NZ golf open to have party hole

WILL HINE/Southland Times

HEINEKEN HILL: The Hills family board member Doug Jacques, left, and Queenstown DB Breweries sales representative Regan Pearce talking up the possibilities of the party hole ahead of the NZ Open, while Queenstown pro golfer and Open hopeful Chris Judd gets in some practice ahead of a qualifying tournament at the Clearwater Resort in March.

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The loudest and rowdiest initiative in international golf is headed to the upcoming New Zealand Golf Open, with the creation of a "party hole" at The Hills course in Arrowtown.

Party holes, at which massive crowds congregate and yell balls on to the green, have proved a huge hit in recent years with punters and promoters, but some traditionalists object to them.

The Hills family board member Doug Jacques said the course's 15th hole would be designated a party zone during the four-day tournament beginning on March 12.

Based on the concept of a notorious party hole at the USPGA Tour's Phoenix Open, the green's surrounding amphitheatre would feature bleacher seating and a bar.

"Every organiser in golf knows about that par 3 in Phoenix," Mr Jacques said. "The crowd goes silent when the players hit you could hear a pin drop. Then, everyone's yelling, 'get in the hole', and if it goes in the crowd goes wild."

Clocking in at 311m, the par-4 hole at The Hills was short enough that golfers might be goaded into having a crack at the pin by the baying crowd, Mr Jacques said.

The feat is certainly possible; Australian Steve Jeffress holed out off the tee on the second day of the 2007 event.

Any player who followed suit in 2009 was in for a reward, DB Breweries national sponsorship manager Peter Wills said.

"We're going to have a pallet of Heinekin sitting just off the green. Every player who scores a hole-in-one will get a pallet delivered to their homes, anywhere in the world."

Mr Wills said the hole to be known as Heineken Hill would be about more than just golf.

"While there's no play in progress we'll be ramping it up with a bit of music ... and there'll also be a barbecue."

Though the party hole concept is a promoter's dream the 16th hole at Phoenix draws up to 20,000 spectators a day and has been largely embraced by players, it is not without its detractors.

Australian golfer Robert Allenby has criticised the idea.

Mr Jacques agreed party holes were not for everybody but said they attracted new fans to the game.