Golf: Row over golf ball leads to ban on selection

By BOB PEARCE

A dispute over a ball has cost Auckland their No 1 player for the major team golf tournaments of the season.

The Auckland selectors have decided that they will not consider Chris Johns for selection in teams who will contest the Garrard Shield at Manukau in a week's time and the Tower tournament in Invercargill next month.

Johns, a New Zealand representative and national champion in 1997, has been No 1 for Auckland since moving from Christchurch three years ago.

A statement from the Auckland Golf Association said: "This decision has been made on account of the player's continuous failure to adhere to the selectors' policies and requirements.

"That failure is prejudicial to the interests of the Auckland Golf Association."

Officials were unwilling to comment further, but the cause of the rift is the selectors' insistence that in line with the conditions of their selection, Auckland players should use a particular brand of ball.

The Precept ball is provided by their sponsors Bridgestone, who, with Adidas, support the Auckland representative teams.

Johns prefers the Callaway ball, which is made by his employers.

During the Auckland-Wellington match at Taupo last month he was warned about his conduct when he protested against using the Precept ball.

When he opted for his own choice in his second match against North Harbour a fortnight ago, Auckland decided he would no longer be considered for selection.

Johns says he should be allowed to use the ball which best suits his game.

"I'm not saying the Precept ball is a bad ball. Other people love it. But it doesn't suit my game," he said. "The Callaway ball gives me 20 yards more off the tee.

"It's not that I've performed badly with the other ball, but I've got very high expectations of my game and as an international player I've got to be at my best at all times.

"I've played 99 representative games - 79 for Canterbury and 20 for Auckland - and I'm keen to continue.

"I'm having discussions with Auckland Golf and I hope the problem can be resolved amicably."

If Johns remains outside consideration for the Tower team, Auckland will have only Geoff Sisson and Blair Dibley left from the five-man team who were narrowly beaten in the semifinals of last year's event.

The Stewart Gold Cup at the Grange last weekend was no great comfort to the selectors. The winner by nine shots was Martin Tumata, of Onewhero, the association's junior director, who is not available for the Tower tournament.