November 15, 2024 • 7 mins
The 8th annual New Zealand Mini Golf Open is taking place on the 16th & 17th of November 2024 in Lower Hutt!
This year's NZ Open is part of the World Adventure Golf Tour - with 1st place overall Pro qualifying for free entry into the WAGT 2025 final in the UK.
Matt Ansley catches up with D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the event.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Seven forty four. This is News Talks. Heb All Sport
Breakfast Mini Golf and he's on Mini Golf Open is
Army have a ponchan for this particular tournament here on
the All Sport Breakfast. Always love to catch up with
a crew who are engaged in this. We're going to
be joined now by Matt Ansley, who is competing. He
got beaten in the last couple of holes last time
(00:35):
Iran by Cameron Cooper, who was the guest on the
program this time last year. Also, Matt used to be
a big swinger up there. I note he used to
run the show too, but he's retired away from the
whole side of things that involves far too much work.
He's now just rolling around with a club, smacking balls
around on golf courses. He joins us now talking at
(00:58):
Mini Golf. Welcome to this show, Matt, How are you mate?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Very well?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Good to hear prepping for a very big week team
and it is, isn't it? Give us the format with
the Mini Golf Champs. Where are we placed right now?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah? So it all kicks off today. We're here in
lower huts, the golf warehouse. Then you do in lower huts,
So the minny golf opens happening. We have two a
few divisions, amateur division and a pro division. Today's Saturday.
The amateurs play three rounds and all the men's women winner,
women's winner, child gives. There's even a pairs competition. And
(01:37):
then also there's a pro section. This sort of serious
players who play five rounds today and then finished with
three rounds tomorrow on Sunday to crown the winner.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I hear the word pro and I think big money?
Is it money in this sport?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I mean, I mean a few, a few dollars not
I wouldn't class with a stick. I would overseas events
there's bigish money to be one, but unfortunately not here
in New Zealand just yet.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
So what do you call it pro? Then? Is it
just a way to separate you from the the weeke
in hackers.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I guess I think it was when this is the
eighth Many Golf Open. The first one was back in
twenty seventeen, and I think that was a term coin
back in the day. And it's just kind of stuck.
I guess you could say novice and serious beginner experience.
What any kind of term amateur and pros is stuck
(02:28):
over the years?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
How do you get to be in the pro leagues?
Do you have to win through the amateur leagues? You
just say, look, I'm a professional, not playing with you,
young fellow? What's the deal? How do you promote yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah? No, anyone literally anyone can open into Sorry, it's
not a format as such to go through. You can
if you never play, you can play either. Most people,
if you've never played, will choose the amateur division first time,
and then another year come back and give the more
serious competition to go.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
So, when you're being serious, what does that involve? Your
own club? Do you have different clubs for each hole?
Do you bring your own ball? Is it the shoes
you have? Violight? What kind of cait? If you got here,
if you rock up and you're you know the guy,
you want everyone to go. We don't want to play there?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
He looks like.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yes, every well playing in the pro division will have
their own putter for sure, And there's a few different
balls you can use. Different golf balls, some work better
on some holes. Which is what people have done over
the last few days. Just get here early to practice,
test out a few different holes and yeah, and a
few of us have these sort of European style putters
(03:35):
that actually have a rubber face. We've played events overseas
where there's especially designed mini golf balls for big tournaments
and so it's quite a difference to a standard golf putter.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So what's the ruling around the kit? Are they as
tight as they are in regular golf? You can use
whatever you want whenever you want, and same with the
balls as well. It's pretty much easy going.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Or yeah, I mean once you start a hole, that's
the balls you used until you finish the whole. However
many strokes it takes and just one putter, yeah you can.
You can't have multiple busses throughout a round. It's one
for the round.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
We're joined by Matt Ansley. He's playing in the Pro
League so the New Zealand milliglf Open over the week.
