Meet the personalities behind the scorecards. In this NZ Golf Magazine series, we’re getting to know golf enthusiasts from across New Zealand — their favourite courses, memorable moments and what keeps them coming back.
You don’t need a low handicap — just a love of the game!
Meet Naomi Warrander, a Christchurch golfer who calls Coringa home. With nearly a year and a half in the game and a 24.6 handicap, Naomi joins our Clubhouse Characters series to share her golfing story and what keeps her coming back. Her favourite golf brand? TaylorMade, “of course!” Follow her journey at @talkbirdieetome.
1. How Did Golf Get You Hooked?
I attended a fun day out for a work event held at Sir Bob Charles, where they had set up stations for each thing like chipping, driving, etc.
I think I missed the ball about 25 times (it was more actually more, but I lost count). I sucked terribly, but had so much fun all at the same time (that right there was the bug), and I couldn’t let it go.
The next day my boyfriend at the time took me to the Riccarton Park driving range. I will be forever grateful for that. He said, “You’re a natural”. It didn’t feel natural, I can tell you that; in hindsight, there was some truth to that. It has been a slow but steady journey. Safe to say the Golf lasted longer, and I’ve never stopped showing up.
2. What Keeps You Coming Back?
I will admit, It’s the inner competitive streak inside of me, the devotion to my passion that never leaves my mind. Going about my day or just sitting at my desk with that one swing thought running through my head until I step out onto the course and up to the tee box.
Right at that moment, the noise stops, and you send one right down the fairway with a perfect little baby fade. That’s the feeling.
The friendships and relationships I’ve made since I started playing Golf need a very special mention, meeting epic women through our mutual interests and staying connected through sports is a big thing for me. Life looks very different these days, I don’t know what I ever did with my free time. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
3. Give Us The Local Knowledge
There is a par 5 on the back 9. Hole 14. 400m of the whites and a whopping 539m off the tips. It’s straightforward, but it forces you to be safe off the tee. Most of the Coringa track is, and that’s the challenge.
You don’t get away with spraying it.
You’ve got big tall trees down the right and a forest to the left all the way down. A soft draw will land you right where you need to be. If I drive it well (anywhere between 210m-240m) I usually take my Qi10 7 wood from about 170m-175m out, you have a nice big sloping green to work with, rough over the back and a shallow bunker on the right. I like to land it short, so I’m left with an easy chip shot up or an uphill putt.
It’s a big, deceiving green.
I have had multiple putt-for-birdie opportunities and even a few putts for eagle and still walked away with a bogey.
4. Where Else In New Zealand Do You Love Playing?
I recently played Te Arai. A bucket list course for me. Not only was I blown away by the course design and scenery (very different to what I’m used to), but the overall experience was just next level. Everyone was so helpful, the facilities are world-class, and they have the biggest putting green I have ever seen. I could spend hours there. I’ve thought a lot about Golf at Te Arai after seeing that track.
I played South, which is far more forgiving. I like how you could still have fun off the tee, but as a high handicapper, a lot of your second- and third-shots were testing. You really had to do something. That’s what pushes me to be better. Keep doing the reps. One day I would love to watch professional golf at Te Arai, and maybe even caddy. I just love it.
I have to give a shout-out to a Canterbury standout as well. I absolutely love Terrace Downs. It’s a local treat for me. Beautiful, challenging, lots of different holes. Wonderful service.
5. What’s Your Most Memorable Golfing Moment?
The first memory is a day I played at Waitikiri. Great course. About 4 months ago.
We were coming up hole 14 or 15, I think. I absolutely pumped my drive and managed to put my second shot to the back of the green.
Any green in regulation, I was wrapped with. I walked to my ball. Gee whizz. Massive putt. Downhill, left to right, right to left, it was everything you don’t want a birdie putt to be. To make it even better, it was about 60 ft; the pin was right at the front.
This is a 3-putt to me all day long. I take my time, read my line. Away it goes, rolling, rolling, sh** that looks good… Oh, be so good… be the line, be the line.
Don’t play me like this… The confident premature “that’s in the hole” comes out of my mouth. It rolled forever. It was poetry. Like watching Patrick Swayze lifting Jen into the air in slow motion… Boom… It goes in, I nearly fell over, it was pure elation. To make it even better, it was my first ever birdie. I made a triple on the next hole.
The second was my first time playing Omaha Beach.
We played 3 rounds of Golf over 2 days, including Te Arai. The pressure was off. I was ready to just enjoy it. We teed off. What a course: balmy, no wind, sun; I was finding the clubface, and my iron striking was the best it had ever been.
To make things better, I suddenly knew how to chip, and I had my coach there. I was on a heater. To set the tone, I had only ever broken 100 once. My PB was 99. I hadn’t been playing too flash, but I was confident and predicted a score of 98.
I’d be very happy with that. Shot 44 on the front- PB through 9 for me. I suddenly thought, well, I only need to play just ok to break 100 here! Then the wheels started to fall off. Oh no, 3 drops off the tee. Suddenly I can draw the ball 250m when it calls for a fade. Into the swamp x3. I lose one into a tussock. I’m guttered.
I manage to turn things around after my partner is giving no airtime to my bad shots. I think we are back, I tell myself. I make 3 pars in a row. Great, let’s go.
Only to follow it up with 2 triples. What is going on!? 2 holes to play. I get stuck in a bunker 4 times on a par 3. I had to pick up. Don’t think today is my day; it felt like I was about 40 over- I got so sucked into the bad shots I forgot about the 6 pars and 6 bogeys I made that day.
We finished up and added my score. I shot 90. Beat my personal best by 9 strokes. That was unreal. The worst thing? It should have been 86. Explain that to me.
6. What’s The Best Part Of Your Golf Game — And What Needs Work?
I think the best part of my game right now is a mix of iron striking and putting. I’m in a nice little two putt bubble, it’s bliss.. I have also been putting a lot of hours into chipping; I am really enjoying practising from tight and deep rough lies. I learn something new every day.
But it’s anything from inside the pot and anywhere from about 60m in needs work right now. That’s killing me.
7. Who’s Joining Your Dream Fourball?
There are so many! Sam Heung Min, LeBron, and Tiger (come on)
8. What Would You Tell Someone Thinking About Giving Golf A Go?
You will never look back. Embrace the challenge. Improvement can take weeks/months, and one day you will just find something and forget what you were doing wrong in the first place.
Have good people in your corner.
Say YES to the random rounds. Don’t put up with dickheads and move on from the bad shots! I always say, “You aren’t good enough to get angry”
Lastly, not every coach is telling you the right things, so choose one wisely. Especially if they are telling you to “keep your head down”
