The Rulebook — The Taupo Amateurs

Day One — Friday

Tauhara Golf Course, Taupō

The opening 18 holes set the stage. Team Matchplay battles for the Amateurs Shield run concurrently with individual Stableford scoring. The Cut is set at the top 16 plus ties — those who miss the cut fulfil administrative duties on the Float.

11:00am1st Round — Tauhara Golf Course

5:00pmThe Waikato Float

6:00pmMid-Tournament Presentation & Turangi Matchup Announcements

7:00pmRiver Dogs & Poker Night

Day Two — Saturday

Turangi Golf Course, Turangi

The spiritual home. Individual Matchplay for the Shield, the Rumble begins, Birdie & Bogeyman decided over holes 1–18. The 18th green at Turangi is where champions are crowned.

11:00am2nd Round — Turangi Golf Course

3:00pmThe Showdown & Chuck 'n' Putt

5:00pmAwards Ceremony & Champions' Banquet

6:00pmAmateurs Quiz Night

The Pinnacle

🏆 Birdie

The greatest individual prize in amateur golf. Over 36 holes of NET Stableford, the player atop the leaderboard at the 18th green at Turangi hoists Birdie high.

Champion's Rights

Raise the illustrious Birdie — golf's greatest trophy
Feast at the Grand Table for the Champions' Banquet
Be assigned the Bogeyman as caddy for a round of his choosing
Captain his team at the following year's event

The Nadir

👔 Bogeyman

The Bogeyman Overalls represent the true nadir of the Amateurs. After giving all they have, the player at the bottom of the leaderboard finds themselves alone in their misery.

Bogeyman's Burden

Don the prestigious Bogeyman Coveralls
Caddy for the Champion prior to next year's event — wearing overalls, providing range info & keeping champion hydrated
Provide butler service for Birdie at the Champions' Feast
Captain his team at next year's event

As with any top Major, the Cut separates those competing for glory with those battling for survival. The Cut line is set to allow the top 16 plus ties to make the Cut.

Players that miss the cut must:

Fulfil all administrative duties regarding the Waikato Float including inflating all inflatables
Wait for those that made the cut to eat at their dogs before enjoying their own
Forfeit 2 advantages (each player may choose) on Day 2

2v2 Betterball — Traditional Ryder Cup style Better Ball Matchplay. Select the best score from your team on each hole & discard the other.

Field Matchplay — A combined NET of each team on each hole. A team must win a hole outright. Points: 3 to the victor, 2 for second, 1 for third.

Pairings are selected at Captains' Picks one week prior to the event.

Individual Matchplay — Traditional 1v1 Ryder Cup style. Pairings selected via Day One tournament ranking.

Tag Team Matchplay — 1st & 4th versus 2nd & 3rd. Players share Matchplay points evenly — if 1&4 win they take a half point each back to their team.

Any tie after 36 holes is decided by a playoff hole on the 18th at Turangi (modified to 135m Par 3).

Shield Victors Raise

The Amateurs Shield (captain)
Quadrant victors medals (players)
Bask in glory and supplement their legacy

Losing Team Must

Don the Caterers' jacket (captain)
Accept the consolation tea towels (players)
Cater the following year's event

An 18-hole eliminator. Every hole will see the player with the worst NET score drop out of the running. Eliminations occur based on played order — every player's first played hole counts as Hole 1, regardless of starting tee.

Tie Breaks: Highest Stroke hole → Lowest handicapper → Highest Day One rank → Most inexperienced Amateur.

Last Man Standing claims the Rumbler Belt, hosts the Grand Table at the Champions' Banquet, and Captains his team at next year's event if the position is vacant.

The Showdown (final 2 players):

A match of Bingo, Bongo, Bango from the 135m marker on the 18th. The player with the lowest NET on 18 tees off first (else low handicapper). Points awarded for: First on the green (Bingo), Nearest the pin (Bongo), Longest putt (Bango).

