KEY POINTS:
A drink with friends at the 19th may well be the best way to look back on New Zealand's year of golf. There the good holes become better, the recoveries more heroic and only the putts that went down are remembered.
After the annus mirabilis with Michael Campbell
winning the US Open, anything 2006 turned up was likely to be an anticlimax. But the drop-off was steeper than most had expected.
Many of our established professionals struggled and the New Zealand Open suffered a barrage of criticism before it emerged this month, almost 20 months in gestation, to mixed reviews.
Campbell, though not as successful, remains 25th in the world rankings.
Our next best is David Smail at 111th.
The men in the amateur ranks had their moments but they were generally outshone by some outstanding efforts by the women.
The sun is setting over 2006 and our 18 holes will hopefully form a foundation for more success in 2007. The card comes in at a very mellow three under.
1. CAMPBELL'S KINGDOM
Michael Campbell is still our champion whatever the results may say. Almost single-handedly he provided the class that brought some good galleries to Gulf Harbour for the NZ Open. A couple of putts and he would have had his just rewards. An eagle soaring above the rest.
2. TIMELY TRIUMPH
Just when doubts were beginning to cloud Lynnette Brooky's game, the doughty warrior on the European women's tour won the Spanish Open. A birdie.
3. BEGGING BOWL
New Zealand Golf decides to up its levies by close to $1 million after clubs have already finalised their budgets. A double-bogey.
4. COURAGE UNDER FIRE
Craig Perks carved his first drive at Gulf Harbour almost at right-angles and finished with an 84. He still signed balls for the kids and when he shot a 71 in the second round we wished this likeable man more of the same. A par.
5. COURSE TALK
Best radio dispute of the year: Brendan Telfer likes to see pro golfers struggle at the NZ Open; Peter Williams says give the masses plenty of birdies. Williams would win on the course, but Telfer wins on the air. A par.
6. BEST GREENS
Aussie Nathan Green won the NZ Open after watching his challengers fade in the wind. Wellingtonian namesake Andrew beat an Aussie to win the national amateur title at Coringa. Halved in par.
7. BEST BET
Aucklander Natasha Krishna went to the University of Nevada in Las Vegas for golf and came up trumps in her first collegiate tournament. Clever birdie.
8. YOUNG AND YOUNGER
Seve Ha won the Auckland matchplay title at 15, Larissa Eruera won the national women's matchplay title at 14. And they used to say matchplay suited the older player. Must be par these days.
9. SAYONARA
David Smail thought he'd blown his chances of making the end-of-season tournament on the Japanese tour and said he'd be at Gulf Harbour. A birdie blitz saw him leap to second, miss the NZ Open but finish 19th on the Japanese money list with 53 million ($640,000). Birdie.
10. STAR TURNS
Greg Turner's local pro circuit gains momentum and begins to fulfil its role. Officialdom is ambivalent. A par.
11. WHAT HANDICAP
When players on single-figure handicaps shoot close to three figures in tournaments, somebody's kidding somebody. Triple bogey.
12. PROVINCIAL PROWESS
Waikato and Bay of Plenty win the inter-provincial men's and women's titles. One each seems only fair. A par.
13. WOMAN DRIVER
North Harbour teenager Phillis Meti wins the world long-driving title in Nevada with a 298.1m wallop, 36m further than her opponent in the final. An eagle.
14. SUPER SARAH
Wellingtonian Sarah Nicholson leads the way as the New Zealand women finish second in the Queen Sirikit and seventh in the Espirito Santo. Birdie.
15. TOUGH CALL
The men finish 19th in the Eisenhower, which would probably be okay if we hadn't won it in 1992. Only another top-three finish will remove this bogey.
16. ON THE OUTER
From being flavour of the month in the 1990s, golf has slipped down the national funding priorities. One Michael Campbell generates more publicity than 50 Olympians and aren't those people of every age on golf courses, from Ahipara to Bluff, keeping fit? A double bogey for Sparc.
17. WHEEL DEAL
Steve Williams managed to line up Tiger as a driver at Huntly. The insurance business went into shock, the fans into motorsport heaven. A birdie took flight.
18. GOLDEN OLDIE
Bob Glading, NZ Open champion in 1946 and 1947, at 86 considers playing his age a doddle. At Gulf Harbour he won a hole-in-one competition to raise funds for the First Tee junior golf programme. He's off to Dubai, where eagles soar over the desert.
