The Hills: Jeanett Kim’s favourite place

                                                                                  By Neville Idour

In February this year Jeanett Kim joined The Hills golf course in Arrowtown as golf operations co-ordinator. 

She is revelling in her role assisting golf manager Sian Chilton, after falling in love with The Hills at first sight. Her story has a touch of serendipity. More on that later.

Kim was born in Sydney when her father was studying for his doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree. When Kim was six the family moved to Korea where they were for six years, until they moved to Brisbane where her father had a fellowship in tourism economy at a university there.

While living there, Kim started playing golf when she was 13 years old. 

As she explains: “It was meant to be casual fun but I started playing school and interstate tournaments. 

``At this stage I wanted to become a professional but in year 11, my second last in high school, I thought maybe I’m not good enough and I should do something else. 

``Then I thought why not become a news reporter for golf. So I decided to study journalism at the University of Queensland.

“When I finished I moved back to Korea about three years ago and got a job as a news reporter with a big media company. So I was doing newspapers, magazines, television and internet. All sorts really but all on golf. I would travel each week to a different tournament.” 

Where did this take her? 

“Korea, Japan, Taiwan to mostly LPGA Tour events.

“The work was full time and full on, including most weekends, so I wasn’t getting enough time off. I moved on to a different media company in Korea where I was doing more admin (administration). 

``Then I met my husband who grew up in New Zealand, mostly in Auckland, although he is Korean. We got married in Korea and he said let’s go to New Zealand for our honeymoon.” 

Not surprisingly they went to Queenstown.

Kim continued: “We were on a winery tour and the tour guide who I had told I played golf, told me there was a very nice golf course in Arrowtown called The Hills and it had cool sculptures and was beautiful. I thought it would be nice to go there, but didn’t think I could because it was private.

“After a few days in Queenstown I said to my husband I really wanted to move here. When we got back to Korea I started applying for my visa. Then covid happened so we had to wait for a long time till we could come to New Zealand.” 

They were finally able to move here in April 2022 but her next revelation is quite remarkable.

Kim revealed: “I wanted to work at The Hills from the beginning. This was the place for me.” 

But she had never seen it? 

“No, but I really wanted to work there as I had heard so many good stories about it. When I arrived I emailed them but they didn’t have any vacancies. So I found work in a retail store but would keep checking the website for any vacancies.” 

Meanwhile her husband Max, who is a chef, works at a Fernhill (Queenstown) restaurant. 

``For me it was waiting and waiting until February this year when a job became available.

``Funny thing was it was a front of house position, not golf. I still applied for it and thought I could ask to do some golf related work. But when Sian (Chilton) saw my resume she knew I can play golf so thought she can be on the golf operations' team.''

Going back to Kim’s decision to not pursue a golf playing career, we asked if she continued to play. Her reply are a surprise. 

“I was so busy with news reporting that I stopped playing golf. At that time the thought of playing golf reminded me of failure.” 

Why was that? 

“It is a very competitive culture in Korea because it is such a small place with so many people. So I didn’t play at all for about eight years from age 16 or 17.

``Now I’m working at The Hills, I played 18 holes for the first time since then, recently with Michael (Hill). I had told him I used to play a lot and he just asked me out of the blue to come and play a round with him. I was really nervous on the first hole but it was good after that.

“My husband Max also plays golf but I’m better than him (much laughter).” 

In fact she said his parents used to have a driving range in Auckland so you could say golf runs in the family. As for her work at The Hills she said she was loving it and a beautiful and remarkable  experience as a youngster emphasises the serendipity of her path to The Hills. It also perhaps indicates why she knows how to achieve.

Jeanett relates it. 

“When I was in high school I played in a golf tournament in Queensland and the weather was horrible. It was pouring with rain and I could barely see my golf ball due to the heavy wind. 

``I really wanted to stop playing and go home and I am sure the other girls felt the same. My mum was caddying for me and told me she would like me to finish the round. She said she wanted me to learn not to give up easily. So we continued and finally made it to the end. “

The end result? 

“I won the best nett score on that day and the prize was … a beautiful silver necklace from Michael Hill Jewellery. The tournament was held a few days before Mother’s Day so I gave the necklace to mum as a Mother’s Day gift. She absolutely loved that necklace and used to wear it every single day …. and I think she still has it.”

``Every time I saw mum wearing that necklace it reminded me of her cheering me up and encouraging me in that pouring rain. We still talk about that day from time to time and it’s one of the best memories I have from golf days. 

``So when I first started working at The Hills, mum was very surprised and said it almost feels like you were meant to work at The Hills.

“I thought it was interesting how that necklace from Michael’s brand meant so much to mum and I, and now I am working at Michael’s golf course. This is where I want to be. I am here to stay.”