As night falls, the fairways and majestic trees of Mahunga Golf Club become a private haven and music stage for its young greenkeeper.
Cameron Halberg, 22, has been course superintendent at Mahunga for six months, moving down from West Auckland to fulfil his ambition.
He lives on the Masterton course in a caravan, watching and listening each night as animals emerge and ruru [morepork] start their calls.
After an early start and a full day caring for the course, Halberg takes up his guitar and plays and sings his own music around a campfire with partner Alana and their young chocolate labrador, CJ.
Halberg, who is distantly related to New Zealand middle-distance runner the late Sir Murray Halberg, could have chosen from a wide range of careers.
Dux of his Auckland school, Liston College, where he completed NCEA Level 3 in Year 12, Halberg chose to take a job at Waitakere Golf Club near his home at Bethells Beach, while studying remotely for a music degree through Massey University.
“I just love being outside,” he said. “It was at the peak of covid-19, so most of the music degree was online but I was eventually able to travel to Wellington for classes.”
Halberg met Alana – who plays double bass – on the music course and she moved to Auckland, but the couple preferred somewhere smaller and chose Masterton when Halberg was offered the job.
“I wanted to take my greenkeeping to the next level and take care of my own course – I enjoy the science side of it but also the satisfaction of people enjoying my work. “We had a tournament here at Mahunga the other day and there were 100-odd people with smiles on their faces – it was great seeing them enjoy the course.”
Moving away from home and starting a job with such responsibility was “daunting” but he was made to feel welcome.
He also loves playing the game of golf, with a 13 handicap: “The great thing about Mahunga is you can just turn up and find someone near the first tee to play golf with – the slogan ‘The Friendly Course’ is so true.
“I play golf with the members and Alana and I play a few holes together in the evenings.”
Mahunga Golf Club has about 220 members and a team of volunteers who mow the course, cut firewood for fundraising and complete many other essential jobs to keep the picturesque course at its best.
“The volunteers are the lifeline of the club, as I couldn’t look after the whole thing myself,” Halberg said.
Mahunga’s beauty also offers sustenance, with a few apple trees on the course that provide “a good lunch” and feijoas in abundance in autumn.
“There are eels in the stream, which runs through a few golf holes, and trout in the Waipoua river on the boundary – the course has a great little ecosystem and then each hole seems to have its own character too.
“Part of my job is to ensure we don’t have a negative impact on that ecosystem.”
Halberg’s aim is to live and work on the course through the seasons, getting to know the land and its soil and grasses.
“The biggest challenge was the winter weather soon after I started here,” he said. “Members who have been here for 30 years or more said they hadn’t seen the course so wet – then it dried out in about a week and I was worried about getting enough water to the right places.”
Halberg takes musical inspiration from bluegrass, country and classic rock styles.
Add Wairarapa fresh air, grass and trees as far as his eye can see, and evening jams looking out across the fruits of his labours and his choice of lifestyle makes perfect sense.
“Most greenkeepers start work early in the morning, which suits me, as there is lots of time for music later,” he said. “Working here doesn’t feel like work.” “We had a tournament here at Mahunga the other day and there were 100-odd people with smiles on their faces – it was great seeing them enjoy the course.”
Moving away from home and starting a job with such responsibility was “daunting” but he was made to feel welcome.
He also loves playing the game of golf, with a 13 handicap: “The great thing about Mahunga is you can just turn up and find someone near the first tee to play golf with – the slogan ‘The Friendly Course’ is so true.
“I play golf with the members and Alana and I play a few holes together in the evenings.”
Mahunga Golf Club has about 220 members and a team of volunteers who mow the course, cut firewood for fundraising and complete many other essential jobs to keep the picturesque course at its best.
“The volunteers are the lifeline of the club, as I couldn’t look after the whole thing myself,” Halberg said.
Mahunga’s beauty also offers sustenance, with a few apple trees on the course that provide “a good lunch” and feijoas in abundance in autumn.
“There are eels in the stream, which runs through a few golf holes, and trout in the Waipoua river on the boundary – the course has a great little ecosystem and then each hole seems to have its own character too.
“Part of my job is to ensure we don’t have a negative impact on that ecosystem.”
Halberg’s aim is to live and work on the course through the seasons, getting to know the land and its soil and grasses.
“The biggest challenge was the winter weather soon after I started here,” he said. “Members who have been here for 30 years or more said they hadn’t seen the course so wet – then it dried out in about a week and I was worried about getting enough water to the right places.”
Halberg takes musical inspiration from bluegrass, country and classic rock styles.
Add Wairarapa fresh air, grass and trees as far as his eye can see, and evening jams looking out across the fruits of his labours and his choice of lifestyle makes perfect sense.
“Most greenkeepers start work early in the morning, which suits me, as there is lots of time for music later,” he said. “Working here doesn’t feel like work.”
