Golf Central

Look, it's not as if we're asking you to lower your daily productivity. Just work smarter and faster, then spend 10 minutes battling ninjas, mutant frogs, sharks, dragons and more ... and play 18 holes at the same time! Go on, you owe it to yourself... Play this free game, based on the classic old Atari 7800 video game, now!! (thanks to the clever boys at I-Mockery for this one)...

On this day, in 1969, Arnold Palmer became the first player to break par on the devilishly tricky new Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, S.C., en route to winning the inaugural Heritage Classic.

The course has been softened over the years, to the point where low scoring is now the norm at Harbour Town in the PGA Tour's Verizon Heritage tournament, which was one of the first courses co-designed by Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus.

Palmer quickly discovered the key to bringing home the bacon on Harbour Town's signature 18th hole. He aimed his tee shot at the famed right-and-white striped lighthouse on the horizon, which puts a power fade in perfect position to attack the pin ...

Happy St Andrews Day, then…: Not for Andrew Pitt, Andrew Martin, Andrew Tampion and Hamish Robertson, who must have a significant chunk of Scot in him.
Why?: They all missed the cut.
Shame… Who’s winning then?: How many times? It’s ‘leading’, not ‘winning’!!
Touchy… Who’s leading then?: Aussie Steven Bowditch shot a course record 65 to lead the tournament by a shot at 10-under, from Paul Sheehan at 9-under, Michael Long at 8-under and a bunch at 7-under including Richard Finch, Ewan Porter, Gary Simpson and Scot Peter Whiteford.
Nice, but there aren’t many household names in that lot are there…: True, but they’re all better at golf than you’ll ever be. And InGolfWeTrust favourite Oli Fisher’s just five shots off the lead, so we’ll be sticking a few quid on him this weekend for sure…

How’s Vegas, then?: We’re in New Zealand, not Nevada.
Isn’t Queenstown nicknamed Vegas By The Lake?: You tell me.
I just did: Well, I haven’t seen any casinos, just Lake Wakatipu, some big, beautiful mountains and a stunning golf course, with bits of it seemingly carved out of rock.
I think the Vegas bit is a reference to the amount of money made, not from slot machines, but adventure tourism pursuits like bungee- jumping, skiing and mountain-biking: Right. Enough of all that palaver, do you want to know about the golf, or what?
If you must…: Rotund Aussie Craig Parry shares the lead after the first round with compatriot Paul Sheehan and Englishman Matthew Woods.
Any relation to Tiger?: What do you think…
Probably not: Correct. Nearly half the field is within four shots off the lead, but our favourite, Michael Campbell is a bit further adrift at 1-over.
Going to spend the afternoon water-skiing, then?: In Brighton Marina? No, you're alright thanks...

Spaceship or clubhouse? The Hills Golf Club, hosting this week's European Tour event, The New Zealand Open