The Hills Invites

Daniel Chopra will be the highest ranked golfer playing in the NZ Open this year ranked 119 in the world, so unfortunately we haven't captured any players within the top 100 however we have other notable players such as the 2005 US Open/HSBC Matchplay champion Michael Campbell who's ranked 155 and slipping ever more after last weekends Australian Masters, Peter O'Malley at 141 and the more notable, Sir Bob Charles.

Amongst the players there will be no complaints about slow play as it will give them time to absorb the scenery of the Remarkables and the surrounding mountain ranges.

The NZ Open Golf Opens Today

The scene for the New NZ Open Golf for the next three years is to be held at the private course of NZs well known businessman Michael Hill known for his jewellery stores trhoughout New Zealand and Canada. His commercials when he first entered the scene were wimply direct and recognisable.

His course is set and ready to open today to play host to top NZ golfers as Michael Campbell, David Smail and Sir Bob Charles making his iconic return to the NZ Open.
The course (as laid out below) is located in the South Islands Arrowtown right next to Michael Hill's mansion. Being the one and only member makes him an Icon for who can say they have their very own private golf course for their own personal use.
Lastnight I sat watching an oversight of the course and I have to say, it's magnificent, with lush fairways and tricky greens and a layout which I have to say is one challenging design to test all golfers from the weekend hacker to the elite professionals.

Hole-by-hole breakdown of The Hills Golf Club, venue for the New Zealand Open.

No 1, par five, 475m: Comfortable three-shot hole. Elevated tee shot to narrow bottle neck-shaped fairway. Green surrounded by five bunkers with mid-to-back section sloping away.

No 2, par four, 371m: Elevated tee shot towards mountain tussocks left and bunkers right. Short iron to narrow, slightly tiered green.

No 3, par four, 335m: Accurate tee shot needed to attack with second to contoured clover-shaped green surrounded by tussocks.

No 4, par three, 235m: Long par-three with water right and four pot bunkers left. Long green with large ridge making putting a challenge if tee shot not pin high.

No 5, par four, 308m: Players can attack this short hole from the tee or layup to allow full sand wedge second. Very tiny, contoured, elevated green protected by three deep bunkers.

No 6, par four, 395m: Accurate drive required on dog leg right before second shot over water to terraced green.

No 7, par three, 189m: Elevated green protected by deep bunkers front right and deep swale on left. Large nose-shaped ridge through centre of green makes for challenging putt if tee shot inaccurate.

No 8, par four, 465m: Elevated tee shot, dog leg right, bunkers right and through the fairway at 290m. Exposed schist outcrops split fairway to slightly elevated terraced kidney shaped green.

No 9, par five, 544m: Sweeping right-to-left uphill dog leg. Second shot a layup for most ahead of elevated, terraced green with large bunker left and creek right.

No 10, par three, 149m: Three-tiered clover-shaped green, two bunkers front and three back requiring perfect club to get close into prevailing south-southwest breeze.

No 11, par four, 397m: Slight dog leg left. Second shot to three-tiered green with large bunkers left and deep swale right. Challenging slope on green for any approach above the hole.

No 12, par four, 388m: Tee shot the key, with large pot bunkers creating a double fairway. Right side protected by fescue rough and the left by trees. Narrow green guarded by pot bunkers.

No 13, par five, 525m: Sweeping dog leg left, up a valley from elevated tee over water hazard. Heavy fairway and greenside bunkering to narrow, long, kidney-shaped green make for demanding second shot.


No 14, par four, 392m: Tee shot between two deep pot bunkers set into the face of testing uphill landing area. Second to be hit from downhill lie into narrow, undulating green.

No 15, par four, 301m: Picturesque elevated tee shot to this driveable hole. Three-tiered green surrounded by deep bunkers. Prevailing breeze will push tee shots right.

No 16, par three, 167m: Slightly elevated tee shot to a half-moon-shaped green, bounded on the right by an irrigation ditch. Partially blind shot when pin placed in back sector of the green.

No 17, par five, 506m: Picture postcard hole, demanding straight drive to avoid bunkers on the elbow of the dog leg. The second is uphill through a schist-faced canyon, lined by bunkers to large figure-eight shaped green.

No 18, par four, 450m: S shaped fairway requires perfect placement of drive through the saddle of the hill to a plateau. Players need to be on fairway to have any chance of attacking well protected, elevated, undulating green.

Ballet Dancer

Lastnight Mom and I went to watch Danika in her very first performance in her ballet recital. We picked Kaz and Danika up where she was wearing her make-up but it wasn't until she came on stage wearing her cute little white TuTu with all the other 3-4 year olds that it was just the cutest sight imaginable.

She came on during the second act following a group of 4-5 year old girls in red marching suits that Mom had pitched in to help make. Then straight after them was Danika's group whom came out all holding hands where Danika was the 4th little ballerina to come out. They circled around the stage until they formed a big circle then went about their little routine of pointing and lifting their toes, jumping up and down before moving around in another big circle then exiting the stage.
They were on stage for only all of about 3 minutes but the crowd loved it with sounds of "Awwwwwwwwww" frequently heard.

At the end of the second act all the kids came back on stage where Danika saw mom waving to her, on getting back stage to Karyns waiting presence she notioned "I saw PohPoh"

She has another performance tonight but you can see on her face she absolutely loves it as they all had big big smiles on their face.

Maks Update Nov 27th 2007

Picked Maks up at her kindy friday afternoon in her soaked clothes after she'd been playing with the water. Once in the car it was the usual, "I want to see Danika", "where's Poh Poh" right before she picked her nose to show me a big big booger, Charming wee dear.

