The long-time golf writer at the Otago Daily Times, was made a life member of Golf Otago.

Trewern (67) said it was a real surprise to get the membership for something which had been a passion for so many years.

The former Otago Boys' High School physics teacher said it had been very rewarding being involved in the sport for so long and it had been a real pleasure.

A former top representative player, who played off scratch and participated in the New Zealand Open in 1968, Trewern has been involved in Otago golf in not just a playing way for nearly 50 years.

He started in 1967 when he was the players' representative for the Otago Golf Foundation.

He has managed countless teams over the years and New Zealand Open champions Greg Turner and Mahal Pearce were tutored by Trewern early in their golfing careers.

Golf Otago chairman Alastair Hinsley said there certainly was not, and never had been, a long queue of volunteers wanting to take busloads of kids away on development tours or week long junior tournaments.

‘‘The prospect of endless hours of mundane planning for such events, to be followed by several nights sleeping in a camping ground cabin, doesn't seem to be a sought-after position,'' Hinsley said.

‘‘But Bill is delighted to fill the role and has the uncanny ability of being able to talk others into helping him out as assistant team managers.''

Trewern said he was never a coach, more of a mentor and used senior players to help younger players.

‘‘I would pick a team and get my top three seniors to help out the seven juniors. Just show them the way to do things. Learn the little bits and the way the game is played,'' Trewern said.

‘‘So I feel a little bit of a fraud getting this. It hasn't been me, really. But it has been hugely rewarding.''

Trewern had a great year last year when his junior team won the interprovincial title and the senior side made the finals of the tournament in Invercargill.

He never sought office or committee positions, preferring to get out on the coal face, working with promising players.

The services to sport award held on Friday 20 May in the Dunedin Town Hall  was given to golf stalwart Bill Trewern.

Trewern, the longtime Otago Daily Times golf writer, has been involved in and around junior golf since he was a junior himself.

His love of the game shone through and it is his hard work and dedication to the game that has led the sport to many successes over the years.