About Us

What is the Central North Island Turf Managers Association?

The association is a conglomerate of professional turf managers, their assistants and a wide range of other turf related specialists who have a direct connection with the turf industry.

The association we have today began in the 1930s when regular gatherings took place between our greenkeeping predecessors to discuss and exchange methods and strategies in search of higher standards of presentation for their turf areas.

The C.N.I.T.M.A. has grown considerably from those early days. The faces have changed but the objectives have stayed basically the same. However these days the standards demanded on golf courses have increased dramatically and the need to communicate with other turf professionals has become even more important.

As our membership grows, so does the pool of information available to each member and the more influence the association gains in matters that concern the industry and the golf superintendent himself.

Golf clubs, bowling clubs, sports fields, race tracks, turf farms and their staffs both benefit from being a member of this association. In fact a great majority of clubs pay the staffs membership fees so that they have access to the information and services provided by the association.

Training days and lectures

Training days are conducted at least 5 times per year and are held at different venues. These training days usually consist of demonstrations of various equipment and include lectures from guest speakers on various subjects. There is ample time made available for discussion on any aspect of the day’s proceedings as well as inspection of the host’s course.

Included in these days are questionnaires for trainees that form a Trainee of the Year Competition. Sponsorship of this award is provided by the Waikato and Bay of Plenty Eagles Golfing Societies. The objectives of this competition will be to provide further education to our trainees, improve camaraderie amongst the trainees within our region and introduce them to alternative ways and means of turf management. It hopes to provide the opportunity to prepare them for future employment within the industry and provide them with a chance to win some worthwhile prizes.

All trainees must be financial members of C.N.I.T.M.A to be eligible. We would also like to see all third year trainees in our region take part in the NZGCSA Turf Trainee of the Year competition. This award carries a prize of a three week study tour to the United States. To be eligible for this award, the trainee must be a Class A associate member which costs $80 per year and makes the trainee a full member of the N.Z.G.C.S.A. and C.N.I.T.M.A.

As trainees in this industry make a huge commitment to learn this challenging trade, it is important that they take the opportunities that are presented by their regional and national associations to improve their broader knowledge within the industry as this will ultimately benefit their employers, the golf clubs and other sports bodies they represent.