By PAULA OLIVER
Fans hoping to catch a glimpse of golfing superstar Tiger Woods at Paraparaumu this weekend will find it not as easy as simply paying the hefty $175 course entry fee.
As the Herald's tournament team discovered this week, getting on the course with Woods is only the beginning.
Negotiating crowd stampedes, getting a view past the copious numbers of security guards, and leaving at the end of the day without any broken limbs are some of the other hurdles.
To help fans who want to catch a glimpse of more than just Tiger's clubhead, here are 10 tips to seeing the swing of the world's most famous sportsman.
* Take a lightweight, fold-away stepladder - especially if you are handicapped by being under seven feet tall. Not all of the people in front of you at the 18th green will be shorter than you are. And they may not respond kindly to a shout of "get down in front".
* Don't be distracted by any of the other golfers playing in the tournament. If you want to get a full body glimpse of Woods, you need to be single-minded. Only the strong survive a day in the clutches of a Woods-watching gallery.
* Don't mention cyanide.
* Take protective padding - essential if you plan to follow Woods around the course's steep terrain. Elbows and knees should be protected before you join the 10,0000 others who have the same plan as you.
* Chat to a course marshal. Always helpful and probably excited to be part of the Woods experience, a good marshal will know where to find the superstar on the course.
* Borrow your father's portable periscope. Word has it that these little gems used to be common on golf courses. Binoculars are an alternative.
* Be prepared to move fast. Woods doesn't hang around when he strides down the fairway to catch up with one of his long shots.
* If you don't want to battle through the crowd, find a good vantage point further up the course, plant yourself and guard the spot with care. You will know Woods is close when an alarmingly large crowd descends on your carefully chosen spot.
* If all else fails and you don't have $175, take the cheap option - don black jeans and head for Upper Hutt's Te Marua Speedway on Saturday night. Tiger should be easy to spot among the mullets and petrolheads as he cheers on his racing caddie, Steve Williams.
* For the rest, watch it on television. You'll see Tiger, but it won't be the same as being there.
Ben Campbell is now a full time LIV Golf player.