Deep breath. Head down. Itâ??s blogging time.
It has been a month since I was lying in Jucy at the Picton Ferry terminal being buffeted side to side trying to sleep against the will of Mother Nature in a particularly testy mood.Â
Looking back the homeward run of puregolf2010 seems like years ago as after a month of settling into â??a crazy little thing called the normal worldâ?? golf seems like a distant lost friend.
Over the coming weeks puregolf2010 will come to life again as the final few posts are put up, JP and I reminisce about a couple of favourite moments and then we say our final goodbyes. Iâ??m not going to lie to you, itâ??ll be emotional.
So to Rarangi Golf Club. A seaside course on the northeastern tip of the South Island of our fine country. Seaside, but not a links as the trees line this joint primarily to provide some respite from the wind hurtling off the pacific ocean. A month of being home and weâ??ve learnt that the concept of â??windâ?? is not embraced downunder as it is in bonnie Scotland.
Rarangi is a course weâ??d both played before, probably on an adventure to Malborough inspired not by golf but wine. Many times during 2010 upon arrival at our hosts place a bottle of Malborough Savignon Blanc would be brought out to make us feel at home. Itâ??s really world famous stuff. Rarangi itself is more coastal than many of the vineyards, although nearby is the brilliantly named monkey bay.
The day we played Rarangi was also one of our last big days of travel as weâ??d made the trip up from home in Christchurch. So it was always going to be a pretty laid back hit as country golf in New Zealand tends to be. Greeted by Diane and Graham McCarthy we were made to feel at home and even ushered into a golf cart to ease our workload on this 361st straight day of golf. Sorry purists. Di and Graham were former proprietors of a hotel so you might say they were well trained at the meet and greet. Energy levels were restored with a choc bar, hydration levels were restored with a powerade. Legends.  A mere couple of hours later, after navigating through the tree lined but sandy course amidst the wind swirling in every direction from underneath the nearby hills, we made it back to the clubhouse, 6 birdies the better. A solid day at the office and thanks to Rarangi. Â
What I remember next is doing something we had little time for during 2010 â?? watching television. In particular watching the Aussies get demolished by England in the ashes.  If my memory serves me correctly, Jan 27 was particularly a day to forget for the Aussies as England piled on the runs in front of a packed house of disappointed Victorian fans at the MCG.   A couple of mates were there watching in fact, and one in particular, Mr W Corke, was to fly back to join us in a few days time at the finale at Cape Kidnappers.  Nearly thereâ?¦
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I think you mean Dec 27.....
Posted by Jane, 31/01/2011 7:48pm (2 years ago)
Chisholm Park
12 holes bart cape kidnappers christchurch christmas doak ed bayley hawke's bay heretaunga jane poole napier golf club new zealand puregolf2010 rangiora rarangi gc royal royal wellington the first tee the interislander waiohiki