In what do we know about the track? You've obviously
been having a bit of a hack out there and
how does it sit in the terms of many golf courses.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Fantastic, it is, absolutely, it's a great Test. It's more,
especially for those who are playing in the Pro Slash
Serious division. Eight rounds, it's like a real grind, real
Marason kind of effort. It's kind of a mindset of
limiting mistakes as opposed to making the most aces. So
over eight rounds, it's hard to keep your concentration up
(04:45):
for that long, but that's sort of part of the
deal if you want to be top of the table. Yeah,
this is the second time we've been here at golf
Werehouse in Lower Hut. The same event was held here
last year, so those who've played last year have obviously
an extra years experience over everyone else.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So what's the trick In mini golf? You talk about aces,
that's what you you're aiming for every time, and what
what over eighteen what what's your average ace that you
get in It's just like one and two is three quarters?
What's the deal there?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Oh, this course here, you'd be probably lucky to get
If you've got at least two aces on this course
in eighteen holes, you'd be stoked.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, yeah, No, it is like they are possible to ace.
It's just they are tough to ace. And that's some
of them, you know, some of you have some rounds
where you just don't get one ace, just things don't
go your way, slight just slightly off and then potentially
though it could be another round where you get five
or six. So fuck any sport. You have your good moments,
your bad moments.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Matt Ansley underway looking forward to this one last question.
You got PEPs last time by actually mister Cooper, a
guest we had on the program. So is there a
bit of revenge going on? Here's a bit of tension
between you and him.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I think they always there's literally the two of us
have many men battles over the years. We've claimed mini
golf both here in New Zealand and overseas. One great
thing as well, if anyone's listening the event is actually live.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
What do you mean if anyone's listening, how.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It was I'm not used to this radio interview stuff.
So the event has been live streams on YouTube on
a World Adventure Golf Tour their page on Facebook and YouTube,
so all action for all eight rounds will be live
if anyone wants to give it a go. And yeah,
last year's event was one of the first events live
(06:41):
streams on YouTube. Actually got a lot of views because
everyone talked about Cam Cooper's fantastic comeback on the final day.
Everyone seemed to have loved Camp's performance on day two
apart from myself, so but that was good. Promoted mini
Golf in New Zealand both here and overseas, which was
(07:02):
in the end the best thing.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And thanks for your time, good luck Cam. I'm sorry, man,
I don't want to like climb on top of you,
but what do you mean If anyone's listening dearing me?
Matt and z Z Minigolf Open is on live stream
it take a look.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to News Talk set Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Seven forty four. This is News Talks. Heb All Sport
Breakfast Mini Golf and he's on Mini Golf Open is
Army have a ponchan for this particular tournament here on
the All Sport Breakfast. Always love to catch up with
a crew who are engaged in this. We're going to
be joined now by Matt Ansley, who is competing. He
got beaten in the last couple of holes last time
(00:35):
Iran by Cameron Cooper, who was the guest on the
program this time last year. Also, Matt used to be
a big swinger up there. I note he used to
run the show too, but he's retired away from the
whole side of things that involves far too much work.
He's now just rolling around with a club, smacking balls
around on golf courses. He joins us now talking at
(00:58):
Mini Golf. Welcome to this show, Matt, How are you mate?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Very well?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Good to hear prepping for a very big week team
and it is, isn't it? Give us the format with
the Mini Golf Champs. Where are we placed right now?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yeah? So it all kicks off today. We're here in
lower huts, the golf warehouse. Then you do in lower huts,
So the minny golf opens happening. We have two a
few divisions, amateur division and a pro division. Today's Saturday.
The amateurs play three rounds and all the men's women winner,
women's winner, child gives. There's even a pairs competition. And
(01:37):
then also there's a pro section. This sort of serious
players who play five rounds today and then finished with
three rounds tomorrow on Sunday to crown the winner.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
I hear the word pro and I think big money?
Is it money in this sport?
Speaker 3 (01:50):
I mean, I mean a few, a few dollars not
I wouldn't class with a stick. I would overseas events
there's bigish money to be one, but unfortunately not here
in New Zealand just yet.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
So what do you call it pro? Then? Is it
just a way to separate you from the the weeke
in hackers.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I guess I think it was when this is the
eighth Many Golf Open. The first one was back in
twenty seventeen, and I think that was a term coin
back in the day. And it's just kind of stuck.
I guess you could say novice and serious beginner experience.
What any kind of term amateur and pros is stuck
(02:28):
over the years?
Speaker 2 (02:29):
How do you get to be in the pro leagues?
