From Tony Durkin
FOURSOMES CHAMPS: Headland Pro Shop assistant and Occupational Therapy student Dominique Paice has again successfully teamed with 2018 shining star Sharon Thomas to win back-to-back Ladies Foursomes Championships. Dominique, the second-lowest handicapped player among the lady members, moved from Mackay two years ago to study at the University of the Sunshine Coast and has enjoyed much success at her new club. Apart from successive Ladies Foursomes Championships, she has been runner-up (to perennial winner Josie Ryan) in the past two Ladies Championships and runner-up and third, respectively, in the Mixed Foursomes with four-time Club Champion Brian Kesby. Dominique and Sharon won the 27-hole title on Thursday by 12 stokes (121) from Wil Sprake and Kate Wilkie, while Naomi Doyle and Liz Dunford won the nett (111). For Sharon Thomas the Foursomes title follows five Monthly Medal wins to date this year.
SMITH FAMILY: Dave Smith estimates he and his wife Marg have played together in Mixed Fourball events at Headland at least a dozen times since they joined the club as country members four years ago, but have never scored more than 36 points as a team. But that changed – and how – when they tallied a majestic 50 points on Sunday to easily win day one of the annual three-day Living Choice Classic. And Marg says their success is a direct result of her husband relenting on advising her how she should play. The couple, with four decades of marriage in the bank, combined like a well-oiled machine although Marg was the major contributor for the team, with 27 points. Their impressive card revealed 12 three-point holes, plus a four-pointer for Marg’s birdie on the sixth. The ex-Brisbane couple retired to the Sunshine Coast 12 months ago, have become full members and are looking forward to more success – as a team.
INSPIRED GAVIN: Electrician Gavin Rooney, whose company Rooney’s Electrical has been contracted to work on the Headland Golf Course for the past 15 years, is the club’s new Course Director. Gavin was the only new face voted on to the Board of Directors at Tuesday’s Annual General Meeting, and is looking forward to working with Course Superintendent Ben Tilley, who he says ‘inspires’ him. While the 21-year member has no pre-set plans for the course, one priority is improvement to the course surrounds, in particular the length and tidiness of the rough. Gavin succeeds the popular Rob Howard, who stepped down after seven years as Greens Director.
LOWEST LANE: Slick greens and fast, dry fairways are not a favourite these days of retired banker Lex Lane. That’s why, in Wednesday’s September Monthly Medal following a good soaking of the course, the former four marker returned his best round in an age to register the lowest nett score of the day – 67. After recently returning from a seven-week overseas holiday Lex struggled to handle the challenging conditions of the Headland course and his handicap ‘crept out’ to 15, from which he played on Wednesday. But playing – in his words, ‘nothing spectacular’ – he kept his game together with a steady round of eight pars and 10 bogeys. And after winning a Fourball event with former Warwick Pennant teammate Glenn Williams at Maroochy River the previous week, he now feels his game may be back on track.
PIN PERFECT: Ryley Martin may have collected $15 for being nearest to the pin on the 18th hole in Wednesday’s Monthly Medal, but the honour came after an extraordinarily-close shootout. First on the card was morning player Martyn Dix, at 600cms, but his shot was bettered by Gary Clotz (239). Then former Headland Golf Manager Brent Dalby made things tricky for judges when he hit his shot to the same distance – 239cms. Then, playing in the final group of the day, Ross K Thompson rolled his ball to within 226cms, only to watch as playing partner Ryley trumped him – by a single centimetre – to take the honour, and the cash. Ironically, Lindsay Parchert was the only name on the 14th pin card – at 628cms.
DAVE’S DAY OUT: He and his partner John Keating may have finished third in the big field of 226 that contested Saturday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, but it’s odds-on Dave Butcher won’t quickly forget his round. Regular playing partners Dave and John were one of three teams to score 49 points, only to be beaten into third place on a countback by Kate Wilkie and Graham Smith. But veteran Dave had a day out, with 43 points on his own – 20 on the front and 23 on the back. John, in fact, was on the card only twice – albeit with two three-pointers – both times on the front nine. Kate Wilkie was almost as impressive, registering 36 of the 49 points in her fourball with Graham Smith. Kate had three birdies, each for a four-point return, and was on the card 13 times.
ROUND OF THE WEEK: So poorly and so infrequently had Rick Bronson, former Sunshine Coast Newspaper GM and more recently retired lychee farmer, played golf during the past two years that at times he seriously considered resigning his membership of Headland Golf Club. That was until Thursday, when he won the Men’s Single Stableford event with an excellent score of 43 points. Mainly due to injury and travel, he estimates he had only played two or three dozen times over the past couple of years and mostly his form had been ‘atrocious’. But on Thursday the stars suddenly aligned, particularly on the back nine when he scored 23 points which included seven three pointers and a wipe. His golf retirement plans have now been put on hold with a more casual and enjoyable approach to the game his new mindset.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (43 players) – Heather Lum (37 points), Christina Claxton (35), Yvonne Henry (35); Men (49 players) – Roy Peterson (41), George Rodman (39), Noel Cassels (39).
Wednesday, Men, Monthly Medal (128 players) – A Grade, Garry Clotz (70 nett), Andrew Campbell (70), Warren Sorby (70); B grade, Lex lane (67), David Munns (68), Martin Dix (70); C Grade, Mark Fisher (68), Paul Stephens (69), Rob Holden (70).
Thursday, Ladies, Foursomes Championships (70 players) – 27 holes gross (and champions), Sharon Thomas and Dominique Paice (121), Wil Sprake and Kate Willkie (133); 27 holes nett, Naomi Doyle and Liz Dunford (111), Susan Wake and Lesley O’Leary (112); 18 holes gross, Mandy Oster and Julie Halliday (92); 18 holes nett, Mary Young and Margaret Howard (74.5); 9 holes gross, Sandra Murphy and Glenda Bates (48); 9 holes nett, Marion Dennis and Helen Mulholland (35). Men, Single Stableford (44 players) Rick Bronson (43 points), Steve Walters (40), Ted Banaszczyk (37).
Saturday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (226 players) – Kate Wilkie and Graham Smith (49 points), Wes Houk and Geoff Opray (49), Dave Butcher and John Keating (49), Garry Clotz and John Christmas (48), Mike and Kirk Hardy (48).
Sunday, Living Choice Classic, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (54 players) – Dave and Marg Smith (50 points), John Sims and Monica Knowles (46), Kerry Longworth and Patrice Sims (45), Wayne Bridgeman and Lesley Johnston (44).