I was surprised that it had been two weeks since my last pick up when we started playing a new game of spot the red car (or blue) and she screamed out in excitement "Look daddy, there's a Red Car !!" I hadn't even promtped her and she started the game without me, cheater LOL. But was amazed at how much she is recollecting now.
Once home we had a quick bath and then back in the car to pop down the road to do the groceries before returning home for dinner. The rest of the night we read books, watched tv and then it was promptly to bed.

Saturday I was woken up before I was ready to get up to organise b/fast and on with the day. We went shopping in Albany for my God Son's birthday present and maks had fun playing with all the toys in the store, we were probably there for the better half of an hour. Then down to the new Albany Westfield to get Donne's birthday present. We stopped in at Bond + Bond and I sat maks down in front of a Playstation 3 to amuse herself playing an NBA basket ball game. Soon the shop assistants and other customers crowded around as she was randomly pressing buttons and shooting basket after basket at the amazement of everyone watching. SHe was quite content and happy just sitting there pushing away on the buttons and they started cheering. They'd ask - how old is she so I'd reply two and a half, WOW! was there answer.
After the full on day of shopping we headed home.

Sunday were went and spent the day with Danielle and Jaren. They ate lunches together played with all the toys, had a splash in the paddling pool and had fun with all the water guns. After about 3-4 hours we came home where she crashed out in the car for the 20 min drive home, I drove slowly so she could get a few minutes extra rest. When we got home we saw Grandad (YehYeh) before popping down to see the Santa parade. She loved it, abit older now than last year so was able to absorb alot more and recognised Bob The Builder whom she waved frantically at and said "bye bye Bob" as he moved on down the road. She loved the horses pulling the cart of something. She almost lurched out of my arms when she saw the Little Einsteins in their little rocket ship, flying through the sky...
After about 2 hours we met with Kaz, Danika and Tony to get an ice cream then back home for the two kids to play.
On taking her back to Donne she crashed out in the car (expected) as it had been a very long day for her.

Maks Update november 22nd 07

Yesturday Donne and I had a parent teacher meeting at Makayla's Kindy. After fighting auckland traffic for an hour to get there on time I parked the car and as I walked towards the front door I found Makayla and a the biggest smiling at the window. And then she must've run flat out around the corner to meet me at the door when I walked thru, there she was.

I read her portfolio and there we so may laughable stories, one stood out in particular where a new girl named jessica recently arrived from China came to start her first day in a new place in a new country. Crying as she arrived, Makayla approached her and gave her a big hug and basically took her under her wing.
That story well and truly was a popular point among the parents as they all knew the story and would go "Oh so this is Makayla..."

We basically got to meet all the teachers and see what the kids were up to and generally just an update. The place has come along way in the last two months which is good to see. Makayla seems much more at home, has lots of friends and enjoys herself.

The worst part of the evening was when we left, that she screamed and tear's flowing as she didn't want me to go, that's the worst part hate having to do that.

2007 The Kiwi's Gasp For Air

The year 2007 has brought much turmoil to NZ sports fan's

The pain we felt as Emirates Team New Zealand lost to Alinghi by 1 second was only the beginning. To follow was the loss of the Super 14, the Rugby League, The Cricket world cup and the 20/20 match, and in the last week the Netball world cup to long time foes Australia.

In all sports when the moment counted most we choked under the pressure and the many All Black joke emails sent around the web pushed our pain threshold only ever further.

Let hope that the future on NZ sports holds a much brighter future in years to come

Maks update Monday 19th November

the Terrible Two's - what more can I say :-)


Saturday night was an absolute mission to get her to bed.
Tried at 8pm, then again 4 times before 9pm, at 10pm she was still full of beans and wanting to play.
I ended up lying down with her after that and she started to doze off but then woke up again and was jumping around her bed. Finally got her to sleep at about 11pm which was almost the same time that all my buttons had been pushed and was absolutely shattered so I crashed about a minute after she did till she woke me up at 7am rip roaring ready for the day.

I was still sick from the flu, so spent the day huddled up on my couch with a blanket while mom took Danika and Makayla out for a few hours so I could try and recover. They got back about noon where she went about her normal destruction of the place pulling all her toys out and refusing to eat her lunch cos that would interrupt her play time. at about 1pm we had a nice long nap together on the couch which I think we both needed.

That night I went to bed again before 10 or possible 9pm woke up still in aches and pains - just lucky i'm on late's this week so I can still try and recover from the flu over the past week.

Maks update 16th Nov 07

This note is somewhat old now but here's the story....

Over the weekend I was chatting with Donne who mentioned that waking and getting maks up at 0530am every weekday is a major effort and I joked by saying she should get an alarm clock for her but then as soon as I'd said it we both agreed that it could be a really good idea.
Last tuesday I spoke with Donne and she said she'd tried it that morning, setting it to Polly and Grant in the morning (what ever station that is-think its 91fm).
Anyways, she was woken with makayla coming to wake her and the words the the little princess said was magical.

"Mommy, I don't like that song".

When Donne told me this I nearly fell over laughing as it was the cutest thing I've heard

Emirates Team New Zealand

The boyz n galz of ETNZ are now back at the Auckland Syndicate base with plans and prep for the next challenge. With time off over xmas, we are moving ahead putting the last campaign behind us and only looking to the future and bringing that cup back home.

There are still many trials between oracle and alinghi over rules and regulations governing the next cup challenge but we seem to be covering all bases until the final results are released.