Balladeer tees off

Press, Issue 32535, 19 February 1971, Page 2

Balladeer tees off

The ballad singer and composer, Roger Whittaker, duffed his first two shots when he teed off for a round of golf at the Hagley course yesterday afternoon. He was happy, however. “If I start too well, I know I’m going to have a bad round,” Whittaker, an 18handicap player, said as he retrieved the ball from his first shot, which went about 6ft straight up. His second attempt stopped on the the edge of a bunker 50ft away. Whittaker was in Christchurch for a show at the Civic Theatre last evening. He was forced to return to Wellington by air immediately after the show because his party could not obtain accommodation in Christchurch. The bearded singer is making a one-week tour of New Zealand, and has already visited Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington. He will perform in Hamilton and again in Auckland before returning to Britain.

A native of Nairobi, Whittaker speaks Swahili. He was a school-teacher in Kenya before he went to university in Britain. He holds a degree in biochemistry and zoology and intended to work with African wildlife before an agent heard a recording he made for a student review.

The composer of several successful songs, such as “The Leavin’ of Durham Town,” “I Don’t Believe in If Anymore,” and “New World in the Morning,” he admits to a preference for composing over singing, but he says that as long as he can write and sing music people like, he will continue as a balladeer.

Although his visit has been rushed, he has seen enough of New Zealand to make him want to return with his wife and two young daughters for a holiday in December. The picture shows Mr Whittaker performing one of his more successful shots.