Rumbler Rewards

Claim the Rumbler Belt
Grand Table at Champions' Banquet
Captain his team next year (if vacant)
Qualify for Prime Defence Quadrant for WPQ

First Eliminated Must

Don the Mouler for Evening Entertainment
Host bitten Snake Charmers in the Snake Pit
Provide butler service for the Rumbler all Saturday evening
Else — lose an eyebrow at Prize-giving

Day One: The only opportunity for the Holder to select his opponent. Prior to the Captains' Picks, the holder announces his challenger. Played concurrently with the Team Matchplay.

Day Two: The Holder accepts a challenge from the player he is paired with via the Day One ranking selection for Individual Matchplay.

Plate Holder rights: Cart access during matchplay (non-transferable), Grand Table at Champions' Banquet, box of beer delivered to his door from every scalp in his reign, Quadrant challenges at his Seat of Power.

Unsuccessful challengers must provide personal butler service, deliver a box of beers to the Holder's address within one week, and personally call to congratulate him.

The Plate Quadrants provide an opportunity for the Holder to burnish his reign outside of Amateurs play, hosting challengers at his home Seat of Power throughout the year.

Four Quadrants: Prime Defence Quadrant, The Ali Khan Samsuddin Quadrant, The Red Letter Quadrant, and The Leaderboard Quadrant. Each opens sequentially and is filled with qualified challengers from the previous Amateurs.

Sweeping a Quadrant earns a handwritten letter of congratulations from every defeated challenger. Lapsed duties result in a forfeit of WP eligibility for one year plus disqualification from winning any Major.

Players are seeded into 4 geographical brackets. Two players survive to battle for the Cup on Day One of the Amateurs. Every match must be broadcast live over Golf Gamebook and played over 9 or 18 holes.

Round 1

The Pack of 32
Dec 31

Round 2

Sweet 16
Jan 31

Round 3

Elite 8
Feb 20

Round 4

Final 4
March 1

Round 5

Cup Championship
March 4

Hired Guns

Allowed up to
Final Four

Winner claims the Committee Cup and a seat at the Grand Table. Last place on the leaderboard claims the Committee Spoon and must swap 2 clubs for Committee Clubs, providing butler service to the Cup Champion all Saturday evening.

Played at "The Drop" — the 458m Par 5, 9th at Turangi. The longest drive off the tee wins The Lundy. Must be on the fairway or first cut to qualify. Winner receives cart access the following day. Named after infamous criminal Mark Lundy.

Played at "Windy Crossing" — the 147m Par 3, 10th at Turangi. Nearest tee shot to the pin wins. Must be on the green to qualify. Winner receives cart access the following day.

Played at "Geoffrey Harris Drive" — the 286m Par 4, 18th at Turangi. The longest putt holed wins The Phelps. 1st and 2nd putts are eligible. Winner receives cart access the following day.

Played at "The Terror" — the 326m Par 4, 17th at Turangi. The shortest drive using the Dribbler Driver wins. Shots OB must be retaken from the tee. Winner must don the Dribbler Bib, Safari hat & binoculars for evening events and select a bag from the Drongo Collection.

Played concurrently with The Bango at "Windy Crossing". The ball furthest from the pin on the tee shot claims The Drongo. Number of shots to the green is not relevant — must be on the green to qualify.

Played concurrently with The Phelps at the 18th. The closest putt to miss the hole wins The Scratchy Throat. All putts eligible. Winner receives the Scratchy Throat Scarf and 3rd–5th reserve seating in the Snake Pit.

Each playing group is given a snake (and Fedora). A player is bitten when he 3-putts a hole.

The first player in each group to 3-putt holds the snake in his bag and wears the fedora
The snake is passed each time a new 3-putt occurs — like a hot potato
One player from each group is bitten at the 19th hole
The 10 bitten players have 18 holes the following day to charm their snake

Tiebreaks: Player holding snake retains it → Most putts → Best starting position for 1st putt.

Complete one of the following three challenges to charm your snake:

1× Chip in (a putt from off the green qualifies)
3× 1-Putts over 18 holes
No 3-putts over 18 holes (HCP 24+: front OR back 9 only)

Mongoosing: Complete all three challenges to Mongoose — nominate a player of your choosing to enter the Snake Pit in your stead.

Failed charmers must join the First Eliminated in the Snake Pit and serve dinner at the Champions' Banquet.

