From Tony Durkin

 WASHED OUT: Close to 800 members and guests will tread the fairways of Headland in competition events during an average week, but inclement weather from Tuesday restricted last week’s fields to less than 300. But while the elements may have been an inconvenience, Course Superintendent Ben Tilley said he cannot recall more fruitful rain following so closely to renovations. He said the short-term pain would convert to long-term gain with the course expected to recover magnificently for the Walsh Professional Engineers Men’s Sunshine Coast Amateur Championships over Easter, and the Club Championships in May. Expect maintenance equipment to be back on the course early this morning for the first time since Thursday, following almost 170 ml of good, soaking rain, which has filled each of the five dams.

KANGAROO CHALLENGE: Ladies teams from Headland and Caloundra will contest the annual Kangaroo Challenge from 7.30 this morning (Monday), with the much sought-after Kangaroo Cup among the spoils. Caloundra currently holds the trophy, which is played under fourball match play conditions and contested by five teams of two from each club. One player must be handicapped below 17 and her partner between 17.1 and 31.9. The Kangaroo Challenge, which dates back to the 60s, is always played in February as a tune up for both clubs to the Pennant season, which kicks off next month. The name of the trophy is derived from the prevalence of the popular marsupial that once inhabited both courses, and Headland will be today’s host.

 WHY 14 CLUBS: Three-year Headland member Ciaran Fenton may decide to sell nine clubs of his clubs after yesterday’s par round of 72 – in a five-club event. Teaming with good mate Matt Hetherington in the rare fourball best ball event, Ciaran elected to take his driver, three iron, seven iron, pitching wedge and putter and literally ripped the course apart with two birdies, two bogeys and 14 pars. But Matt played his part too in the 47 points, scoring three three pointers and a four pointer. Ciaran started playing golf as a kid in New Zealand but never took the game seriously until mates cajoled him into joining Headland back in 2015. He started on a handicap of 20 and yesterday played off five.

 HOT STREAKS: Obviously not satisfied with a fourball win the previous week – plus a mention in Headland Headlines – Russell Cooper and Ray Morrison were at it again this past week. The duo followed up a fourball aggregate victory on February 13 (with 72 points) by quinellaring the single event last Tuesday. Ray pipped his regular playing partner by a point, scoring 42 off his 13 handicap, which included two birdies and a wash. Russell, who said his round the week before had been his best in years, bettered that with an 88 off the stick and six three-pointers and a four pointer for 41 points. Had they have been playing a stableford aggregate again, they would have bettered their winning score the previous week by a whopping 11 points.

 GIVING BACK: Lynn Hayman, a recent Headland SWING (Starting Women In Golf) graduate, has had further success to add to her hole-in-one in December and her 43 stableford points last month. She finished her single stableford round on Tuesday on the front nine with four pointers on holes 7,8 and 9 for a winning score of 40 points. And, as a result of her recent good form, Lynn’s major goal of continued handicap reduction is being met – in less than a month she is down from 44 to 35.8. But while enjoying the fruits of success, Lynn is also giving back to the program from which she graduated in 2016, agreeing to help mentor members of the current SWING group.

WHOOPS: With a handicap of 11, Chris Risby is a better than average golfer, but this anecdote proves that golf can be a cruel game irrespective of our handicap or our form. In a recent Sunday event Chris was on fire. He turned after nine holes three over the card, and when he eagled the 12th – from 150 metres out – he was just one over and headed for his best-ever round. But that’s when disaster struck. An 11 on the par-five 13th and a triple-bogey six on 14 signalled the end of what looked like a magic day, and Chris finished with 86. But, as we all can attest from our own experiences, that’s what we love about golf.

 PENNANTS UPDATE: Only one Headland team contested Pennants matches yesterday, and they proved to be uncomfortable in the slush. The Masters team was no match for Noosa, going down 5/2 to the hosts. The two winners were team captain Peter Perrett (1up) and Peter Holt (2&1). Matches for both the Juniors and B grade were cancelled, while A grade had the bye. Next Sunday (March 4) A grade play Mt Coolum at Nambour, B grade are at Tin Can Bay, also against Mt Coolum, while the Juniors play Gympie at Noosa Springs and the Masters are at home to Twin Waters.

 ROUND OF THE WEEK: In the sodden conditions and after 23 points on the front nine in Saturday’s single stableford event, Josh Vickers had to convince his playing-partner dad Tony to keep going, despite the advent of rain. And he’s thankful he did, because Josh shot the round of the week at Headland with 43 points and a runaway win in B grade. A former member of Noosa who joined Headland two years ago, engineer Josh doesn’t get to play as often as he would like but a birdie and eight pars off his 20 handicap at the weekend has re-ignited his competitive fire.

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (55 players) – Lynn Hayman (40 points), Susan Stratford (36), Susan Wake (36); Men (69 players) – Ray Morrison (42 points), Russell Cooper (41), Jim Webster (39).

Wednesday, Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (18 players) – Greg Wareham and Bruce Heseltine (73 points), Haenga Pirini and Lawrence Hireme (59).

Thursday, Ladies, Ovarian Cancer Day Scrambled Ambrose – cancelled because of inclement weather; Men, Single Stableford – cancelled because of inclement weather.

Saturday, Single Stableford, Men (104 players) – A grade, Brendan Duncan (40 points), Chris Klazema (39), Graham Smith (39); B grade, Josh Vickers (43), Richard Thurgood (41), Chris McArdle (39).

Sunday, Medley five club Fourball Best Ball Stableford (44 players) – Matt Hetherington And Ciaran Fenton (47 points), Chris Risby and Chris Eccles (45), Nathan Osborn and Richard Mallinder (44).