The future of golf could be down to nine-hole challenges, St Clair golf club manager Neil Metcalfe said.
The HSBC nine-hole challenge will run for its third year on Sunday.
Some say this shorter form of golf could be the future of the game.
With more than 65 clubs having signed up, this nationwide tournament should be growing in popularity, although locally it has been a little slow to pick up, he said.
"It's a massive thing that NZ Golf are behind the nine-hole challenge," he said.
"They see it as the future for the game."
The shorter length could mean more young people can play the game in the weekends, which could put it on par with weekend games of football and rugby, he said.
"Nine holes still gives them a good chance to enjoy the game."
"I think people should know there would be an option for a shorter game," he said.
"Two hours [and] you're back home, done.
"It's something we've worked on at club level."
Now that daylight saving had begun, it was a good time to get out on the golf course, he said.
Sport Otago development officer Michael Smith said the tournament aimed at casual players.
"Have a bit of fun, no matter what your ability," he said.
Because many of the players were not members of a club, it was hard to gauge the number of people playing golf, he said.
"The nine-hole challenge is more to get an idea of how many golfers are actually ... participating in our sport."
Seventy to eighty percent were not members of a golf club. They just paid the green fees and played, he said.
Nine-hole golf memberships increased by 10% in 2010.
NZ Golf chief executive Dean Murphy said the challenge "has been a well-received initiative and the growth in nine-hole membership shows us that people are embracing the shorter form of the game".
Other Otago clubs holding the challenge are Lake Hawea, Tapanui, Wanaka, Waitoa Park and Tokarahi.
- Andrew Mackay
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