GOLF: Stepping out from hubby's shadow

ANENDRA SINGH
Vicky Turley is a cog in the wheel but do not for a minute think that she is someone who is not driven.
Be it as a wife, mother or now the newest member of the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay senior women's representative golf team, Turley has no qualms about carrying her share of the load in the human chain.
Ask her what her role is in running the family business with husband and Bay senior men's representative golfer Darryn Turley and she throws her head back in laughter and quips: "Chief lawn mower."
But that modesty belies her other responsibilities that pave the way for a couple who live and breathe golf.
"I'm not a business person. I'm a lawn mower and I'm good at it. I do it most of the times but not this morning. I'm packing the bags today," says Turley outside Sharpies Golf Driving Range and Pro Shop in Hastings hours before she headed off to her hometown Masterton en route to the 58th Lion Foundation Interprovincial Tournament at Russley Golf Club, Christchurch, yesterday.
She is the travelling reserve player in the Hawke's Bay-Poverty Bay senior women's team, who will compete in the Interprovincials from tomorrow through to Saturday.
But the cheerful three-handicapper does not see the tag of "travelling reserve" as an inhibiting factor. On the contrary, she sees it as a great precursor to top level amateur golf.
"I didn't even expect to get that spot so for me it's a bonus. I'm going to learn heaps by being with those girls and watching and experiencing things without having to freak out about playing.
"I might be able to get into the team with some inside knowledge and, hopefully, be of some support - even if I'm cleaning their shoes after a round - they'll laugh at that. It's a team sport and in hockey, for years (going on to become a Wairarapa rep), I've always been a team person," says Turley, comfortable in the knowledge that if she doesn't step up to the tee-off mound this week she will have a chance to display her skills at her Napier Golf Club home course that will stage the Interprovincials next year.
She is also mindful that someone this week could be taken ill or injure herself warming up, thus prompting her to fill in on a short notice.
"I'll have to be tuned in all the time but I'd like to caddy as it'll give me more feeling for the game," says Turley, who this year won the Hastings Golf Club's 54-hole matchplay championship, beating Deb Hewitt 2 and 1 in the final.
Fellow Bay rep Linda Akers is an inspiration. Turley often finds herself on the sidelines of soccer matches on winter Saturdays when her daughters, nine-year-old Brooke and six-year-old Alex, play against Akers' daughters of similar age.
"Linda's been fantastic to me. She's just at that next level psychologically, so I've learned so much about playing because she shares her information."
But there's that question begging to be asked: Where does her hubby fit into all that?
"Darryn, with golf, is so much more level-headed and calm that I wish I could have that side of things," says Turley, who is prone to "fly off the handle a little bit".
Coming down in his golf ranking from Bay's top seed last season to No.5 has contributed to her game.
"It's all positive thoughts (from Darryn) because some little negative thing creeps in and you feel doubtful and you stuff it up."
Darryn's mate, Andre White coached her initially. "I've been working with (Hastings PGA professional) Brian Doyle a lot. It's the top two inches - that's what he's got to work a lot with me."
Turley, who holds a horticulture trade certificate, first met Darryn in Masterton while the pair were playing indoor cricket but she shelved hockey and started caddying for him at the weekends as their relationship blossomed.
But Darryn, the then Woolworths manager, was always on the road so she went back to hockey.
In late 2000 the couple shifted to the Bay to start their golfing business in Hastings but with children in the equation it can be tricky for parents to juggle their sport.
"Because we have no family in town, it's a logistical nightmare trying to play weekends of golf."
Playing in the Kapi Tareha Championship this year proved to be a challenge but Darryn's parents, Linda and Errol, of Masterton, came to the rescue. So do Turley's parents, Tom and Dot Edmonds, who are deer farmers, of Te Puki.
"We have really fantastic friends across the road who have been really super too," she says of her neighbours.
While Darryn is a member at Hawke's Bay Golf Club Turley opted for the club in Waiohiki because she wanted to be around more female golfers.
"At Waiohiki they are all working girls, so interesting and can't wait to get to golf on Saturday, and it was just so perfect. I fitted in the first day I got there. It was like I was meant to be there and it has never changed."
For a woman who loves the outdoors and loathes shopping ("I'm so not into it"), spending time in the pro shop is not on the list of her favourite things to do but there's no hesitation when it comes to rolling up her sleeves.
"Darryn's such a people person and he's built up the business a lot. I'm there in the background but Darryn's the backbone. His sales pitch is honest. His motto from day one is: 'I don't want to get rid of that from the shelf, I want to sell things to people that suit them'."
At the risk of sounding clichéd, Turley highlights the significance of making friends in golf.
"I've met some cool people, coming new to the area it's cool - I can't remember all their names of course," she says with a laugh.