Golf driving range mooted

Taupo Times, Volume 19, Issue 99, 23 December 1970, Page 16

Golf driving range mooted

Subject to the approval of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Hamilton, three Taupo businessmen — Messrs E. R. Holmes, I. G. Lawson and D. R. Sharrock — will establish a golf driving range in Centennial Drive, opposite the new entrance to the Taupo Golf Club. The Taupo Borough Council has raised no objection to the proposal and has referred the application to the commissioner. The range would be established on about four acres of Crown land to incorporate a series of driving bays, reception area and offstreet parking for about 100 vehicles. The area would be grassed and enclosed by a netting fence 12ft high. Mr Holmes said that if the land was made available on a leasehold basis, the three businessmen would form a company and make an immediate start on the project. The objective was to provide practice facilities, not an amusement park and the project would not be competitive with existing golf courses It was considered that the popularity of Taupo as a golf centre would be increased by the added amenity of a driving range Mr Holmes said it was intended to leave some existing trees on the area and, with further planting, to seek a park-like appearance.