Season 2 of the Movember Masters Men's Health Golf Series is all wrapped up as of February 2019, with just the Mo Masters- Weekend of Champions at Millbrook Resort to take place.
From October 2018 to February 2019 the Movember team hosted 14 tournaments throughout New Zealand, from as far north as Waipu Golf Club to as far south as Otago Golf Club.
The 2nd series launched on October 11th 2018 at Muriwai Golf Club. The launch of the second series was also the inaugural event held at Muriwai Golf Club, as well as the 1st Mo Masters Major Championship. A packed field ventured west of Auckland to stake their claim for the first ever Major title and to raise funds and awareness for men’s health. Despite some tricky weather throughout the day the course displayed why it is one of the only courses in Auckland you can play all year round, with 18 holes being completed and Bryan Fifield crowned the Mo Masters first Major Champion.
From Muriwai the Movember Masters got the wheels turning and racked up some serious kilometers, hosting tournaments and crowing champions throughout the land of the long white cloud. From the launch at Muriwai we took our men’s health series to New Plymouth Golf Club, with ‘No Mo Bro’s’ winning for the 2nd time in 2 years at -17 under par, Harewood Golf Club in Christchurch, crowing ‘Two and a Half Putters’ at -17 under par, Shandon Golf Club in Wellington, the home of the Mo Masters, won by ‘Little Nutz’ with -14 under par.
After a strong start to the second series, with high entry numbers and significant funds raised the Movember Masters rolled on to the central and upper North Island. St Andrews of Hamilton hosting their first tournament, won by ‘Nikaupara’ at -16 under par, and Ohope International Golf Club hosting for the second time, claimed by ‘Win or Lose on the Booze’ with -16 under par.
After traversing the country waving the men’s health flag and meeting Mo bro’s and Mo sista’s from every nook and cranny the Movember Masters finished 2018 strong, hosting two sold out fields of over 100 golfers at Waipu Golf Club north of Auckland, and at Waitemata Golf Club on the North Shore, Waitemata’s first tournament in the series. ‘Cove Mates’ finishing 1 shot out of a 7 way tie for 2nd to win Mo Masters- Waipu at -16 under par, while ‘3 Boys 1 Cup’ won Waitemata’s first Mo Masters at -16 under par to seal their second trip to the Weekend of Champions at Millbrook Resort.
The Christmas break came at exactly the right time, giving the Movember team a chance to recalibrate after a busy October to December period but more importantly giving Mo Masters golfers the chance to lick their wounds and plan a comeback for the post Christmas Movember Masters tournaments.
Proceedings kicked back off at Mount Maunganui on January 13th, another first time inclusion in the series. ‘Team SRW’ coming out victorious at -18 under par, beating out another sold out field that featured the first hole in one at a Mo Masters, courtesy of Mikaere Smith at the 17th.
Things were rolling well, the weather was hot, fairways fast, greens close to unplayable for our level of golfer and many a social whacker coming out of the doldrums to get their piece of the action.
Things continued to heat up around the country, both literally, as it was peak summer, but also metaphorically as the Mo Masters was becoming more and more in demand.
Next up the Mo Masters ventured onto Clearwater Resort in Christchurch, a typical barmy Christchurch day greeted the field with scoring matching the perfect conditions. Forget about the copious amounts of water and bunkers with tight pins and fast greens, on this day a team of locals who could play the course with their eyes closed re-wrote the history books. Knocking in the Mo Masters best ever round, ‘Team Saunton’ winning at a ridiculous -20 under par.
From Clearwater the Mo Masters busted out 3 tournaments in a week. Starting at Clearwater Golf Club, then onto Fielding Golf Club, hosting the first Mo Masters in the Manawatu region, and then rounding out a busy series schedule at Remuera Golf Club over Auckland’s Anniversary weekend with a field of 120 weekend warriors.
Mo Masters- Fielding was a perfect way to bring our men's health series into the area and continue to become a truly national series. The man behind the inclusion of Fielding Golf Club, Mike Atkins, and his fearless team of 3 taking out the first instalment with 2 chip in’s getting them to -16 under par.
Mo Masters- Remuera was once again one of the series most popular events, selling out the field and adding in tee off times to cope with demand. Golfers of all abilities flooded in to make their mark on the series, enjoy a day on the green with their mates for their mates and raise funds and awareness for men’s health. A suitably dramatic ending to the tournament took place, with the VPAR live leaderboard adding to the occasion, allowing all teams to see their standings as the round progressed. ‘Old Boys’ looked to have things wrapped up, sitting a couple of shots clear with a couple of holes to play, but a slow finish brought the resilient unit named the ‘Ahh F**cckss’ back into the mix, who came home with a wet sail to birdie every one of their last 4 holes. Both teams finished at -15 under, the ‘Ahh F**cckss’ taking it out on countback.
To wrap the series up the Mo Masters team travelled to Dunedin and Tauranga, hosting the 13th and 14th events of the series, finishing at Tauranga on February 21stafter launching all the way back in October at Muriwai.
After some late dramatics at Otago Golf Club ‘Birdie Gurus’ were crowned champions at -15 under after countback, managing to bogey their 17th hole only to birdie the last to force countback.
The same cannot be said at Tauranga Golf Club. The Mo Masters last regular season fixture in the second series being claimed almost with ease by ‘Mount Warriors’, who came in to the clubhouse at -18 under par, 3 clear of second place.
After 5 months of the Movember Masters Men’s Health Golf Series we have found 14 worthy champions who will tee it up at the Weekend of Champions, hosted at Millbrook Resort in May, to stake their claim for the National Championship. But importantly we have travelled the country in the name of men’s health, meeting passionate Mo bro’s and Mo sista’s, hearing stories of inspiration, giving Mo bro’s and Mo sista’s an excuse to catch up with friends, providing a break from day to day stresses, all the while raising funds and awareness for men’s health by having fun, doing good.
The Movember Masters will once again be back in 2019 leading into 2020 for our 3rdNational Men's Health Golf Series, expecting to launch in October. Keep an eye out for the series calendar and lock in your spot to play your way to Millbrook Resort.
'Golf with your mates, for your mates'
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