Golf: Youthful golfers repay selection

By JULIE ASH

National coach Geoff Smart believes New Zealand's strong performance at the Commonwealth women's golf tournament can be credited to the tougher approach from the selectors.

The young New Zealand team beat South Africa 4 points to 1 on the final day of the tournament at Remuera in Auckland on Saturday to finish second behind world champions Australia.

Canada finished third, Great Britain fourth and South Africa fifth.

"It is beyond my wildest expectations," Smart said of the second placing. "I would have been happy if they had beaten one team. I thought if they could finish fourth it would be an incredible performance.

"I think this is equal to New Zealand's best performance ever at the Commonwealth. So for a young team it is an excellent result."

Smart said a major reshuffle was undertaken following New Zealand's 32-4 loss to Australia in the Tasman Cup this year.

"We got a lot harder. We cut a few girls out of the system and set some tougher guidelines and higher expectations for the players and it is working."

It had to be done, he said

"The girls realised they couldn't just have a place in the team on past efforts, it is an ongoing thing. You are only as good as your last game."

Also implemented was a programme concentrating on visualisation.

"This is probably the best preparation we have ever had for an event," Smart said. "We are working on a new system of visualisation ... a sports psychologist has been working really hard with the girls as far as their routines, getting them to feel comfortable and allowing them just to play and not get too intense.

"Coming into this event, playing girls far more experienced [and] with far more credentials, I thought the pressure might have got to them, but they weren't daunted and just stuck it to them."

Of the New Zealand players, Enu Chung, Jenny Park, Penny Newbrook, Stacey Tate and Sarah Nicholson, Smart identified 18 year-old Nicholson as one of the top performers of the tournament.

"From the beginning she stood out as being on form and the number one. She absolutely loved that position and thrived on being up there," he said. "I think she performed fantastically well."

The New Zealanders will now join several players from the other teams and compete in this week's national amateur championships at Mt Maunganui.