David Solomann. File pictures by Paul Rickard
A master, an apprentice and a father of six will make their national interprovincial debuts for Poverty Bay-East Coast in Auckland this month.
Diversity is a feature of the six-man team for the week-long tournament on the Whitford Park course.
Three players will get their first taste of the prestigious amateur teams' matchplay event — Thomas Donovan, Reef Pohatu and David Solomann.
They are joined in the side by William Brown, who will be adding to his impressive record of appearances, and Hukanui Brown.
The team order for the November 24-28 event is Hukanui Brown, William Brown, Donovan, Pohatu and Solomann.
Dwayne Russell, who had to pull out of the PBEC team for the Freyberg Masters interprovincial this month, is reserve and likely to get a match over the week, depending on form and fitness.
If so, it will also be his debut.
Auckland-based Solomann would have been in the masters team but was happy to move to the senior side as he is a member of the Whitford Park course (as well as Waikohu).
Gisborne Boys' High School old boy Solomann, who started his golf at Poverty Bay and went on to represent the province, has not lived in the district for many years but he and wife Debbie (nee Hough) still have family here.
The 44-year-old has been playing regularly for PBEC at masters level and comes home for the Poverty Bay Open, which he won as a teenager in 1995.
Switching to the national interprovincial will also scratch an itch. Solomann was chosen as travelling reserve for PBEC for the 1995 edition but did not play.
“It will be a privilege to represent Poverty Bay-East Coast and I'm looking forward to competing with the best in the country,” said the father of two, whose daughter Ashleigh is a New Zealand trampolining representative and son Glenn is following in Dad's fairway steps.
The unavailability of at least two PBEC regulars has opened the door for Pohatu to get early exposure to this level.
The Rotorua Boys' High Golf Academy student and member of country course Patutahi was earmarked as a future PBEC representative and while it is a daunting prospect, he is relishing the opportunity.
“I'm stoked to have been selected to represent Poverty Bay-East Coast and play with guys I have idolised and looked up to while growing up,” said the 17-year-old son of former Poverty Bay rugby representative Mana Pohatu and Kelly Utting.
Pohatu followed sisters Skylah — now a PGA trainee professional at Poverty Bay Golf Club — and Jett into the sport when he was five and said he owed a lot to the likes of junior coaches Cliff Poole and Arthur Bacon.
“He (Arthur) had so much patience and time for us and we are all very thankful for what he taught us.”
The former Gisborne Intermediate School student is now coached by academy director of golf Jared Pender.
Donovan also used the word “stoked” to describe his selection reaction.
“I’m looking forward to it but nervous at the same time,” said the 36-year-old father of six — three boys, three girls.
Donovan put a huge amount of work into his game and his handicap dropped to scratch mid-year.
His handicap has risen as he adjusts to a recent swing transformation, although he has a superb short game and one of the purest putting strokes in the district.
Donovan began his golf through his grandparents in Tirau. He stopped playing but was encouraged back into the game by uncle and auntie Anzac and Rose Taiapa and husband and wife John and Kino White when he shifted to Gisborne and joined Gisborne Park.
He was encouraged to shift to Poverty Bay to play alongside “a lot more of the guns in the district” and he said that had helped him a lot.
William Brown remains on track for what could be a historic feat.
This will be his 12th consecutive national interprovincial after making a winning debut at the age of 15 at Palmerston North in 2009.
At this rate, Brown could chalk up 100 national interprovincial matches before he is 35 years of age.
He is also eyeing the feat of playing at a national interprovincial in every one of the country’s 15 provinces.
Hukanui Brown faces the formidable challenge of playing No.1 in his third national interprovincial.
But the big man from Patutahi plans to embrace it.
“I’m always keen for a challenge,” he said.
“I’ve been wanting to play No.1 for a while. It’s gonna be a battle but I’m sure if I do my thing, I’ll rattle some people.”
Notable absences from the squad are Andrew Higham and Peter Kerekere.
Higham has family commitments as his partner is due to give birth early next month, while truck driver Kerekere is unavailable due to work.
They are huge losses. Higham made his national interprovincial debut in 2004 and has played in the event 11 times, while Kerekere is a veteran of five of these tournaments.
Poverty Bay professional Dave Keown will once again manage the team. Keown has been in that role for the PBEC masters then senior team for around 20 years.