has been very busy. Another reason I loved my job was that it wasn’t just administration. I could go from pulling a pint to sorting out toilets to doing the financial accounts to helping someone organise a wedding. The variety of work is what I like. My plan was actually to stay here till I retired.”

While that has not eventuated Kubala has been quickly snapped up for her expertise by a Dunedin business as administrator for it’s two branches.