Golf's calendar girls a cut above

Several Aussie bombshells have decided to sprinkle some promotional gold dust on the New Zealand Women's Golf Open by signing up to play in the inaugural running of the event.

The list includes Kate Combes, Kristie Smith and Danielle Montgomery who set pulses racing across the Tasman when they strutted their stuff in a calendar to promote, you guessed it, golf.

Even the stuffy Australian Ladies Professional Golf organisation (ALPG) gave their blessing to the project; an attempt to change the image of a sport which can come across as conservative.

In a popular move, the girls posed in a range of golf settings and some of the proceeds from the venture went to charity.

"We did a calendar two years ago which was a real success," said Warren Sevil, chief executive of the ALPG. "We were approached to endorse another calendar and our board agreed. We have a range of our professionals in the calendar from touring professionals to teaching pros.

"The aim is to depict a new, fresh image and is all part of our rebranding of the ALPG to help change perceptions of women's golf."

Seven of the calendar girls are confirmed starters in the open to be played at Clearwater in Christchurch including the photogenic Combes, who has just completed her first year on the Ladies European Tour after qualifying in her first attempt.

Exciting newcomer Kristie Smith is also coming. She was the leading amateur at the Australian Open, Australian Masters and LG Bing NSW Open.

Sevil said the ALPG's Calendar Girls were not just pretty faces. He expected several to force the pace near the top of the leaderboard. "[They're] young, talented, attractive and extremely good [golfers]."

The open, to be played from January 30 to February 1, already includes former world No 1 Laura Davies (England), the No 1 on the Ladies European Tour, Gwladys Nocera (France) and outstanding Australian Katherine Hull, ranked No 30 in the world with a win in the LPGA on her 2008 resume.

Between 80 and 100 players are expected to make the final cut, including some of this country's leading amateurs who will be finalised next week.

- © Fairfax NZ News