All White Masters

The story behind the All White Masters

The All White Masters has one aim: to bring good football people together, with great golf as the excuse.

It is the brainchild of former All White James Bannatyne, All White #514.

“The All White Masters happened by accident really,” Bannatyne said. “A combination of my passions, football obviously and golf.

“I can’t play football anymore, my knees don’t cope, and golf is the obvious transition.”

He may have hung up the gloves, but Bannatyne remains fiercely committed to serving goalkeepers and goalkeeper coaches, and works with the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) as its Goalkeeper Development Consultant, overseeing goalkeeper development across its 11 member associations.

Bannatyne, who was a member of the All Whites squad that went undefeated at the 2010 FIFA World Cup finals in South Africa, is originally from Lower Hutt and now based in Mt Maunganui.

The goalkeeper made his All Whites debut in a 2-0 win over the Cook Islands in 2001 and was in the squad for the 2009 Confederations Cup.

The idea was sparked when Bannatyne was invited to receive his official All Whites cap at New Zealand Football’s cap ceremony at the All Whites v India series in November 2026, held in Auckland on 12 November and Christchurch on 15 November.

Bannatyne opted to receive his cap in Christchurch, where he played for a season almost 20 years ago — an opportunity to see some good friends he still has there.

He suggested meeting up over a few rounds of golf, and the All White Masters began.

“Everyone was really keen on the idea of combining the trip to the ceremony with a few rounds of golf,” he said. “Then I decided you have to play for something, so the idea of the All White Jacket was born.”

The Jacket takes its inspiration from the Masters at Augusta and its green jacket. It cannot be bought. Each round crowns a new champion, the Jacket goes to the lowest net score and every winners name, location and date is added to its story.

Its first outing was meant to be at Titirangi Golf Club in Auckland, a course designed by Alister MacKenzie, who also designed Augusta National. The round was rained out.

The idea is that it will bring together football people, including Football Ferns, coaches and club volunteers — anyone with a love of football and golf.

“Tradition in the making,” Bannatyne said.