Do you have to win through the amateur leagues? You
just say, look, I'm a professional, not playing with you,
young fellow? What's the deal? How do you promote yourself?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah? No, anyone literally anyone can open into Sorry, it's
not a format as such to go through. You can
if you never play, you can play either. Most people,
if you've never played, will choose the amateur division first time,
and then another year come back and give the more
serious competition to go.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
So, when you're being serious, what does that involve? Your
own club? Do you have different clubs for each hole?
Do you bring your own ball? Is it the shoes
you have? Violight? What kind of cait? If you got here,
if you rock up and you're you know the guy,
you want everyone to go. We don't want to play there?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
Guy?
Speaker 2 (03:10):
He looks like.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Yes, every well playing in the pro division will have
their own putter for sure, And there's a few different
balls you can use. Different golf balls, some work better
on some holes. Which is what people have done over
the last few days. Just get here early to practice,
test out a few different holes and yeah, and a
few of us have these sort of European style putters
(03:35):
that actually have a rubber face. We've played events overseas
where there's especially designed mini golf balls for big tournaments
and so it's quite a difference to a standard golf putter.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
So what's the ruling around the kit? Are they as
tight as they are in regular golf? You can use
whatever you want whenever you want, and same with the
balls as well. It's pretty much easy going.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Or yeah, I mean once you start a hole, that's
the balls you used until you finish the whole. However
many strokes it takes and just one putter, yeah you can.
You can't have multiple busses throughout a round. It's one
for the round.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
We're joined by Matt Ansley. He's playing in the Pro
League so the New Zealand milliglf Open over the week.
In what do we know about the track? You've obviously
been having a bit of a hack out there and
how does it sit in the terms of many golf courses.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Fantastic, it is, absolutely, it's a great Test. It's more,
especially for those who are playing in the Pro Slash
Serious division. Eight rounds, it's like a real grind, real
Marason kind of effort. It's kind of a mindset of
limiting mistakes as opposed to making the most aces. So
over eight rounds, it's hard to keep your concentration up
(04:45):
for that long, but that's sort of part of the
deal if you want to be top of the table. Yeah,
this is the second time we've been here at golf
Werehouse in Lower Hut. The same event was held here
last year, so those who've played last year have obviously
an extra years experience over everyone else.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
So what's the trick In mini golf? You talk about aces,
that's what you you're aiming for every time, and what
what over eighteen what what's your average ace that you
get in It's just like one and two is three quarters?
What's the deal there?
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Oh, this course here, you'd be probably lucky to get
If you've got at least two aces on this course
in eighteen holes, you'd be stoked.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Wow.
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, yeah, No, it is like they are possible to ace.
It's just they are tough to ace. And that's some
of them, you know, some of you have some rounds
where you just don't get one ace, just things don't
go your way, slight just slightly off and then potentially
though it could be another round where you get five
or six. So fuck any sport. You have your good moments,
your bad moments.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Matt Ansley underway looking forward to this one last question.
You got PEPs last time by actually mister Cooper, a
guest we had on the program. So is there a
bit of revenge going on? Here's a bit of tension
between you and him.
Speaker 3 (06:02):
I think they always there's literally the two of us
have many men battles over the years. We've claimed mini
golf both here in New Zealand and overseas. One great
thing as well, if anyone's listening the event is actually live.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
What do you mean if anyone's listening, how.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It was I'm not used to this radio interview stuff.
So the event has been live streams on YouTube on
a World Adventure Golf Tour their page on Facebook and YouTube,
so all action for all eight rounds will be live
if anyone wants to give it a go. And yeah,
last year's event was one of the first events live
(06:41):
streams on YouTube. Actually got a lot of views because
everyone talked about Cam Cooper's fantastic comeback on the final day.
Everyone seemed to have loved Camp's performance on day two
apart from myself, so but that was good. Promoted mini
Golf in New Zealand both here and overseas, which was
(07:02):
in the end the best thing.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And thanks for your time, good luck Cam. I'm sorry, man,
I don't want to like climb on top of you,
but what do you mean If anyone's listening dearing me?
Matt and z Z Minigolf Open is on live stream
it take a look.
Speaker 1 (07:21):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
Listen live to News Talk set Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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