From Tony Durkin

OSSI CRUISES: Ossi Laurikainen, who recently sailed a catamaran around the world for four years and also competed in the 50th Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race back in 1995, cruised through Wednesday’s Monthly Medal round to sign for a superb nett 67 – and a win on handicap. The former carpenter who took up boat building towards the end of his career, played off a handicap of 23 and his 90 off the bat is his best-ever score at Headland in a stroke event. And despite a forgettable eight on the seventh hole, Ossi was proud of his fightback because he usually ‘goes to pieces’ after a bad hole. In fact, he had just three poor holes – the eight and two doubles – but was consistent otherwise with 11 bogeys and four pars. However, the Monthly Medal win, his second in the four years he has been a Headland member, was not totally unexpected. Back in early April Ossi had 45 stableford points in a round that included a wipe, and has since had scores of 37 and 35 points.

MAROONS WIN: New South Wales might have won the first State of Origin match in Melbourne on Wednesday night, but Queensland was victorious in the annual Origin clash at Headland Golf Club. Before teeing off in the June Monthly Medal round, players nominated their state of preference and the Maroons scored a runaway win – in fact, it was a thrashing. Only one NSW player – Graham Pitt (71 nett) finished in the top 10. As a result, each of the 142 Queenslanders int the field had $2 credited to their house account, including last-placed Peter Keane who returned 95 nett. However, in fairness to the NSW players, they were massively outnumbered. But while only 31 of the field of 186 nominated as Blues supporters, they did have the last laugh later that night.

RIGHT OF WAY: If Headland members see the popular Cody Laskey driving his cart on the fairway when the sign ‘carts on paths only’ is displayed, cut him some slack because he has permission. Headland’s board of directors last week approved a special permit for Cody, who suffers from Spina Bifida. Cody has no feeling in his toes, feet or ankles, and most of the lower part of his body has a degree of paralysis, yet he pluckily plays golf at least twice a week. Under this special permit Cody has agreed that he will not ‘roam free’ on the course, but stay on the paths where practical and only drive on to the course at 90 degrees when necessary, and avoid any particularly wet areas. For this compassionate decision, club management should take a bow.

HEADLAND RULES: Headland members have dominated the Sunshine Coast Daily’s Round of the Week award in the Around the Traps column so far in 2018. Of the five monthly awards announced, three have gone to Headland members with Tony Pattinson the latest recipient for his sensational score of 61 nett to win the B Grade Monthly Medal in May. The two previous winners were John Miller (48 points) and Andy Whitmore (46 points). Each monthly winner receives two rounds of golf, in an electric cart, at Noosa Springs Golf Club. 

PICK IT UP FOLKS: Members may have noticed a newly-named competition called ‘Pick It Up Stableford’, which has been introduced as part of the club’s Pace of Play project. When playing in this aptly-named Single Stableford event, players must pick up their ball on a hole when they have reached the stage where they cannot score two points or more. This method of competition is aimed at ensuring all players during the winter period have the opportunity to complete their round before sunset.  Two ‘Pick It Up’ events have already been played with two more planned – for Wednesday June 25 and Sunday July 29.

WHOOPS: It seems wet scorecards and computerised scoring don’t mix – at least that’s what Burgess Stephenson has discovered. Burgess, who has been playing golf for almost six decades, was caught in Wednesday’s late-afternoon deluge during the Monthly Medal round and along with his clothing and his golfing equipment, his card also became somewhat waterlogged. And while he concedes he was surprised the scoring machine actually accepted his card, he also admits he did not check the card as diligently as usual before signing off on his score. So, Burgess was staggered when contacted by HH to talk us through the 17 he scored on the seventh hole – as recorded on his card. Seems it was actually a seven, and his nett 88 should have been a nett 78. Whoops.

ROUND OF THE WEEK: Luke Mitchell arrived on the Sunshine Coast 3½ years ago to take on the management of food distribution company Bidfood, and among his first commitments was joining Headland Golf Club. And, after having not played for some time prior to his arrival from Far North Queensland, Luke struggled in his early days as a member. But that period was most definitely confined to history during Saturday’s June Monthly Mug round when he broke 80 for the first time, with his nett 68 beating a hot A Grade field. It could, however, have been even better. He started and finished with three bogeys, including a three putt on the 18th, but salvaged his impressive round with 11 pars and a bogey from holes four through 15.

MEDAL MAGIC: As implausible as it may appear, Sharon Thomas won her fourth Monthly Medal of the year on Saturday with a nett score of 74. But that was not her only form of domination. Sharon also took the nearest the pin shots on holes five, 14 and 18, scoring birdies on two of them. Since joining Headland on their arrival from Sydney 15 years ago, the golfing-mad Thomas family of Sharon, Michael, Chris and Blake – all single-figure golfers – have won 12 Monthly Medals between them. And yes, Sharon has won them all.

BREAKTHROUGH: Australian cricketers may regard 87 as an unlucky number, but that is not the case for Headland’s Kirsten Kaergaard who birdied two of her last four holes in Sunday’s Medley Monthly Medal to become the first ladies’ member to win the event since it kicked off in August last year. Her 67 nett was equal best score during Medal/Mug week, sharing the honours with Wednesday’s C Grade Medal winner Ossi Laurikainen and Saturday’s Mug winners Graham Myers (B Grade) and Kevin Howe (C Grade). Kirsten, a local teacher who played every game as a member Headland’s Weekend Ladies’ Pennant team in 2018, had 47 on the front nine but roared home with five over 42 on the back to win the Medley Medal by two strokes. And in a family affair, Keita Griffin-Klazema won the Junior Medal while his dad Chris was runner-up to Kirsten.

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Tuesday, Vets, Single Stableford, Ladies (34 players) – A Grade, Bev Kelly (34 points), Rosalie Brandt (34); B Grade, Maggie Fitzpatrick (35), Kathy Walker (34); Men (45 players) – A Grade, Greg Wareham (35), Mark Fisher (35); B Grade, Dick Gibberd (35), Colin Williamson (34).

Single Stableford, Ladies (35 players) – Lisa Ramen (37), Kathryn Tales (36), Susan Stratford (35); Men (55 players) – Mark Glassop (39), Malcolm Woods (38), Tony Coutts (38).

Wednesday, Men, Monthly Medal (186 players) – A Grade, Andrew Campbell (70 nett), Mark Selig (71), Doug Dann (71); B Grade, Chris Klazema (71), John Atkins (71), Ross Itzstein (71); C Grade, Ossi Laurikainen (67), Phil Lovett (68), Steve Ross (70).

Thursday, Ladies, Fourball Ambrose (abandoned because of inclement weather); Men, Single Stableford (abandoned because of inclement weather).

Saturday, Ladies, Monthly Medal (30 players) – Sharon Thomas (74 nett), Lesley Johnston (76), Hellen Fraser (77), Christine Parkinson (78); Men, Monthly Mug (206 players) – A Grade, Luke Mitchell (68 nett), Barry Newton (69), Ken Anderson (70), Ciaran Fenton (70); B Grade, Graham Myers (67), Ross Carvell (69), Mark Dolan (70), Greg Wareham (70); C Grade, Kevin Howe (67), Barry Potter (68), Roger Van Ginkel (71), Peter Elsworth (72).

Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal (47 players) – Kirsten Kaergaard (67 nett), Chris Klazema (69), Kevin Clarke (71); Junior Medal, Keita Griffin-Klazema (75 nett).