The Fiji Times of Saturday, August 4, 1973, ran a light piece on a caddy by the name of Josua Baleiwai.

He was also pictured in the article, while on the top of a 20-ft coconut tree on the Fiji Golf Club’s Vatuwaqa course.

He had to climb the palm tree in order to retrieve a golf ball that was hit there by New Zealand amateur golfer Bill page.

Page did not have the best score in the first round of the Air New Zealand Fiji Open golf championship in Suva but certainly had the most eventful game.

Page, a 47-year-old semi-retired farmer from Taupo in NZ’s North Island provided the day’s biggest sensation by hitting a ball into the top of a coconut palm alongside the third fairway.

His caddy, 27-year-old Baleiwai of Raiwasa, climbed the tree and found the ball after Page and fellow players Len Thomas of Australia and Titus Deoki of Suva searched unsuccessfully for it in a nearby drain.

Page had to take a one-stroke penalty for an unplayable lie.

He and many other players had trouble on the tricky greens and finished within an 82 – 10 over par.

NZ professional Dennis Clark led the field with a 70.