From Tony Durkin
DUCK DROWNED: For the fourth successive month Headland’s premier monthly Sunday competition, the Wood Duck Challenge, will jackpot. Despite the fact 10 players broke their handicap on Sunday in the quest for just on $1000 in prizemoney, a severe electrical storm late in the day thwarted the competition. When the siren to halt play was sounded, 20 players had not completed their round and with the course later rated unplayable, the competition was abandoned. However, the match committee decided that the 10 players who had broken their handicap, and finished their round, would each pocket $31 from the jackpotted prize pool. Sunday’s event was to be the final Wood Duck Challenge for the year, but in light of the abandonment of the event a final challenge has been rescheduled for either late November or early December (date to be announced). Sponsored by EKO Financial (James Kidd) and Mod Bathrooms (Chris Klazema), the November event is likely to again be worth $1000.
GAZZED OUT: Gary Martin has a distinctive mark on his golf ball – the word ‘Gaz’, plus the symbol of an arrow. So, after he had tugged his ball from the first tee on Saturday to the second fairway and located a ball so marked, he – naturally – hit it back towards the first green. But alas, he was challenged by the rather imposing figure of two-time Olympian Warren Sorby, who – playing the second hole – claimed Gary had in fact hit his ball. After the obligatory discussion of ‘yes, no, hang on a minute’ the rather remarkable coincidence was uncovered – Warren had recently found a ball marked ‘Gaz’ with an arrow, and just happened to be using it at that time, and place. Gary eventually found his ‘other’ ball and, despite the two-stroke penalty, scored a respectable double bogey on the first while the apparently unruffled Warren went on to birdie the second.
THREE FROM THREE: Phil Kornmann, a 26 marker and self-confessed hacker, says he is no mud lark despite figuring in the prize list three times during this past extremely wet week. The former Townsville architect, who moved to the Sunshine Coast a dozen years ago, had 36 points in Tuesday’s Single Stableford, backed up the next day with 38 points and had 70 points in Thursday’s Fourball Aggregate Stableford with partner Steve Eggins, finishing runner-up on each occasion. But his explanation for the three rounds of golfing success is simple – usually he has one decent round in five, this time it was three from three. And while he didn’t find the course particularly wet considering the amount of rain that has drenched Buderim, he said the recently-renovated greens were ‘hairy, but fun’. But ever humble, Phil was keen to advise that 41 of the 70 points on Thursday were scored by his mate Steve.
TOUGHEN UP: Medical advice to ‘toughen up’ has helped Brett Stephenson register two of his best rounds in ages – coinciding with the financial planner turning 50. Brett injured the thumb on his left hand a few months ago and after being advised that ‘golfer’s thumb’ was actually a myth, he decided to adjust his grip and his swing speed – and it has done wonders for his game. He started Wednesday’s Single Stableford with a birdie then a wipe, but cruised through the next seven holes for 16 points to turn with 20, then added another 23 on the back for 43 points, easily the best score of the day. He says nine pars in a round has been quite foreign to him of late – a junior champion who once played off seven. The previous week, celebrating his 50th birthday with some mates, Brett played the difficult Brookwater course in Brisbane and had 82 off the stick. The ‘grip lighter, swing slower’ theory is working a treat.
TRIPLE PAY DAY: Former Headland Ladies Club Champion Sue Jones freely concedes it was not her best round of golf, but Thursday’s 34 points to win A Grade in the Single Stableford event brought with it some satisfaction, and cash. Not only did Sue collect the winning prizemoney, but her house account grew by $75 with nearest-the-pin success on holes eight and 14. Yet the most enjoyment came from completing just her second round of golf in two months – a layoff forced by the Jason Day-associated ailment, vertigo. While acknowledging the ‘wobbles’ had occasionally reappeared – especially on the 16th hole when she four putted – Sue was pleased she decided to ‘have a crack’. And despite an ugly eight on the 10th hole, she parred all four par threes on the course which helped her decide that golf is worth persevering with, despite the odd discomfort when standing over her putter. Ruth Broderick returned the best score on Thursday – her 38 points winning C Grade and streeting the field of 93 by four points.
RULES FOR SENIORS: The final edition of our tongue-in-cheek version of (non) rules applying only to senior golfers, is published this week. But please note – these ‘rules’ are simply for a laugh and will NOT be coming into effect with other changes to be introduced from January. Rule 7: No penalty exists for a ball in a water hazard because golf balls should float. Senior players must not be penalised for the inadequacies of the manufacturer. Rule 8: A plethora of advertisements claim golf scores can/will be improved by the purchase of new golf equipment. As many financially-struggling senior golfers find this impractical, one stroke per hole may be subtracted from scores by senior golfers who are using superseded equipment.
JOKER JACKPOT: Headland’s clubhouse will be buzzing this coming Friday night (October 26) for the Member’s Jackpot Joker draw, which is worth $4450. Only the names of those members present – who must register – will go in the draw for the Jackpot, and the member selected automatically has $100 credited to their House Account. The member then selects a card from the glass cabinet and if that card is the Joker, they win the Joker Jackpot. If not – as has been the case for the past 23 weeks – their card remains face up in the cabinet and the Joker Jackpot next week will be worth $4600. Thirty unturned cards remain in the cabinet, so the odds are becoming shorter. But there is still the chance it can grow even bigger, as was the case when Stuart Dykstra won $5500 in August two years ago – the largest Joker Jackpot payout to date.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Veterans, Medley Single Stableford (abandoned because of inclement weather); Medley Single Stableford (20 players) – Bob Trevor (37 points), Phil Kornmann (36).
Wednesday, Men, Single Stableford (164 players) – A Grade, Peter Gablonski (39 points), Justin Walsh (39), Peter Francis (37); B Grade, Brett Stephenson (43), Ross K Thompson (40), Paul Burnett (37); C Grade, Leo Schumacher (38), Phil Kornmann (38), Laurie Corless (38).
Thursday, Ladies, Single Stableford (93 players) – A Grade, Sue Jones (34 points), Monica Knowles (33), Colleen Berger (33); B Grade, Libby Hall (33), Leanne Ptak (33), Kathy Walker (33); C Grade, Ruth Broderick (38), Marion Dennis (34), Susan Hadenham (29).
Men, Fourball Aggregate Stableford (30 players) – Gary Rugless and Glenn Kelly (70 points), Steve Eggins and Phil Kornmann (70), Neville McKenzie and Bruce Horton (69).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Ladies (38 players) – Naomi Doyle (36), Janelle Heaney (36), Lisa Ramen (36): Men (202 players) – A Grade, Earl Hicks (41 points), Brett Hardner (41), Andy Whitmore (40); B Grade, Bruce Reid (39), Barry Hudson (39), John Keating (39); C Grade, Richard Whittaker (41), Lang Pryor (40), Gary Ehsman (40).
Sunday, Medley Single Stroke (56 players) – Tom Burnett (64 nett), Jim Aspinall (67), Lang Pryor (67), Richard Senior (68), Barry Newton (69), Tony Pattinson (70), Steve Rose (70), Dean Jones (70), Henry Ptak (71), Sharon Purnell (71).
