Phil Tataurangi: Golf before Gulf

When the 156 players tee off next Thursday in the New Zealand Open they will be tackling a spectacular golf course.

But although the view on the back nine at Gulf Harbour is memorable, that will be the furthest thing from their minds.

When the pros come to play, it's the golf that matters most. What will be paramount for them is working out the best way to handle an intriguing course and taking home the winner's cheque on Sunday.

Different layouts suit different players and, to me, the key element needed for success in this Holden-sponsored Open will be ball control - not so much off the tee but with the critical second, or approach shot.

Gulf Harbour is a Robert Trent Jones-designed course. His layouts are not everyone's cup of tea (just ask Cambo) but this is an interesting piece of land. It can be a deceptive course. Jones likes to create optical illusions.

Bunkers which appear to be nestling next to the green are, in fact, 20m short. He likes disguising distances with plenty of elevation change and players will find what their eyes suggest lies ahead is not what is before them, as they'll discover when they thumb through their notes on their practice rounds.

Players need to keep their wits about them. It is not the tightest course off the tee, but many holes require you to be on a certain side of the fairway to attack the pin placements.

With the approach shots it will be most important staying underneath the hole as the course is positioned on rolling land and there are several very undulating greens.

Players attempting to make birdies from above the hole will be making hard work of it. In large part that comes down to having precise course management and knowing where you need to be to achieve maximum benefit.

If the wind gets up - and, given the exposed nature of the course, it's a fair bet there will be some about over the four days - anyone who struggles to control their ball can be discounted from title contention.

The depth of the Open field is the best I can remember. I know we've had some of the game's greats here before - the likes of Nick Price, Curtis Strange, Hale Irwin, Corey Pavin, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sandy Lyle - but this year because the Open is co-sanctioned with the European Tour it has attracted a stack of high calibre players.

There are 11 winners from last year's European Tour, seven who finished the year in the top 30, a clutch of Ryder Cup players and Paul Lawrie, the Scot who won the British Open in 1999. Some players may not be household names, but trust me, they are very good players.

There are Finns, Swedes, Danes, Italians, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, Japanese, French and South Africans mixed with a large swag of Australians, so it should be a colourful event, with a diverse range of personalities.

What they have to say when they fly out of New Zealand may be important to the next few years of the Open.

On the US PGA Tour, each week a number of players are polled on their views of that week's event. Topics for rating not only include the course, its presentation and playability, but all manner of off-course elements as well, such as accommodation, transportation, standard of facilities and the reception from fans.

When the tour and tournament officials are planning the following year that goes into the mix. In the same way, these players will take a message back to their fellow pros who didn't come this time. That's one reason why this is a crucial week for New Zealand Golf officials.

They need to prove to the European Tour that they can host a top-notch event, can add some value to the tour and become a popular tournament on the circuit.

I know they are determined to make the Gulf Harbour event special, but as it's the first time the Open has been staged there, I'm sure there will be the odd wrinkle.

Don't get me wrong: I hope it's a tremendous success for New Zealand Golf, but I have no doubt mistakes will be made which they will learn from when it comes to debriefing the tournament.

There is talk of basing the Open at Gulf Harbour for several years. I'd still like to think there is scope to spread the Open around courses in other cities.

However, I understand the thinking of those who want a semi-permanent base. There are corporate, sponsorship and broadcasting issues to consider.

They want to be as close as possible to a big city, but the likes of Middlemore, The Grange and Titirangi may struggle with the increased demands.

There are many benefits in staging next year's, and possibly the 2007, Open at Gulf Harbour, where officials can use the same course and the same all-important volunteer base to convert what they learn from this year.

In 2008, the likes of Paraparaumu Beach or Heretaunga in Wellington or Shirley in Christchurch - having studied what is required to host a big-name, big-money Open - might be contenders.

Don't count out the possibility of the event going to either Kauri Cliffs or Cape Kidnappers or even a course that is not built yet, as factors that currently are seen as hurdles may in time be viewed as being quite advantageous.

I hope so, because getting our Open round the country, with big names on show, is important for the growth of the game in New Zealand.

* Phil Tataurangi is one of New Zealand's leading professional golfers.