The waiting was stressful – 15minutes after the final putt was sunk, the decision finally came through – A PLAYOFF.  New Zealand and China-Taipei would have to playoff for the Queen Sirikit Championship.    As Renee Fowler and I walked through the crowd at the 18th green we were greeted with a fantastic applause.   We were on our way to the 18th tee for the first playoff hole, Renee waved and then looked back at me for a second, the goose bumps on our arms were mountainous and the realisation of what we had to do was dawning on us.  The expectations of the crowd, the team, women’s golf and ourselves all came flooding to the forefront of our thoughts.  As we passed by people along the fairway there were cries of go Kiwi, c’mon Kiwi, take it to them KIWI.

 

Renee made the comment that she hoped she could do it, I said of course you can – you are prepared for this (Lesson 1 - you can never over prepare). All of the practice, hours and hours of hitting balls, game after game of golf, eating the right energy foods, getting and keeping fit, and preparing mentally for pressure situations would pay off on one par 5 hole at Parparaumu Golf Club. 

 

We first started to focus on the drive she would have to make.  For the whole of the 18 holes just played Renee had only used a three wood because that was where her confidence was (Lesson 2 play to your strengths).  Most of the time she had out driven the Korean girl Kyung Hee Cho and the Australian Sandy Grimshaw who were using drivers.   However, the wind had started to come up from the south and was strong – this meant it would be straight into our face off the tee. A three wood would give enough length into the wind to make the green in two (Lesson 3 – know your golf course).    

 

As Renee faced the fairway, driver in hand, she had to tell herself what it was she wanted to do with driver – what she was going to focus on.   She looked down the fairway and set her line on the flag poles to the left of the Paraparaumu club house.  On either side of the flag poles are two groups of trees which are higher than the flag poles and the sky was very blue and filled the gap between the trees and above the poles. 

 

Once over the ball Renee would look up at that patch of blue sky and it would make her feel calm – it was easy to look at and she did not feel like she had to drive the ball to a pin point placement on the fairway but rather to a big patch of blue sky (Lesson 4 always have a calm mind in a ready body).  

 

The line was set, the club was selected, the body was ready and the mind was calm.   The ball went flush and landed dead on target in line with the flag poles.  As we walked off the feeling of overall tension seem to be leaving our minds and bodies but the expectation was still there.   We started to talk about something other golf – I can’t even remember what it was – it just wasn’t important (Lesson 5 - turn off between shots).  The calls for go kiwi were still coming from the very supportive crowd.

 

We reached the ball and were greeted with a soft patch of dirt under the ball and thick heavy high clump of grass in front of the ball (Lesson 6 – Golf is not a game of perfect).   Now we had a challenge, what club and how to make the shot.   Renee looked around the ball and then up the fairway assessing the wind and direction of the green.  I had prepared the yardage information but Renee decided that she would not make the green and she would just have to bash her way out of trouble.  She pulled a three iron and gave it the old grip and rip – as suspected the ball went about 60 feet and stopped. Renee was calm and ready for the next shot (Lesson 7 – always remains calm and positive). 

 

We approached the ball and it was on a dry grassy area at the base of a small round hill common to Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club.    There was a clean line to the green and the flag was on the right side 31 meters from the front.  A flush 4 iron would see the ball on the green and with a little run up to the pin (Lesson 8 – know your pin placement).    Renee applied a text book swing just as she always did (Lesson 9 – be consistent with your technique).  The ball took of high and straight. Renee and I both thought it was on the edge of the green going by the crowd’s reaction, we could not see clearly from our angle.  When we got to the green we discovered the ball had ended up on the right side of the green in some plush green grass on a down slope. It was just short of pin high.   The club selection had been the right one (Lesson 10 – always look for the positive first). 

 

As we looked at the ball I said to Renee “you have a great short game”.  She considered the shot she would have to make for what seemed like a very long time, she sussed out the grass depth, looked at the roll of the green, decided to take the flag out and was confident of getting it in the hole. She took out a 9 iron and made her pitch at the ball it went up and then bounced three times before hitting the edge of the cup and stopping a couple of feet passed the hole (Lesson 11- always back yourself to do well).   

 

The crowd went up in support of the ball dropping and then followed with a big sigh and clap for Renee as the ball bounced off the side of the cup.     The putt was fairly straight forward but preparation was undertaken as usual for this simple putt (Lesson 12 – do not take shots for granted, always follow your routine).  As the ball went in the hole the New Zealand crowd showed their admiration for a gutsy effort and cheered Renee off the green.  

 

It was exciting to be there as both Renees caddy and as her Performance Coach.   Renee had shot four over during the day and her score had not counted on Sunday afternoon.  She had contributed a 1 under par on the Friday to put us in equal third going into Saturday where Tina Howard’s 69 put us ahead by 3 shots going into Sunday.  Lisa Aldridge birdied the playoff hole and this gave us the advantage by putting the pressure on China-Taipei.  Tina Howards Par sealed the fate for New Zealand, two pars and a birdie beats two pars and a bogey.    

 

Although Renee had shot four over on the Sunday she put everything she had into every shot even though she knew her score would not count.  It was this determination she took into the playoff (Lesson 13 – Never Never Never Give Up) and (Lesson 14 – when you’re in a team you honour them by always bringing your best and giving of your best no matter what the score)