By Neville Idour

You learn something every day, so the saying goes.

Perhaps I should have inserted the word ‘can’ before the word ‘learn’ but I’m sure you get the drift. 

Of course this saying can, and should, apply every day with golf. 

Eight years ago my wife and I returned to our hometown of Dunedin to live and I joined St Clair Golf Club and, as a second club, Port Chalmers Golf Club, a charming and challenging nine-hole course.

Little did I know that I would discover an alternative, but most enjoyable and fun way, to play the beautiful game at Port Chalmers.  

Each year they run a club challenge stableford tournament where players at the end of their round deduct the number of clubs in their bag from their final score.  

For example if you scored 36 stableford points and you carried six clubs, your stableford score is reduced to 30 points.

Obviously the less clubs the less deduction from your score. This can also be applied to a gross or nett competitions as well. 

Anyway, I was fortunate enough to receive a little advice from the previous year’s winner. His advice was to use four clubs. Well that got the brain cells working.

If I remember correctly, I chose a three wood, four hybrid, pitching wedge and putter. 

Unbelievably, I had my best ever round at Port Chalmers in my three years there. I had something like 40 stableford points. I was astounded but realised that this was a good way to play at times for many reasons. 

One of the key reasons is that the thought process is simplified — the club needed is rarely an internal debate. 

On many occasions the club you use requires some change in process. That could be gripping down, playing a half-swing and so forth. You find you can adapt out of bunkers without a sand wedge for example. The day was so enjoyable that the idea has stayed with me.

The Hills course near Queenstown now runs an annual Club Challenge on similar lines and it has proved a winner with many members who look forward to a fun day with a difference. It has had the same winner in the first two years, who has obviously got the right formula.

My question is could this be an event all member clubs would consider and maybe there is an innovative club that would run a New Zealand Club Challenge Championship each year. Of course it could limit the number of clubs to four or five and insert that in the title.

Because of this learning curve I bought a great little stand bag with a carry handle that holds a maximum of six clubs and I now enjoy being able to walk the undulating St Clair course as if I have a light shopping bag. Bliss indeed. 

There is no question it gets you more familiar with the clubs and how to adapt their use. This can only be good for your game. 

For example, with six clubs I usually find one doesn’t get used. It is fun using a driver instead of a three or five wood off the fairway. The ideal six club combo for me is driver, five wood (although it is rarely needed), four hybrid, eight iron, pitching wedge and putter.

What a great way to enjoy practice on course. So come on clubs, why not try a tournament with a difference?