Star player asked to leave national mini golf federation after alleged threat

A mini golf enthusiast who represented New Zealand on the world stage has been asked to leave the sport's national federation after allegedly threatening a fellow competitor with a putter.

At a September tournament in Otorohanga, Bobby Hart allegedly told Murray Cramp "I'll wrap my putter around your head" during a misunderstanding on the front nine.

Minigolf Federation of New Zealand secretary Damo Kissick said the incident was the final straw for Hart following a number of situations where he'd lost his temper at tournaments – sometimes throwing clubs and swearing.

But Hart said he left on his own terms because of "different points of view" on how the New Zealand Minigolf Federation should be run.

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"I'm not there to have a joke and a laugh, I'm there to take things seriously and grow competitive putting as a sport here in New Zealand," Hart said.

"It's not a joking matter ... I think there's a future for competitive putting and actually doing it as a job."

Leading up to the Otorohanga tournament where Hart exchanged words with Cramp, tensions had been simmering between the two competitors.

Although Cramp was an active member of the federation and often took part in monthly tournaments, Hart believed he wasn't taking competitions seriously.

He also felt Cramp wasn't interested in growing minigolf as a sport in New Zealand.

"He's just there to s... stir, and what's the point of being around someone who's just there to take the p... out of the game?" Hart said.

"Murray should go play tiddlywinks or go back to frisbee golf."

But Cramp has hit back, saying Hart was in "cuckoo land" if he thought he was the one to grow the sport in the country.

"It's essentially a sport for children and their parents to have fun that we've turned into something that is well beyond [that]," Cramp said.

"The last thing you want to do is create a level of intensity where it looks like you're at the Olympics."

Cramp added that he took the sport "reasonably seriously", as exemplified by the financial investment he'd made in the game – purchasing clubs and different types of balls.

Minigolf Federation of New Zealand secretary Damo Kissick said the decision to suggest Hart stood down was a difficult one considering his involvement in the federation from an early stage.

"Bobby is an extremely passionate person who brings a lot of energy so it was extremely difficult to come to that sort of discussion," Kissick said.

"He's got some positive things to go forward with. We certainly weren't telling him to stay away from the game."

But it wasn't just the pro circuit that was giving Hart a rough rub of the green.

At Onehunga's Enchanted Forest, Hart's local course, his name had been removed from the course leaderboard after management decided his low scores were unsubstantiated.

Hart said it was "just another stunt" to try and wind him up.

"Everyone knows [my] course records there – officially 32 and unofficially 30. Good luck trying to get it," Hart said.

"I'm there to compete, not make friends."

Asked if he could confirm that he threatened Cramp with a putter, Hart said he wasn't prepared to answer that question.

"Let's just leave it as an allegation," he said.

Cramp said the alleged threat had occurred after he'd ask Hart, the tournament director, to clarify a rule for the course.

Hart has represented New Zealand at mini golf championships worldwide, travelling as far as the Czech Republic to do so.