TMF
DIAMOND ANNIVERSARY FUNDRAISER
Ambrose Golf Invitational

A charity Ambrose golf tournament bringing together doctors, local businesses, and community supporters to celebrate 60 years of medical education and research in Taranaki while raising funds for skin cancer prevention, early detection, and clinical upskilling.

Why
this
Matters

Taranaki has one of the highest rates of invasive melanoma in Aotearoa New Zealand.

80% of new cancer diagnoses each year are skin cancers.

We also have a strong outdoor culture: farming, sport, surf, golf, and whānau life lived in the sun.

This event exists to turn that reality into action.

Funds raised through the TMF 60th Anniversary Ambrose directly support:

GP skin-cancer training and upskilling
Dermatoscope access and clinical education
Medical student scholarships
Ongoing medical education and locally relevant research

This is prevention in practice — supporting clinicians before disease becomes advanced and ensuring skills and equipment remain accessible in our region.

What "Playing for Skin" means

“Playing for Skins” is both a playful nod to golf and a serious commitment to skin cancer prevention and early detection.

Alongside the Ambrose, we offer education-focused sponsorship tiers that directly fund training and equipment for local clinicians. These contributions sit alongside playing or hole sponsorship and are designed for individuals, practices, and businesses who want to make a deeper impact.

Playing for Skins – Contribution Tiers

Platinum Skin – $10,000
Two dermatoscopes plus GP training support
Gold Skin – $5,000
Dermatoscope placement
Silver Skin – $3,000
GP training bursary
Bronze Skin – $1,000
Workshop-based skills training support
Donate-a-Cap -$60

Naming a surgical/skin cap for a doctor undertaking skin training

These education tiers directly strengthen local capacity in skin cancer prevention and early detection.

GET INVOLVED:

There are many ways to be part of the day — whether you golf, sponsor, volunteer, or support behind the scenes.

You can:

Enter a team of five to play in the Ambrose
Sponsor a hole, with on-course visibility
Support a Playing for Skins education tier
Donate a prize or auction item
Volunteer on the day (BBQ, welcome, education stations)
Contribute a SunSmart or skin-health message as part of the event’s education focus

This is a relaxed, collegial event that is designed to be inclusive, enjoyable, and purposeful.

Ready to
join in?

Whether you’d like to play, sponsor, donate, or support, we’d love to hear from you.

Suturing Masterclass: Intermediate Skin Techniques

"Voices from our education programmes"

" Great teaching and adjustments of technique from local experts. In person training is so valuable for getting better at this skill and it was really great."

Dr Emma Thompson - GP & Urgent Care Fellow

"Great course. Informative lecturers and supportive hands on experience. Surgical skin cancer management (along with dermatoscopy and sun smart teaching) is vital to improving the morbidity and mortality of the burden of skin cancer in our community."

Dr Zara Bolam - GP & Urgent Care Fellow

" Gained confidence and clarity with deeper suturing techniques. "

GP Trainee

" The suture kit I was very impressed with! My own take away kit for practice was really great. "

Registered Medical Officer

SunSmart education & prevention on the day

NZ Skin Cancer Prevention & Early Detection Strategy

This Ambrose event includes a strong education and prevention component, supported by partners working in skin cancer care and public health.

On the day, participants can expect:

SunSmart messaging throughout the course
UV camera education
Skin-health awareness and early-detection information
Clear links between lifestyle, prevention, and clinical care

We are working alongside organisations including Skin Cancer New Zealand (formerly MelNet), Cancer Society, and Melanoma New Zealand to ensure messaging is evidence-based and practical.

Summer Student Research Spotlight (1).png

Why support TMF?

The Taranaki Medical Foundation has supported local medical education and research since 1966.

Over six decades, TMF has helped:

Train generations of doctors
Fund medical student scholarships
Support GP upskilling and specialist education
Seed initiatives that improve long-term community health

This event helps ensure that work continues locally, sustainably, and into the future.

Support

Taranaki Medical Foundation 60th Banner.png

Event Highlights
9 March 2026

On Taranaki Anniversary Day, 20 teams from across the region gathered at Kaitake Golf Club for the Taranaki Medical Foundation’s Diamond Anniversary Ambrose Invitational – Playing for Skins, celebrating 60 Years in the Sun.

The event brought together clinicians, local businesses, and community supporters for a day of golf, SunSmart education, and fundraising in support of medical education and research in Taranaki.

SunSmart Snapshot – What We Learned

As part of the SunSmart initiative during the 2026 Playing for Skins Ambrose, participants were invited to take part in a SunSmart Snapshot Survey exploring sun protection habits among local golfers.

The goal was simple: to better understand sun protection behaviours in our region and support ongoing education around skin cancer prevention.

Key insights from 65 participants

• 63% were aged 46–75
• 31% reported having had a skin cancer removed
• 74% spend more than two hours outdoors each day
• Only 29% wear sunscreen most days or daily
• 37% do not reapply sunscreen when outdoors
• Hats were the most common form of sun protection

The survey highlights a clear pattern — high sun exposure combined with inconsistent protection behaviours, even among people who have already experienced skin cancer.