Kaituna Matariki Event

Report from Ian Harvey, with photographs by Ian H. and Peter Miller

In 2022, with the inauguration of the Matariki Holiday, Kaituna Golf Club organised an Ambrose tournament which was such a success that it was decided to try and make this an annual event.  This year’s event was advertised about 5 weeks out and in around a week, the field was fully subscribed. 

Kaituna GC has recently re-configured the course, and this has now been ratified by Golf NZ. Moreover, after years of debate, the traditional fences were completely removed from several of the greens, following earlier removal of the fences at the front of all the greens. Grants had been secured that allowed new tee signage and the purchase of new cups, flag poles and the production of new flags. For the Matariki event, distinctive yellow flags were manufactured with an appropriate logo, as per the header. Talking of logos, the committee had also recently approved the adoption of a new club logo that was officially used for the first time at this tournament (see header).

So, all was set for the Ambrose event, with rules posted and our generous sponsors well-publicised on handouts and on signage around the course. The weather, after so much recent precipitation, was perfect to allow an enjoyable time to be had by all. Kaituna GC is renowned for its well-drained fairways and greens on the Kaitorete spit, with hardly a speck of mud anywhere on the course, compared to so many Canterbury courses throughout this winter.

The Ambrose format used saw all members of the team playing the selected best or most appropriate shot from the same spot until the best ball was holed out. The team handicap was calculated by adding all the handicaps of the 4 team members and dividing by 8. One stipulation was that each member of the team had to have at least 4 drives taken as the selected first shot, with one of these required to be a drive on a par 3. The winning team of Reg Wentworth, Alex Kimber, Joshua Wentworth and Danny Kimber are pictured above. 

Play was leisurely, with all 68 odd competitors finished before there was any issue with light after the 11.30am start. With a free barbeque on course and an evening meal to boot, most considered the $25 per head entry good value for a day out with friends and/or family playing a fun Ambrose format, and an appropriate way to celebrate the relatively new Matariki holiday. Many visitors (and even KGC members) commented on the new layout and the sensation of playing several holes that had a genuine feeling of a true links course. Kaituna GC now looks forward to hosting this family and friends fun event again next year and into the future. 

Winning Top 5 teams