Only Stephen Fleming and Brendon McCullum have scored more Test runs for the Black Caps than Martin Crowe.
The pair is in Queenstown ahead of this week's New Zealand golf open and that means they won't be attending Crowe's funeral in Auckland on Friday.
"It's a difficult time, there's obviously a huge respect for him and we are working through it," Fleming said.
The no-show has been labelled a bad look by some but they say they will pay their respects in their own way.
"We have a commitment down here to honour and we are looking to pay our tributes to Martin on Friday by buying into the farewell for a great New Zealander and a wonderful cricket player," Fleming said.
Fleming has spoke of Crowe as "one of the greats" while his innovative captaincy paved the way for the likes of McCullum two decades later.
Both will be part of a trans-Tasman celebrity golf challenge.
"[Fleming]'s explained to me that no matter what you have done in your cricket career you'll never be as nervous as on the first tee on the first day, so exciting but nervy too," McCullum said.
An eleven handicapper today, he was playing alongside big local hope Ryan Fox remembering no Kiwi has won the New Zealand open since Mahal Pearce in 2003.
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