Renowned former English batsman Geoff Boycott fitted in a round of golf at Millbrook early this week before flitting across to Brisbane for the start of the Ashes cricket series. His playing partners Bob Tryfiatis and ex-All Blacks coach Laurie Mains were impressed with Boycott’s golf swing.

Local former Highlander rugby player and Wakatipu Premiers coach Kelvin Middleton has returned from the exotic Atlantic Ocean resort of Bermuda, where he laced up his boots again to play for the Classic All Blacks. It was Middleton’s third trip over there, with the ABs winners the last two times.

If you’ve got a spare shekel, local sculptor Mark Hill – son of mega-jeweller Michael Hill – has an exhibition of impressive forged steel pieces at The Hills. Prices range from a breathtaking $19,000 to $37,000.

Bungy king Henry van Asch this week launched his new boat on Lake Wakatipu. It’s a sleek-looking Mason Clipper with a fibreglass deck, wooden hull and cabin, bought in the Coromandel.

Simon Green, boss of Queenstown’s Winter and Jazz festivals, will play Santa in front of 120,000 people at Christchurch’s North Hagley Park on Saturday. Green was asked to don the red suit and jump aboard a sleigh for the massive Christmas in the Park event just last week after the original Santa had to pull out.

In one of life’s little ironies, no one gave a safety briefing – pointing out emergency exits, and the like – at the recent adventure safety review forum in the Memorial Hall.