Suddenly the Northland men's golf selectors are spoilt for choice. To the point where they can laugh off the fact that their star player, Gary-John Hill, will not be around for the annual Garrard Shield inter-provincial tournament at Remuera in November. Hill has been picked for the four-strong NZ amateur golf teamto contest the Spirit International amateur championships in Texas. It means Hill will miss the Garrard Shield tournament, but may yet open the door for Dale Clarke to march straight back into the Northland team. Clarke has abandoned an attempt to break into the professional ranks and will be welcomed back into the amateur circuit when his mandatory stand-down ends at the end of October. Northland Golf executive officer Glenn Brown said news of Hill's promotion was exciting for the 20-year-old and would give him some invaluable international experience. But it also meant Hill would not be part of the Garrard Shield team. "You could hardly deny a player like Gary-John that sort of opportunity. The best bit is that Dale Clarke sounds like he will be back so he may step straight into Gary-John's shoes at the Garrard tournament," Brown said. "Gary-John is a star, that is for sure. "Of course Dale (Clarke's) position is only if he actually gets selected, but he seems to be the ideal sort of stand in for Gary-John. Then there is the exciting prospect of having both of them playing for Northland at the inter-provincials. I can't see much wrong with that, Gary-John and Dale in the same Northland team. If they are selected, of course." The Spirit International is a team and individual event incorporating both men and women and was established as a possible model in the push for golf to be included in the Olympics. Rotorua golfer Penny Smith will provide key experience for the New Zealand amateur golf team in Texas. She will be joined by Dana Kim, 18, of Christchurch and Wellington's Perry Hayman. Smith competed in the event in 2003 and is an experienced campaigner while Kim and Hill have competed in the junior Transtasman Cup and Hayman has earned a recall after missing out on the national academy squad this year. The event will be held at the Whispering Pines Golf Club in Houston from October 20-27.
