Teeing off at St Andrew's Golf Course in Scotland with the New Zealand flag flying in the distance was an experience Northland amateur Caroline Bon will savour for life.
"Teeing it up, directly to my right were flags of the different countries competing in the field, and there was a New
Zealand flag flying for me and me alone," she said.
After leaving Whangarei for Scotland last week, the 22-year-old played at the two-day St Rule Amateurs Trophy at the historic course on the weekend in her first of four tournaments in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
"It was so wonderful ... I felt proud I had put New Zealand in the limelight at the place where golf is what makes the town."
It was not all rosy however, with Bon struggling to play in the "horrendous weather" during round one at the New Course, hitting 10 over.
While she was not at her best, Bon said in hindsight her score card was not bad, looking at other competitors' achievements, the terrible weather and that she had never played on a course like St Andrew's.
Day two featured a 36-hole round at the Old Course, where Bon improved to shoot four over, which she said she was pleased with considering where she was at with making changes to her swing and factoring in the travel.
Bon left Edinburgh for London and is currently contesting the 36-hole Astor Salver tournament at Beringshire Golf Club, before competing in the British Ladies Amateur Championships from June 9-11 at Harlech, Wales.
Only the top 140 women could enter the British Amateur, and Bon's great results over the past 12 months and a handicap of 0 have placed her up there, despite some recent below-par performances.
Bon completes her overseas tournaments with the Ladies Open Stroke Play at Douglas Golf Club in Cork, Ireland, on June 20-21.
