Professional golfer Ryan Fox at the Remuera Golf Club, Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell.
Professional golfer Ryan Fox at the Remuera Golf Club, Auckland. Photo / Dean Purcell.
All week my fiancée had been pressing me; "What do you want to do on your birthday?"
All week I had replied with a simple "I don't know, I haven't thought about it. I'm too focused on Thursday."
I was playing New Zealand professional golfer of the year Ryan Foxin a game at my home club in West Auckland, Redwood Park.
I'd been nervous for it all week re-imagining the first hole over and over again, "don't roll your wrists, or over-compensate and open up the face of the club too much," I told myself over and over again.
Let me give you a quick snapshot. Ryan Fox is a winner on the European Tour, Olympian, holds the record for the lowest nine holes in British Open history, plays off a negative six handicap, is probably one of New Zealand's most accessible athletes and all around good bloke.
I am an 18 handicapper, think I'm better, still talk about the 79 I hit at a par 73 course when I was 16, and take immense satisfaction from beating friends who have never played golf before.
The first hole I was a bundle of nerves, Ryan was very relaxed. He took some photos with a few members excited by his presence at the club and was somewhat happy with the way the practice green had rolled.
New Zealand golfer Ryan Fox makes a putt while playing in the New Zealand golf open at The Hills golf course near Queenstown. Photo / Mike Scott
I was up first. "I'm not used to having a crowd," I said nervously before standing over my ball. BANG! Five iron right down the middle. I let out a breath that felt like I'd been holding in for minutes. Ryan followed by going way left.
"I'm not used to this 'no warm-up' thing." He laughed. "I'll hit a provisional."
I gave a quick look at one of the members, who cheekily grinned back. Could a massive upset that no-one would ever really know about, be about to happen? No. Of course not. Fox is a professional, and his provisional quickly showed that.
It would only be a matter of time before he found his groove, he hadn't swung a club in six days (a match-play event against John Key at Tara Iti - widely regarded as New Zealand's best course). I had spent the days leading up to the game at the driving range and playing the course.
I won the first hole - a bogey to his double. Goal one of "win one hole" ticked off. The other was to win the handicap match-play game we decided to play. Fox was giving me 26 shots! It meant on eight holes he had to beat me by two shots to even win a hole.
Ryan Fox quickly turned things around, winning the next few holes, including a remarkable second shot on the third, which saw him hit a low slice close to 200 metres, staying below trees and ending up nicely on the green. It was the kind of shot the average golfer would mention to his mates every single time they played the hole in the future.
Fox shrugged. "That's what I was trying to do." He was on a whole other level.
Ryan Fox gets in a practice shot. Photo / Mike Scott
As the round progressed Fox showed his class, he planted the ball next to the pin from impossible spots, drove the ball with impressive power, and showed finesse with his wedges. It was a joy to watch. All the while he happily chatted, probably getting frustrated at my nervous replies as I duffed yet another short chip shot.
My only advantage was the large number of blind holes (where you can't see the green from the tee box) at Redwood Park, so I spent a lot of time trying to tell a professional golfer where to hit too. I tried to be helpful, I swear. He'd only played the course once as a teenager and had no memory of it at all.
I dropped the 14th hole, which left me up by one, having had a lead of as much as three. I thought the choke was on. I wanted it too much.
The 15th is a 247-metre par four. Fox lined up his two-iron and plopped it on the green, leaving himself a 10-metre putt for eagle. I missed the green to the right with my three-wood and chipped on, leaving myself an eight-metre putt for birdie. Fox narrowly missed his eagle and tapped in for birdie. If I drilled my putt, I'd go up by two with three to play. I swung, and couldn't believe my eyes as it dropped in!
Kiwi Ryan Fox is a winner on the European Tour, holds the record for the lowest nine holes in British Open history, and plays off a negative six handicap. Photo / Mike Scott
It was only at this point did Fox indicate a slight bit of disappointment.
"Oh man I'm in real trouble now."
Yes, this match meant very little to him, it wouldn't hit him in the pocket like it does when he's on tour. But he's a competitor, he wanted to win, even though everything was stacked against him; the handicap, playing my home course and the lack of preparation.
I drilled another five-metre putt to win the hole and match on the par-three 16th.
There's not much Fox could do. He would have had to birdie the hole just to halve it. Golf can be cruel.
But not for this average weekday hacker. I had just played one of New Zealand's best male golfers and lost by 20 shots, and still walked away a winner.
