Parker Aluesi provides young blood for Golf Otago

By Neville Idour

Otago representative golfer Parker Aluesi has taken on a new challenge at just 20 years of age. 

He is the new Golf Otago development officer and is looking forward to working with Mahal Pearce, the executive officer and selector under the Golf New Zealand umbrella.

For the last six years he has been working at the St Clair Golf Club in Dunedin assisting the club professional Patrick Moore in the pro shop and with administration. The new job will involve tournament organising, working with the Otago rep teams, doing some coaching with juniors and working with women around Otago and Southland.

The obvious question was did he think about a trainee apprenticeship?

``I did look at becoming a pro and spoke to some other club professionals about it. What held me back was I would have to give up my amateur status straight away. That meant I couldn’t play club pennants or for Otago representative teams. I want to keep playing as many amateur events as I can and also play in some Charles Tour events.

“I would also like to go to Australia maybe in a couple of years and see how I go over there, and how I handle the pressure against the pros there. But at the moment the focus is on my amateur career. Australia is still very much in the future as I still want to develop my game with Golf Otago and Golf New Zealand.”

Born in Dunedin, Aluesi was brought up on the Otago peninsula. His father took him to the nine-hole Otakau course for his first taste of golf when he was six. 

“We moved to Macandrew Bay and I started playing at St Clair Golf Club when I was 12 and have been a member there ever since.”

What makes Aluesi’s golf ability more remarkable is that he only has vision in one eye.

“I had an accident when I was six so it did hold my golf back until I learned to overcome and adapt to seeing with one eye.”

So how did your golf progress? 

“It didn’t really kick off until I was 14 when I started at Otago Boys' High School. That was the year Patrick (Moore) started as the pro at St Clair. He took me under his wing and gave me a bit of guidance with where to go with my game and ever since then it has continued to improve. So I have been very fortunate to have the time with Patrick.”

Aluesi first made an Otago eight-man team in 2020 for the South Island interprovincials and was again in the team this year. He was runner-up in the recent Otago Matchplay Championships so is on the cusp of the senior interprovincials team of six. Five play with one reserve.

His father Mike, a member at St Clair, has always been his mentor. Patrick Moore has also been influential while he now has Ben Gallie at Millbrook as his coach.

Aluesi reflects his love of the game.

 “I just love the enjoyment of playing with my mates or out there on my own. It is such a peaceful game and it brings me a lot of joy.’'

 Long may it last for this appreciative and impressive young man.