Why we're sponsoring the Duke of Edinburgh Cup New Zealand

A quick note from the three of us.

When we started Fox & Birdie, we talked a lot about the kind of brand we wanted to build. Not just the clothes, but the community. The version of golf we wanted to be part of. One where more women felt welcome on the tee, where young people had a way in, and where the game gave something back.

That's why we're so proud to be sponsoring the inaugural Duke of Edinburgh Cup New Zealand qualifying tournament at Royal Wellington Golf Club on Friday, 8 May 2026. It's a pretty special one, and we'd love to tell you why.

A global tournament with a very Kiwi heart

The Duke of Edinburgh Cup was founded in 2000 by the late HRH Prince Philip. It brings amateur golfers together across the world, not just for the love of the game, but to raise funds for young people in each host country. Twenty six years on, it's played in more than a dozen countries and has supported thousands of rangatahi to build skills, confidence and opportunity.

This year, for the very first time, Aotearoa has its own qualifying tournament. And every dollar of net funds raised stays here.

100% of net funds go to Kiwi youth

We chose to back this event because the causes matter to us. In New Zealand, funds raised through the DoE Cup support:

• Young Enterprise (YES), helping high school students build real world business, leadership and life skills through their own start-ups.
• Golf New Zealand, including Futures, the Women & Girls' programme, and the Disability Action Plan. In other words, the initiatives making golf more welcoming, more diverse, and more accessible for the next generation of players.

So every round you play that day is a round that matters. That's our kind of golf.

Play Royal Wellington. Qualify for Windsor.

On Friday, 8 May 2026, the DoE Cup New Zealand takes over the Heretaunga Course at Royal Wellington Golf Club. It's a full day of great golf, with dinner, a few surprises, and the kind of clubhouse energy only a cause like this creates.

The top two New Zealand qualifiers earn an all expenses paid trip to London in September to represent Aotearoa at the World DoE Cup Finals. That means playing some of the world's most iconic courses and capping it off at a Gala Prizegiving Dinner at Windsor Castle, hosted by HRH The Duke of Edinburgh with Golf Ambassador Justin Rose MBE.

Flights, accommodation, transport, meals, golf. All covered.

Event details at a glance

• Date: Friday, 8 May 2026
• Venue: Royal Wellington Golf Club, Heretaunga Course
• Entry: $425 per player, including a premium gift box and dinner with Craggy Range pairing wines
• Register: www.doecup.nz

On the day: the live auction

The day wraps with a live auction, and the lots are good ones. A signed Justin Rose golf club. Items from the Royal Household golf collection. A one night stay at Wharekauhau Country Estate. It's worth sticking around for, and every bid goes back to the kaupapa.

Where to stay

If you're travelling in, NZCIS have discounted modern one bedroom apartments a short drive from the course. Mention DoE Cup when you book through NZCIS.co.nz or email sheena.norman@nzcis.co.nz.

Why this one matters to Fox & Birdie

We're a small Kiwi brand making merino golfwear for women, and we think a lot about who we're making space for. Tournaments like this one do something we care deeply about. They open doors for young people, they put funding into women's and girls' pathways, and they remind us that golf at its best is a game played in good company for good reasons.

So if you've been thinking about entering, consider this your sign. If you'd love to bring a group, a workmate, a daughter, a mum, or a foursome from your club, even better. And if you just want to come along and cheer, we'll be there too, probably in something green.

Register at www.doecup.nz. Places are filling fast.

See you on the tee.