Dion Kerr: Canterbury Golf President on their plans for 2026

Canterbury Golf enjoyed a tremendous 2025, but now the big question is how to keep that momentum rolling into 2026. 

President Dion Kerr joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about what’s driving the buzz, from new competitions to new initiatives that are set to shape another standout year for the sport. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
News Talks, he'd be eight away from nine o'clock. Well,
it's perfect to start the golfing year on our all
Sport breakfast show with the president of kind of re Goolf,
mister Dion Kerr.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Good morning, high Lesley, Happy new year.

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Yes you too. You highlights for twenty twenty six. What's
going to happen?

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Gosh, where do we start? Well, we've got our raffle,
the Monster Raffle that we were drawing out in January
at the Straight Place, So that'll be exciting and I
think just the increase in participation for us will be
another business as usual. But you know, we're working hard
with the secondary schools to increase our profile through there

(00:39):
and in fact it's working because we've added another section
to our secondary school tournament in March, so there will
actually be two sections, a Cup and Championship. So yeah,
and still just just doing our overall futures golf and
all our programs that we do and all our tournaments
and Nindoclub.

Speaker 1 (00:58):
Now the I remember us talking about the Monster Raffle.
How's that gone? And when is it drawn?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
It's drawn on the first weekend of February. With being
drawn out at our stroke play at a clear water
so waiting a weekend, so only a couple of weeks ago.
There is about two hundred and fifty tickets left, so
things gone pretty good.

Speaker 1 (01:22):
Just to go back to the inter provincials, how when
you look at the both the Canneby men and women performing,
how do you assess where we're at.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
Strong? They changed the Zealand Golf changed the format this
year so they didn't have a semi final, so both
both the menimal and would have made the semifinals, you know,
they only missed out by a couple of points, especially
the Memes. So in terms of our growth, we actually
have done pretty well. We changed our policy for the
selectors to really look at our younger junior section, so

(01:56):
we end up incorporating two more into that with the
Lamb going into the men's as well. So that's going
to add to our future which is pretty good.

Speaker 1 (02:06):
Yeah, fantastic, and you're loving the role yourself.

Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, it's still enjoying it. We have still lots of
things to do. Exciting time. Still, there's certainly growth in
the game, you know, like in January we had fifty
six thousand rounds of golf played. Sorry, in December, which
is you know, nine percent increase, which is still growing.
So and our clubs seem to be in a good position,

(02:29):
the organizations are in a good position. So yeah, things
are looking great. Now.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
You were a really good sydon of rugby man. You
probably still are correct, yes, yeah, Canterby as well of course. Yeah,
and so what do you make of the Scott Robertson
head coach situation?

Speaker 2 (02:47):
Gosh, there's a loaded question. It is very hard. I mean, obviously,
you know things may not have gone right internally. It
sounds like there's a bit of a communication in different
bits and pieces, but you know that's the that's the
kind of head coach game you're in. You're you know,
one day, you're the rest of the next day the

(03:07):
feather duster. So you know, it's a real shame. But
it'd be interesting who they're who they're going to aim for.
So they've obviously got a plan within within the rugby circles.

Speaker 1 (03:18):
I've got a bit to choose from.

Speaker 2 (03:21):
A lot, yeah, I mean, gosh, got Jamie Joseph and
you know the Australian coach as well, and then you've
got Smith.

Speaker 1 (03:29):
Yeah, they're all.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
Coming out of the road. Joe Smith would be my
guy only because he seems to have be able to
gel we run together, Joe Joel Smith or Jamie the
old school, you know, the old school where he's done
things as well. So yeah, there's a lot to choose from.

Speaker 1 (03:47):
Yeah, there is, and and great from a development of
not only players in this country but coaches as well.
But I mean from just a very because we're going
to get cut off by the news in a minute.
But it's just a good situation that you at least
have got a good choice. They are good candidates.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Yeah, I think so too. I think you know, ultimately,
you know it's a gutsy moved by the governance of
the New Zellan Rugby Union to do it now and
because it gives up coach two years to bid what
they need to do before the World Cup.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
I guess that's one of the bonuses of having someone
who has won a World Cup. Allah, David Kirk different
a completely different erar, but some other things still apply.

Speaker 2 (04:30):
You would have to think, yes, it doesn't change too much.

Speaker 1 (04:34):
But anyway, you're fantastic doing your volunteer work for Kennby
Golf these days, and we appreciate you coming on here
and we will chat again soon.

Speaker 2 (04:42):
Okay, thanks Emiliam, thank.

Speaker 1 (04:44):
You very much. Dion Kerr as the president of Cannobary.

Speaker 2 (04:47):
Gold for more from news talks, there'd be listen live
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