PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT: Steve Harris wants to lead Hawke's Bay by example. PHOTO/DUNCAN BROWN
STEVE HARRIS isn't the type to throw his toys out of the cot if things aren't going his way on the man-made garden of Eden.
Harris will mutter a few choice obscenities under his breath, though, when he finds himself playing out of the rough or lippy bunkers during the Toro Interprovincial Championship at the Invercargill Golf Club from Tuesday next week.
"Word gets around quite fast if you're a club thrower," says the 30-year-old foreman at Mackersey Construction, who will captain the Hawke's Bay senior men's provincial team of six during the five-day tourney, which is the premier amateur teams' matchplay golf competition in the country.
Harris doesn't like losing his rag because he doesn't want other youngsters to think it's the norm.
"I have to earn the respect of the boys [teammates as well] and the golfing public," says the rookie captain.
The man who still inspires him and even now lugs his bag when he can, his father, John Harris, taught him those life skills.
"He keeps me grounded. I can't get away [with tantrums] as he'll clip me around the ears," Harris says of the Heinz Wattie's Ltd employee, who caddied for him at last year's Interprovincials at St Andrew's in Hamilton in what was the son's first appearance at that level. He was the No 5 seed then and the Bay finished 12th.
"I was 2 years old when he had me swinging [a golf club] so it's special. He was a scratchie in his day so it runs in the genes," he says of John who nowadays channels his energy in becoming an Ironmaori.
Bay manager David Howie appointed the bloke "who stepped up this year" on the foundation of not only his discipline but his dedication.
Teetering around the scratchie-plus mark with his handicap, he practises four hours a week to hone his driving, short game and putting prowess.
"Last year was a bit of an eye-opener on the standard of golf I need to be at," says the Hastings Golf Club member, who is mindful that as captain he needs "to push others to the same levels".
In September, Harris won his third consecutive Waipawa Open title over 72 holes of matchplay, comprising two rounds a day and culminating with a knockout segment with players seeded through handicaps.
"It's a 100-year-old tournament so I'm very proud to have my name on it three times in a row."
But just as quickly his flirtation with self-appraisal vanishes for the good of the collective cause.
"We're not representing individuals but Hawke's Bay so we're going to do the region proud."
Not losing sight of his commitment to his partner, who teaches at Mahora School, is paramount.
"She's been busy with school reports lately so it's been easy to get out. She gives me a swipe about neglecting her but she knew what she was getting into when she started," he says with a grin.
Jocularity aside, the significance and immense pressure the Bay face in flying the provincial flag isn't lost on Harris.
Compounding that degree of difficulty is that Harris has never been to the city that Mick Jagger didn't have too many nice things to say about when the Rolling Stones toured there in their heyday.
Two of the players, No 3 Brad Truesdale (Dannevirke GC) and reserve Tyson Tawera (Hastings GC), have no Interprovincials experience.
Russell Mitchell (Maraenui GC) is the top seed, Dallas Williams (Wairoa/HBGC) is No2, after playing reserve last year, Harris is No 4 and Ben Swinburne (Ongaonga GC) comes in at No5.
"We've got, what I think, is a good draw because we miss bigger teams such as Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Southland," says Howie as Waikato look to defend their crown and Otago are fresh off an SBS Invitational victory in Invercargill last week.
The Bay play Taranaki on Tuesday morning and Tasman in the afternoon.
The next day it's Wellington and Northland and then Otago on Thursday morning before every team has a bye in the arvo.
For the Bay that bye extends to Friday morning before the final round-robin match against Auckland in the afternoon, ahead of Saturday's playoffs - if they make the cut.
"There's no reason at all why we shouldn't get to the playoffs on Saturday and win it," says the man who has 10 national men's and juniors' management experience.
Howie emphasises that at this level, the majority of the game is played between the ears.
"All of them can play and the big part is self-belief," he says.
The team jet off tomorrow morning and will map the course in the afternoon before Monday's practice round.
It's Howie's third term with the Bay and, no pressure boys, he wishes to go out on a high note.
Harris attests to that mental edge, strengthening the side with Hastings PGA professional Brian Doyle this year.
"Brian's kept it simple and didn't cloud my mind with too much information."
Put in layman's terms, it's about having good thoughts coming down the 18th fairway with the goal of landing his approach near the pin - nothing he hasn't done 100 times on the practice fairway.