Before a practice round at Millbrook Resort, near Arrowtown, yesterday the one-liners were flying thick and fast among former New Zealand cricket captains Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum, former Australian skippers Ricky Ponting and Allan Border and former vice-captain Shane Warne, and former England captain Sir Ian Botham.
While they have all played in the New Zealand Open Pro-Am before, the prior experience does not seem to have quelled their nerves.
McCullum hoped the practice rounds might go some way to improving their form ''before we stand on that first tee in a couple of days time and completely s..t ourselves''.
Fleming, who plays off a seven handicap, joked he was pleased with the course change at Millbrook this year, and revealed his strategy early on.
''I'm usually left-handed. Millbrook's an anti-clockwise course, so I'm going to play this tournament right-handed.''
On a more serious note, he said it was impossible not to be excited about taking part in the tournament ''and, as Brendon so eloquently said, a little terrified about it too''.
When Warne was asked how terrified he was he quipped: ''Of the golf, or other? Golf is pretty ordinary.
''I'm in fine form off the field. I think I'm in career-best form off the field at the moment, and I'm hoping if I continue in that vein over the next couple of days, by the time Thursday comes I could be in tremendous form on the golf course too.''
Warne - who like McCullum and Botham plays off a nine handicap - said the group loved being part of the tournament and enjoyed the competition.
''It would just be nice once to play the golf that deserves to be played - hopefully, this will be the week.''
Botham, who just arrived in the resort, said he had not had much opportunity to improve his golfing form in England during the winter.
''I did nip down to Spain for four or five days and that didn't help at all.''
For Ponting, a scratch golfer, it was his fourth consecutive visit to the tournament.
This year his father, Graeme, will be his caddy while his brother, Drew, is also playing.
''It's a great week. I was saying last night that as soon as the calendar ticks over to the new year the first thing I do is block out this week in early March. It's going to take something extra special for me not to come and play this tournament if I keep getting invited.''
South African nine-time major winner Gary Player once suggested he had the ability to be a professional golfer, but, despite his apparently natural ability, Ponting said the game still took him outside his comfort zone.
''We've all played in front of 100,000 people, but you stand on that first tee with 100 people around you, it's just a little bit different of a feeling.''
Border, off a handicap of 10, played 156 tests in his cricketing career, but said teeing off was the most nerve-racking experience he'd ever had.
''It's hard to explain, other than you're terrified.
''We've all played big-time sport in our chosen field and I get more nervous on that first tee, first day, than probably at any other time in sports.''
As Fleming put it: ''You can't hear people giggling at the MCG''.
The 93rd New Zealand Open, a $1 million tier one event on the PGA Tour of Australasia, in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour, will be played at Millbrook Resort and The Hills from tomorrow until Sunday.
