Harewood Golf Club hosts one of Canterbury’s most anticipated golf events

This Labour Weekend, the prestigious Canterbury Matchplay Championship returns to Harewood Golf Club, promising a full weekend of competitive golf, local pride, and thrilling head-to-head action. With 80 entries already confirmed, the event remains a standout fixture on the regional sporting calendar.

Matchplay is widely regarded as the golfer’s favourite format, offering strategic intensity and one-on-one drama that keeps players and spectators on edge. The championship boasts a rich history in Canterbury, and its Labour Weekend timing ensures a packed schedule of matches across Saturday and Sunday.

In association with the Elmwood Trading Company, Canterbury Golf GM Blair Minton joined Lesley Murdoch to preview the event and share what fans and players can expect from this year’s edition.

“It’s shaping up to be a fantastic weekend,” Minton said. “The field is strong, the course is in great condition, and the matchplay format always brings out the best in our golfers.”

Tune in for Blair’s full preview, including insights into the event’s history, format, course changes at Harewood, and what’s at stake for competitors this year.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So talking of the golf, let's go to Canary Golf's
Blair Minton because there is a heap happening, including the
Canobary match Play Championship. Blie A good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
How is well?

Speaker 1 (00:10):
Great on a day like this? This is perfect, isn't
it for Cannedbary match Play?

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Yes? Yeah, we're pretty excited to see the sun and
as it stands in pretty settled wind given the week
of head. So no, we're pretty excited for the week
in the head.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
So why is match play so popular?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yes, I guess it's set into club kind of classic
format and it's one of those formats where obviously you
can kind of yes flush a bad shot or a
bad hole and still be well truly in the flight.
So it's yet a format of the game which is
you know, EAGs and flows out the whole way teen
holes of the coset. Par So, Yeah, it's a very
popular format. And obviously we've got a pinnicle version and

(00:46):
that was the Henry match player this this weekend.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
So was it one on one golfers playing each other?

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, yeah, when it gets down to that format. So
the way a tournament works this weekend is we'll have
a round, sorry, qualifying sort of round this afternoon, he
would Golf Club, and then they'll see the respective match
played records as we go throughout the tournament, and then
he sets one on one matches throughout that point and
knock out as the as the tournament progress throughout the weekend.

Speaker 1 (01:12):
So it's interesting, isn't it, Because I know that he
would Golf Club has taken a bit of a lead
from the christ Teach Golf Club and cleared out a
number of trees on the golf course. How will that
change things?

Speaker 2 (01:23):
I guess obviously there makes it a little bit more
open in some patches, and I think he would look
a few other clubs have kind of looked at some
of the historic trees, obviously being some some old clubs there.
He would go. Recently Cel running its centenary as well.
But yeah, so they've been potentially from a little bit
of the safe to district with some of those trees.
But yeah, it just means that there are different challenges
for those who are playing the course as they grow

(01:43):
out there or last nut the greens as we'll see
this weekend. So yeah, a few more open holes in
a few more different angles and looks for different for
different plays and may not have played the course.

Speaker 1 (01:53):
For a we will is there restruction on numbers who
can play.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
In this Yeah, so we kind of kept the able
to around two net eighty players for this weekend and
that's a little bit to do with obviously working with
the club over a long weekend as well and making
sure that there's some sort of tea times available for
growthy players or members forout the weekend as well, So
we're kind of appreciative of that, but also also can
form a good quality field of I guess the best

(02:20):
players locally and throughout New Zealand as well, which we've
got a few coming in for this weekend, so.

Speaker 1 (02:26):
The success or not for golfers, does this hang on
anything for them?

Speaker 2 (02:31):
Yeah, it's kind of a pinnacle time I guess for
the season itself in terms of REP golf as well.
So there's a lot of players in in immune space
which will we use and this as a final opportunity
for from trying to pre select this or some immense
spots most types of things. So yeah, it's a busy
time of year, but yeah, it's some last chances for
players to unpresent it to the format. Watch is also
used for representative golf as well, So will.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
People be able to keep in touch with what's happening
online or that can they come out and watch both?

Speaker 2 (02:59):
Yeah, have a live scoring available for at the weekends.
You can just go to Kenary Golf and you'll see
the match players one of the key adams on the
homepage of the website there and that'll take you through
to the live scoring information that's available, so you can
follow along also with Obvio seeing Perryfield to come out
and they have a looked as well, So Saiday afternoon
and then from their full day Sunday morning and afternoon

(03:20):
and then finals on Monday morning and afternoon as well.

Speaker 1 (03:25):
Very good. Anything else we need to know about the
Canniby match play.

Speaker 2 (03:30):
Other than it's just a good reflection of every run
in the game. So we've got four different championship categories.
We've got Men's Open, Women's Open, Men's Masters, and under
nine teens. So yes, it's a competition for I guess
all wages and demographics again for the best players to
come and show their stuff in their format. So yeah,
and encourage for can follow along either in person or
either of the live results.

Speaker 1 (03:51):
Well, I know it takes a lot of organization for
the people. They love structure and you're the man that's
doing it for them. So well done to you, Bleiam Minton.
And thanks for coming to the phone. What time is
the first shot off the tea this afternoon?

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Anoon? Twelve thirty is earth the qualifying round and then
you have at seven thirty starts on Sunday and Mondays,
so yes moy starts, but leisurely starts the safternoon.

Speaker 1 (04:11):
Thankfully, very good, well, thank you very much and enjoy
I know you well and that does look pretty settled
in fingers eyes and toes cross for Monday as.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
Well, yes, fingers cross, no, thanks for having me excellent.

Speaker 1 (04:22):
He's always giving us the good info. Blearminton. For more
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