Golf: Go clubbing every day

So you scored a new set of clubs for Christmas and you can't wait to try them out. No problem if you're in Auckland. The two premier public golf courses are open 365 days a year, from dawn to dark.

What's more, Chamberlain Park in Mt Albert and Takapuna over the Shore are well-designed layouts, which in their time have hosted professional tournaments.

Yet, if the weather has finally come good, the dress code is very relaxed.

Chamberlain Park is Auckland City Council territory, built on the Old Stone Jug Reserve with unemployment relief funds in the 1930s. It was opened in 1939 and has catered for millions of golfers since then.

The North-Western Motorway sliced into one side of the course and the redesigned layout extends about 5000m with a par of 69.

Frank Nobilo learned to play at Chamberlain and South African Gary Player was a competitor in one of the Wisemans professional tournaments 40 years ago.

These days some of the players are scary rather than Gary, but under the management of the privately owned Auckland City Golf, thousands of rounds are played each year on a course that drains so well it stayed open during the storms of Cyclone Bola.

The charge is $25 and $17 after 4 pm. Everything can be hired and professionals James Kupa and Ian Schofield can offer help.

A liquor licence is in prospect - something which would have been handy for one regular, the late Rex Fisher, who had holes in one on two par-threes during one morning round before work.

The Takapuna course went public when the North Shore Golf Club shifted to Albany in the 1960s and it is run by a private company on North Shore City land.

Like Chamberlain, the layout had to be adjusted for a motorway, something which didn't help the drainage. Recently $200,000 has been spent to vastly improve this and there is another $200,000 to complete the job.

For $23 during the week and $25 at weekends players enjoy 5400m with a par of 71. There is an evening reduced rate and concession cards for older players.

Hiring, practice areas and bookings are available. Both courses are rated for official handicaps. 

Champions abound in first cup 

Top women professionals Lynnette Brooky and Gina Scott will represent New Zealand in the inaugural Women's World Cup to be held in George, South Africa from February 11-13.

The $1.5 million event, which will become the first worldwide team competition co-sanctioned by the United States and European Tours, will include seven major champions including 2004 British Open winner Karen Stupples from England and former world number ones Karrie Webb from Australia and Laura Davies from England.

Also in the 20 teams competing are a host of Solheim Cup stars such as Swedes Sophie Gustafson and Carin Koch, Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel from the US, Elisabeth Esterl from Germany, and Patricia Meunier-Lebouc from France.

But missing are some of the superstars of the game, including number one Annika Sorenstam.

The World Cup slots in between the Singapore Ladies Masters, the opening event of the European Tour, and the ANZ Ladies Masters at the Royal Pines Resort in Queensland.