Peter Williams: Kupa and Duncan set to head crucial Kiwi campaigns

As well as the players for the world amateur teams championships in South Africa next month, there'll be two new national team coaches named on Tuesday. Sources tell me Auckland's Jamie Kupa and Otago's Shelley Duncan will be in charge of teams at this level for the first time.

They'll be popular choices. Kupa is the coach most in demand in the northern part of the country for players of all abilities. Although based at unfashionable Chamberlain Park, he's mentor to many Auckland representatives and, like Duncan, is one of New Zealand Golf's six-strong elite coaching panel.

Duncan played for New Zealand amateur teams in 1995 and 1997 before turning professional. She was a touring pro for a while before returning to Dunedin to become the first woman professional at Otago, the country's oldest golf club.

But what does a coach at a world teams championship do? Unlike virtually every other sport, the coach can have no direct involvement with any player during competition. A coach is not allowed inside the ropes during the Eisenhower or Espirito Santo trophies, may not offer advice to any of the team during a round and is not allowed to circumvent those rules by caddying.

Each team also has what is quaintly called a non-playing captain. That person is effectively the team manager but is allowed to walk with the players and give advice. Former Waikato representative John Gatley will be the Eisenhower non-playing captain but, accomplished player that he was, any word he has with the players is more likely to be encouraging than technical.

There is an irony in the men's team situation in that all the players - Josh Geary, Mark Purser and James Gill - are coached by Brian Boys in Hamilton. It might seem strange that an outsider not well known to any of the players is coming in for an event as significant as the Eisenhower Trophy but the men's trio are reputedly delighted with the fresh voice they'll have in South Africa.

At this level, good scoring depends on so much more than just hitting the ball well. The coach must take the lead in planning how to play the tournament courses, ensuring the players are properly warmed up and well fed and watered.

These are important tournaments for New Zealand golf. The men's team especially was extremely disappointing in Puerto Rico in 2004 and, with significant Sparc funding cuts on the horizon, a placing among at least the top five is needed to maintain golf's credibility as a sport that's worth investment.

Whoever takes these teams to South Africa has an unenviable task in an international tournament where more countries are becoming competitive.