Home course could help Paraparaumu locals in New Zealand Stroke Play Championship

Paraparaumu College student Harry Ward is playing in the New Zealand Stroke Play Championship this week. Photo / Supplied

A number of locals have made the cut for the Renaissance Brewing New Zealand Stroke Play Championship which gets under way at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club tomorrow and runs through until Sunday.

The full field comprises 156 golfers from around the country in the championship which has been elevated to a Jennian Homes Charles Tour event.

Two Paraparaumu College students, Harry Ward, who is the club's stroke play champion, and Alec Prentice, who both represented Wellington this year in their age group, are in the field.

Ward, 17, was looking forward to the championship.

"I'm feeling pretty good and playing on your home course is always nice and I'm hoping I can use that to my advantage."

He said it was one of the biggest championships of the year.

"It's always the one I prepare the most for and I'm hoping to perform the best in."

Ward, whose handicap is +1.4, has been doing a lot of on-course planning as well as keeping positive.

"I'm trying to put as much emphasis into the mental game as I can, and trying to stay strong, and not let the course get the best of me."

His main goal is to qualify for the weekend "and then see what happens from there".

"It's a big event with the top players."

Prentice, 15, who plays of a +0.5 handicap, was happy to be a part of it, especially as it was a tough field to get into.

It was his second Charles Tour event.

"I played my first one about a month ago and came second to last and struggled on the first day.

"But this is on my home course so I sort of know what to expect."

He said making the cut "would be the ideal but it's going to be tough playing against professionals".

Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. Photo / Rosalie Willis

The club's four-time and current club champion Cam Elers is in.

It has been a busy time for Elers, 25, who got married on Friday and wasn't expected back on the coast until tonight.

"There won't be a lot of practising beforehand but I know the course like the back of my hand.

"I'm hoping that works for me."

He has been practising off the black tees though and getting out on the course most evenings.

Elers, who plays off a +3 handicap, said it would be a lot harder to make the cut as an amateur.

"The first few rounds will be about playing smart and not getting tripped up such as the short par threes.

"A lot of people on 16 may make mistakes going for the pin and making some big numbers.

"So staying away from the big numbers and getting to the weekend, and then all guns blazing from there on."

Frank Borren, 66, a former New Zealand seniors representative, along with his two sons Tim and Guy, will be teeing it up.

Borren felt a bit lucky to get into the field.

"Mine was the last handicap [+3.6] to get in and a few on my handicap missed out."

Making the cut was the first objective.

"Seventy make it through after the first two days.

"I imagine going off the handicaps, and depending on what the weather is like, two 75s might get me through to the top 70.

"The only problem for me is it's off the black tees and there's three or four holes I can't reach for two so I have to chip or putt a bit better."

But knowing the course could help him.

"There's quite a few lower handicappers than me who will find this course quite difficult.

"There's lots of thick rough where you can lose golf balls.

"A lot of the younger players will be blasting it out there and losing balls, creating doubles and triples.

"As long as that happens I've got a chance, otherwise I haven't."

Tournament convener Glen Mitchell said, "We encourage people to come to the golf club and watch.

"There's plenty of elevated spots where people can get very good views of a number of fairways and greens simultaneously.

"It's a real opportunity to see some of New Zealand's best professional and amateur golfers."

Spectator entry is free.