Left to right at Millbrook: Sir Bob Charles, Jim Hardie, Michael Hill and Geoff Saunders. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Sir Bob and Lady Verity make Jim Hardie's latest trip to New Zealand

- where it's a boiling hot summer - one to cherish forever

North-east businessman and golfer Jim Hardie reports on his
annual winter trip to New Zealand.
Greetings from, at long last, a boiling hot New Zealand !
I say at long last as the first five weeks were a bit like a bad Scottish summer, and to quote Sir Bob Charles, he saw more rain in New Zealand in the first two weeks in January than he saw in his entire Scottish Wish list Tour last year.
To start from the beginning, way back early December, I had my first game with the great man at Pegasus Golf Club just outside Christchurch, and on a day more like a winter alliance day at Inverallochy, I'm glad to report that Geoff Saunders and I had a 4 and 3 victory over Sir Bob and Simon Robinson, with yours truly having the distinction of birdieng the 15th to finish the game.
Sir Bob at this point said, "Geez, you fly thirteen thousand miles to beat me up in my own back yard!"
Geoff Saunders still plays off 2 and is a former Canterbury team player, as was Simon Robinson who plays off 5.
I felt great as not too many people can claim a victory over Sir Bob!
Pegasus is the venue for the forthcoming New Zealand Ladies Open, and a wondeful new course.
I had the pleasure later that night of dining with Sir Bob and Lady Verity at their house overlooking the 17th fairway at Clearwater, another fabulous course in Christchurch.
The golf stories were simply amazing, could have listened for ever, but as much as that evening was special, a few days later they invited me to their farm at Oxford, which, not surprisingly, is named Lytham, and is approximately 800 acres.
We spent some time going round the property, saw his herd of deer,and then the process of how they produce Deer Velvet, which acts as an anti-inflamatory!
Sir Bob showed me a lot of memorabillia from years gone by. What a collection he has, far too numerous to even mention, but he has a complete book showing his Open championship victory in verse and pictures, news reports etc of other events he won what at the time, including the Piccadilly World match-play at Wentworth. Simply awesome reading!
During this visit we had been discussing various courses all round the Central Otago area, which is about 350k south of Christchurch, and as I metioned several of my favourites, discovered that Sir Bob had never played a couple, so he suggested a "mini tour" of Central Otago.
First point of call was Wanaka Golf Club, and Sir Bob partnered Bob Mcrae, a well-known farmer in that area, and I played with my cousin Bill Grigor who, like myself, originates from Ballater.
A wonderful sunny day, game was very well balanced until Bob Mcrae decided to hole a 30 footer on the 17th to close the game 2 and 1 to them !
Following day we were off to Cromwell Golf Club, one of my all time New Zealand favourites, and this time I've got the President of Shirley Golf Cub in Christchurch, Ken Fergus, a five- handicapper as my partner, against Sir Bob and John Roache, a very good senior golfer from Alexandra, just along the road from Cromwell, and a four-handicapper.
Ken and I combined really well and despite Sir Bob being three under after 13, Ken and I were two up!
Sir Bob did sort of mention at this time, "Doesn't twp up with five to play never win?"
I said "Well, today looks like it will buck the trend."
WRONG, Sir Bob throws in a couple of birdies to stand all square on the 18th, a wonderful 200 metre par 3, and then John decides to hole a 25-footer for a birdie 2, and, oh dear, another defeat by one hole !
After a great lunch Sir Bob and I visited a few wineries in the Bannockburn area of Central Otago, then back to his house at the Millbrook Resort, which is where Peter Smith (former Northern Open champion from the North-east) was at one time was the Director of Golf.
Next venue was the Hills Course, where the NZ Open has just been played, and this was mind blowing. I can't describe it as anything else.
We played with the owner, Michael Hill, and I can honestly say I was in hysterics all the way round. What acharacter this man is and his devotion to golf is absolute.
This game was unfortunately cut short by rain, but what a course, simply incredible.
On we went and Sir Bob arranged our next game to be at Millbrook, where Greg Turner has recently redesigned a new nine holes. I have to say its the best new nine holes I personally have ever seen!
Sir Bob played with Michael Hill, and Geoff Saunders and myself were the opposition .
I honestly think we were "set up" as Michael, who normally plays off 13, decided with his own unique handicapping system, that as he was not playing well and he had not played the "new nine" at Millbrook, "I'll just play off 18 today just to assist Sir Bob!"
Michael then has nine pars, so Geoff and I were "beaten" 2 and 1. I refrain from making any other "comment," suffice to say Michael did sort of see the funny side !
Having returned to the clubhouse, we then meet Mr and Mrs Peter Alliss who had just arrived three hours earlier as Peter was commentating for the NZ Open later that week.
Next port of call was another new course called Jacks Point, just outside Queenstown, where I have Sir Bob as a partner, this time against Geoff Saunders and a four-handicapper from England named Kevin Sutherland, who I believe is involved in Corporate Finance within the ANZ Banking Group in Australasia.
The scenery i could not even begin to describe. Breathtaking does not do this course justice. I can honestly say I have never seen views from a golf course like this, ever!
Great game ended all square after Sir Bob and I trailed most of the way, but a couple of late birdies, one each, saved our bacon, and we were all happy with a drawn match.
The NZ Open at the Hills was simply awesome, and I had lunch one day with Sir Bob and the great Peter Thomson. Yes, I've got the autograph to prove it!
Peter talked about his love of Brora, and, of course, Sir Bob had played it last year. Peter did laugh when I told him I'd sort of "set up" Sir Bob when he played there as I arranged for him to play with Jim Miller. Sir Bob said that guy can play some!
Returning to Christchurch, I am playing at Shirley Links, where I had the pleasure of lunch again with Peter Thomson, as he was visiting to see how the course changes were coming along.
Returning to Pegasus, Sir Bob had Aliatair Kidd as a partner against myself anf the Director of Golf at Pegasus, Brett James, an ex tour pro, who played in Australia.
This was probably yours truly's best display so far, and Brett and I went into a three-hole lead over Sir Bob and Alistair, when,on the 15th tee, Brett says "Sorry guys, I've got to attend a PGA meeting, so I'll have to leave."
And he says to me "Your playing well, I'm sure you can bring home a victory for us."
Well, Sir Bob starts the birdie stuff and I'm only one up playing the last but managed to halve the hole in par, so hang on I did, albiet just!
Alistair Kidd used to be a touring European pro way back, and was attached to Turnberry and Troon, before moving to New Zealand and was pro at the Otago Golf Club (Balmacewen) in Dunedin for a while.
You will see that I have been fortunate with a couple of victories over Sir Bob, but golf apart, i can't speak highly enough of this man. He has gone out of his way to reciprocate my small involvment in last year's wish list tour os Scotland.
The kindness of Sir Bob and Lady Verity I will cherish forever.
New Zealand should be justifiably proud of this gentleman. He is in a class of his own, and I recall Gordon Brand junior saying the same thing last year after playing with Sir Bob in a Seniors event.
Anyway that's an update. I still have another two weeks of sun to survive, and I have at least another two games arranged with Sir Bob, so onwards and upwards.
In closing, I'd like to say to all your readers, anyone thinking of visiting New Zealand, don't hesitate. A long way from Scotland it most certainly is, but once you get here, you are in one of the most beautiful unspoiled areas of the world.
Jim Hardie