Santa Claus, all 55 feet of him, complete with beckoning finger and winking eye, dominates downtown Auckland right now from the front of a major department store. But at a time when most Irish golfers are braving low temperatures on muddy fairways, their New Zealand brethren are enjoying peak season activity in delightful sunshine.

That is why the World Cup is taking place this week at Gulf Harbour, a major new development 45 minutes' drive from the city centre. Remarkably, it's the first New Zealand staging of an event that was held in Singapore as far back as 1969 and Jakarta in 1983.

Perhaps the organisers paid too much attention to the decidedly uncomplimentary words of the great British golf-course architect, Alister Mackenzie, when he visited these parts in the 1920s. "Golf in New Zealand, unlike Australia, is dead," declared the good doctor.

He went on: "In fact it has never been alive. Green(s) committees there do not seem to realise that the game is played for pleasure; they utilise long grass as a penal hazard and the consequence is that golfers will not put up with the annoyance of losing balls."

There was little reason to question Mackenzie's assessment given that a New Zealand team didn't venture north of the equator until 1954, when they competed in the first Commonwealth tournament at St Andrews. But times changed and on one glorious weekend in 1993, Grant Waite won the Kemper Open on the USPGA Tour, Bob Charles passed $4 million in senior earnings by capturing the Bell Atlantic Senior Classic; Greg Turner won the Italian Open and Grant Moorhead triumphed in the West Australian Open.

For a country of 220,000 golfers, New Zealand has made a wonderful impact on the world scene. And with a population of 3.5 million in an area about twice the size of England, there is ample space for the country's 400 courses of which Gulf Harbour is the latest and most ambitious creation.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr and opened for play little more than a year ago, it is the key element of a projected £200 million development which will become home for 7,000 residents. Indeed a measure of the overall investment in the area is that the Eastern Boat Harbour is being dredged so as to accommodate ocean-going yachts during the Americas Cup which New Zealand will be defending here in 2000.

There is also a sharply contrasting, rural charm to New Zealand golf as, for instance, at the Rakauroa club, which is actually closed at this time of year. Tucked away in Poverty Bay, on the eastern side of the North Island, the nine-hole stretch is primarily a farm, so from mid-November until mid-March - spring and summer in these parts - Rakauroa is closed to allow the grass to grow. Later, the hay is cut before the farm reverts to being a nine-hole course once more. There has been a flurry of golf course construction in recent years, in response to the steady increase in tourists, especially from the US. Americans find it hard to resist green-fees of about £15 while having the opportunity of combining the game with other pursuits, like skiing.

Meanwhile, locals are apprehensive about Frank Nobilo's presence in the home team as a partner for the admirably consistent Greg Turner. When they last represented New Zealand in the World Cup in Puerto Rico in 1994, they finished fourth behind the dominant Americans, Fred Couples and Davis Love.

Since then, Nobilo's status was enhanced by three victories in the US, including a successful defence of the Sarazen World Open. But in its most recent staging at Chateau Elan two weeks ago, he suffered the indignity of a closing 81 to finish last of the 56 qualifiers.

"Sure, it's worrying," admitted the player whose world ranking has plummeted from 22nd to 59th in the last 12 months. He blames the decline on a two-year battle to ward off inflammatory polyarthritis, which began in a shoulder and travelled to his wrists and then to his knees and ankles.

"What's happened in the last 12 months is my own stupidity," he added. "I thought I was doing the right thing by playing through the problems. It's not in my nature to take time off, but I should have stopped. Anyway, I can't change that now."

So, in search of a cure, he shunned hotel accommodation on arriving here last week and opted instead for his mother's North Shore home. "I've never ducked a challenge and I'm not going to start now," he said. "I wouldn't be here if I felt I couldn't perform. I still have the hunger."

The team's performance will be of particular interest to an Irishman this week. Colin Byrne, a university graduate from Howth, happens to be caddying for Turner, who has completed one of his best seasons on the European Tour, with prize money of £210,977 for 27th place in the final Order of Merit - despite the absence of a tournament win.

Bred on the perennial success of their rugby teams, New Zealand fans will be expecting something special from Nobilo and Turner this week. Against that background, the players could be forgiven mixed feelings on noting a splendid New Zealand triumph last weekend. It was achieved by Marnie McGuire who, apparently, remained ice-cool under considerable pressure to win the Australian Women's Professional Open in Melbourne.

It will have prompted a hunger for further success.