On your assigned hole, call "Fake News" after any shot and replay it from the same spot with the Trumpball. Finish the hole with no consequence. If you prefer your original shot, simply discard the Trumpball and act like it never happened. Can only be claimed once per player.

The player holding the 8 Ball during a hole must use the accompanying pool cue to putt on the green. Using a putter is not allowed. Requires genuine skill and is universally humiliating.

On your assigned hole, call "I bet you can't do that again" after a competitor's shot. Throw the Needleball at their feet and compel them to retake the shot. A merciless psychological weapon.

Opened by last year's Bogeyman on the 1st tee, the Blueball is passed from player to player throughout the 24 until it is lost. Players must play the Blueball on their assigned hole and pass it on at the next tee.

The person to misplace it must set off the R.G.R. Graham Airhorn to alert the field, then either serve beer to their Sweepstake backer all evening — or hitchhike back to Waitetoko. Named in honour of Robert Graham, the Amateurs' most distinguished Blueballer.

Oestrogen Booster

Tee off from the Ladies' tees once per round. Forfeit all future Oestrogen boosts if your tee shot fails to pass the ladies' tee.

Testosterone Booster

Move your ball one dick-length (max 12 inches) closer to the pin for no shot. May be used anywhere on the course including greens. Honesty system in use.

Adrenaline Booster

Chuck 'n' Putt — use your arm as your club once. The throw counts as a stroke but may extract you from a life-threatening lie. One foot must remain on the ball's spot.

Unity Booster

Be one with your playing partner. Play a hole Ambrose — both players use the same ball. At least one shot from each player must be used.

Redirect Booster

Only applicable if two cups have been cut at the course. Play the hole into the reserve cup on the green instead of the pin's hole.

Needle Ball

Call "I bet you can't do that again" after a competitor's shot, throwing the Needleball at their feet and compelling them to retake it.

Joker Ball ★ RARE

Won in Day One Poker Chips. Play 2 balls on any hole and take the lowest score. Also functions as a Blueball — lose it and you're hitchhiking.

Using an accelerant on a certain hole: may not help win an in-game contest (NTP, LD, LP etc) · may help avoid elimination in the Rumble · may not help claim a Virgin Hole · may not help claim a Poker Chip card · may help win a Matchplay hole · may help mitigate the Needleball.

Each group competes for 18 cards per hole. Cards are won by being closest to the pin once all balls are on the green. Every player starts with 2 cards plus a community card and a table card.

Best hand wins the Trump Card — void any punishment bestowed. Worst hand receives the Bluff Buff — absorbs one player's official punishment.

$10 entry. Each player selects another player to back during Captains Picks. Assigned bingo balls are drawn from a cage as players are selected.

$200 prize split between players backing the Birdie Champion and the Rumble Champion. Players backing the Bogeyman are 1st reserve for the Snake Pit.

$1/hole entry. Each un-birdied hole has a growing dowry. Dowries build year on year — $5 from each dowry is placed on the hole number at SkyCity Roulette post-event with proceeds reinvested.

Birdy a virgin hole = claim the dowry and pop its cherry. Triple bogey or worse = add $10 to the dowry in penance. The 18th at Turangi remains innocent — minimum $5/player.

Hosted by local lad Bodhi Vette, the Amateurs bus departs at 5pm for the mouth of the mighty Waikato river. Drinks raft, rock jumps, bungy jump viewing, native flora — terminating at the hot water river. A genuine highlight of the weekend.

Hosted by Quizzical Quiz Wizard Matthew Gabriel. A 5-round, 7-team battle for glory. The QQW has final say on any disputes. Winning team qualifies for the Ali Khan Samsuddin Quadrant of the Waitetoko Plate Quadrants.

The Birdie Champion hosts the Waitetoko Plate holder and victors in the Rumble & Committee Cup at the premier table. Features: champagne & freshly shucked oysters to start, drinks service from their defeated foe, and control of the UE Mini Boom.

Centred in the middle of the Championship Banquet, hosted by the First Eliminated in the Turangi Rumble. Hosts any failed Snake Charmers, with spare seats filled in order: 1st Reserve (Sweepstake holder of Bogeyman) → 2nd Reserve (Loser of WP Challenge) → 3rd Reserve (Captain of losing team).