First the qualifying and stroke play round began with over three hundred players on the course in Te Puke and organisers are happy with the results.
In this year's tournament the sections include, Ladies, Senior, Intermediate and Junior men, Masters, Golden Girls and Rangatahi.
For the first time ever, Tuhourangi Wilson, aged 8 is playing in the tournament and has a handicap of 18.
According to his father, he began playing golf at the age of five but he has one goal each time he plays, “hitting the ball in the hole.”
The winners in the ladies and men's division this year gain entry into the NZ Open.
However, things will change next year for the men's section in which they will have to play an amateurs tournament before gaining entry.