Canterbury Golf is pleased to announce the release of the draws for the 2026 Premier Men’s Interclub season, with competition across all four divisions set to get underway on Sunday, 2 August.
The four-division competition structure — the Woodward Cup, Blank Cup, Simon Cup, and Thompson MacDonald Trophy — brings together clubs from across the Canterbury region in one of the most keenly contested team competition formats in regional golf. All four competitions are played in a match play, off-the-stick format, with the Woodward, Blank, and Simon Cup competitions fielding 8-man teams, and the Thompson MacDonald Trophy contested by 6-man teams.
This season sees significant movement of clubs across the divisions. Much of that reshuffling is a direct result of the withdrawal of the Pegasus Golf Club teams from the Woodward, Simon, and Thompson MacDonald competitions, which has created space for a number of clubs to step up. Combined with earned promotions, the 2026 season features one of the most refreshed line-ups across the divisions in recent memory.
Woodward Cup
First played for in 1938, the Woodward Cup is Canterbury Golf’s oldest and most prestigious interclub competition, and the 2026 season gets underway at Clearwater Golf Club on Sunday, 2 August at 9.30am.
Harewood Golf Club return as defending champions, having claimed the title in 2025 to end a remarkable 37-year wait for Woodward Cup glory — a victory that captured the imagination of the Canterbury golf community. They will be determined to back that up and show it was no flash in the pan.
Hot on their heels will be Clearwater Golf Club, the 2024 champions, who are expected to come into 2026 with one of the strongest lineups in the division and will fancy their chances of reclaiming the title. The traditional powerhouses of Russley and Christchurch will also be ones to watch.
Both clubs have a long history of competing at the top end of the Woodward Cup and will be expected to challenge strongly once again as the season progresses. One of the most significant new storylines heading into this season is the arrival of Avondale Golf Club, making the step up from the Blank Cup. They step into the top division for the first time since 2023 following two successive seasons as Blank Cup champions and will be determined to show they belong at this level from the outset.
With depth and quality throughout the draw, it would come as no surprise to see any team in the division put together a strong run come finals time. The Woodward Cup in 2026 shapes as one of the most open and competitive in recent years.
Following its successful introduction last year, Live Scoring via Golf Genius will again be available for the Woodward Cup in 2026, allowing supporters to follow every match in real time as the action unfolds each round.
The Woodward Cup semi-finals and final are both played on Finals Day at Clearwater Golf Club on 1 November, commencing from 8.00am.
View the full 2026 Woodward Cup draw – HERE.
Blank Cup
First contested in 1946, the Blank Cup opens its 2026 season at Templeton Golf Club on Sunday, 2 August at 9.30am.
With defending champions Avondale having moved up to Woodward Cup, the Blank Cup title is well and truly up for grabs in 2026 — for the first time in two years, there will definitely be a new champion. Two clubs make the step up into the division this season: Waitikiri and Waimairi Beach, both moving from Simon Cup. Their elevation strengthens what is always a competitive middle division, and both clubs will be eager to make their mark at this level.
In an exciting development for Blank Cup supporters, Live Scoring via Golf Genius will be introduced to the division for the first time in 2026.
Club supporters will now be able to follow their team’s progress live from anywhere, match by match, as the season unfolds — a feature previously only available to Woodward Cup followers.
Like the Woodward Cup, both the Blank Cup semi-finals and final are played on Finals Day at Clearwater Golf Club on 1 November, also commencing from 8.00am.
View the full 2026 Blank Cup draw – HERE.
Simon Cup
The Simon Cup, first played for in 1956, gets underway at Avondale Golf Club on Sunday, 2 August at 9.30am.
Clearwater Golf Club return as defending champions and will be looking to retain the title in what promises to be an exciting, reshuffled division. Joining the division this year are Rawhiti and McLeans Island, both stepping up from the Thompson MacDonald Trophy, along with Christchurch Golf Club, who earned promotion as 2025 Thompson MacDonald champions.
The Simon Cup semi-finals will be held at Waitikiri Golf Club on 18 October at 9.30am, with the final then played as part of Finals Day at Clearwater Golf Club on 1 November at 1.00pm.
View the full 2026 Simon Cup draw – HERE.
Thompson MacDonald Trophy
The Thompson MacDonald Trophy is the newest of Canterbury Golf’s four Premier Men’s Interclub competitions, having launched in 2023 with an inaugural field of eight teams. Last season that grew to ten, and in 2026 the competition takes another significant leap forward.
Canterbury Golf is delighted to welcome eight new teams to the competition this season, bringing the total field to 15 teams, split across two sections of play. The growth of the Thompson MacDonald in just three seasons is a testament to its open-entry format — open to any affiliated club that wishes to compete at this level — and to the appetite for Premier Men’s Interclub competition across the wider Canterbury region.
Among the new entrants are two clubs entering Canterbury’s Premier Men’s Interclub competitions for the very first time — Amberley Golf Club and Kaiapoi Golf Club. Their participation is a wonderful development for the game in Canterbury, and we extend a very warm welcome to both clubs and all their players.
Unlike the other three divisions, the Thompson MacDonald Trophy operates as a home-and-away series, with matches played at various clubs each week throughout the round robin phase. Rounds get underway from 2 August at 9.30am, with teams hosting and visiting across the region each week. Following the completion of the round robin, the top teams will come together for quarter-finals on 11 October, semi-finals on 18 October at a neutral venue at 9.00am, and the final as part of Finals Day at Clearwater Golf Club on 1 November at 1.00pm.
View the full 2026 Thompson MacDonald Trophy draw – HERE.
Key Dates at a Glance
| Competition | First Played | Opens | Opening Venue | Semi-Finals | Final |
| Woodward Cup | 1938 | 2 Aug, 9.30am | Clearwater | 1 Nov, Clearwater | 1 Nov, Clearwater |
| Blank Cup | 1946 | 2 Aug, 9.30am | Templeton | 1 Nov, Clearwater | 1 Nov, Clearwater |
| Simon Cup | 1956 | 2 Aug, 9.30am | Avondale | 18 Oct, Waitikiri | 1 Nov, Clearwater, 1.00pm |
| Thompson MacDonald | 2023 | 2 Aug, 9.30am | Home venues | 18 Oct, neutral venue | 1 Nov, Clearwater, 1.00pm |
We look forward to another outstanding season of Premier Men’s Interclub competition and wishes all competing clubs and their players the very best for 2026.
