From Tony Durkin
KING HIT: Roscoe King, a Headland member for almost four decades, had his finest round in recent memory to return the best score in Saturday’s first Monthly Mug of the year, but in doing so inflicted a king hit on former Queensland Police Superintendent Don Teague. Roscoe, playing off a 22 handicap, signed for six pars and a birdie in his round of 86, giving him a nett 64 and a two-shot win over Don in C Grade. Playing in the last group of the day, Roscoe not only flattened the hopes of the chuffed clubhouse leader, but put a dampener on what was to be a double celebration for Don’s 84th birthday the following day. But for Roscoe, a major hurdle was jumped. In 38 years playing at Headland, the former eight-marker had never previously won a Monthly Mug – and he did it on Saturday despite hitting his tee shot on the 18th into the carpark, reloading and parring the hole with his second ball for a double-bogey five. As well as winning the C Grade Monthly Mug, Roscoe also returned the best gross score in his grade winning an additional $30.
AGELESS ANDERSON: Seventy-seven-year-old Ken Anderson has yet again proved that age – in golfing parlance – is merely a number, and certainly not a handicap. Playing in Saturday’s Monthly Mug, the septuagenarian returned a one-over par 73 to score less than his age for the 15th time – a truly remarkable feat. In a typically-consistent Anderson round, he shot six pars, two bogeys and a birdie in a one-over 37 on the first nine, followed by five pars, two birdies and two bogeys on the back to sign for an even-par 36. Playing off eight – his biggest handicap in his two decades as a Headland member – his nett 65 was easily good enough to win the A Grade Monthly Mug by a comfortable three shots. And he credited the brilliant condition of the course for his great round, claiming the greens are the best he has seen them in his time at Headland. Ken last shot his age back in November last year and first achieved this extraordinary golfing feat in 2011 when, aged 70, he carded a five-under par round of 67.
MASSAGED WIN: Masseuse Greg Kuhn welcomed in the new year at his new club with an impressive 68 nett from his 11 handicap to win the year’s first A Grade Mid-Week Monthly Medal. A Headland member for just five months, Greg moved to the Sunshine Coast from Toowoomba in mid-2016 to further his massage business – GK Massage – and played golf only spasmodically. But as soon as he decided to join Headland following his break from the game, he jumped in boots and all with a recent lesson from Headland Assistant Pro Matt Douglass the icing on the cake. Although his round on Wednesday was a mixed bag – four birdies, six pars, five bogeys and three doubles – Greg feels confident he may be on the way back down to his lowest-ever handicap of seven, at Toowoomba’s Middle Ridge. A former rugby league player, Greg had his first game of golf at age 27 and while not particularly proud of his score of 178, he vividly remembers one good shot that suddenly had him hooked on the game he now loves.
TO HILL AND BACK: Popular former member Courtney Hill spent a few weeks back on the Sunshine Coast over Christmas – and on the Headland course – during a break from her new sporting life in England. A former Brisbane Heat bowler in the WBBL and sprinter who once competed in the Stawell Gift, looking for a new adventure schoolteacher Courtney headed to the Mother Country just on 12 months ago where her love for rugby league – which she played as a child in her hometown on Monto – was rekindled. Through a friendship with Sunshine Coast-born Joel Moon, Courtney was given the opportunity to trail with Leeds Rhinos in the Women’s Super League, established herself as the team’s halfback and was integral in the Rhinos winning the Challenge Cup and playing in the WSL grand final, in which they were beaten 18-16 on the bell by Wigan. On her return to England next week she will continue her busy life as a rugby league player, cricket coach and supply teacher, and may again have another crack at professional cricket.
GOOD ENOUGH: During the Christmas-New year break a visitor from Sweden walked into the Pro Shop at Headland and queried head professional Adam Norlander on the quality and condition of the course. His query – in a nutshell – was whether it was of a standard that would adequately challenge his ability. Adam, who in November was named 2018 Australian PGA Club Professional of the Year, had a succinct answer. He pointed out a man in a green shirt putting on the ninth green, who just happened to be part-time local and 1991 British Open champion, Ian Baker-Finch, who was playing alongside his wife Jennie and Twin Waters-based fellow professionals Steve Hutchison and Anthony Gilligan. Not unexpectedly, the Swedish visitor took that as a vote of confidence in the course, went out and played 18 holes and returned to the Pro Shop singing the praises of the Buderim layout.
SWING RETURNS: Headland’s highly-successful SWING (Staring Women in Golf) program enters its seventh year in 2019 and kicks off with a ‘come and try’ experience at the club on Sunday, February 3, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm. The first clinic, under the guidance of Club Professional Adam Norlander, will be held on Monday, February 11. New SWING co-ordinator is Di Stark, a graduate from the 2015 program, who followed founding co-ordinator Laurel Opray into the vital position, and is expecting another healthy response, as well as a membership boost. In the six years of the SWING program almost 100 ladies have graduated to become club members and regular players, with some joining the committee, others progressing to A Grade level and a handful scoring competition holes-in-one. The cost of the five clinics, plus playing nine holes at the end of the program, is $149, a cost subsidised by the Buderim Foundation and Maroochy RSL. And, compulsory after each session, is a coffee and cake ‘interlude’ in the clubhouse to introduce ladies to the all-important camaraderie that golf offers. To book for the ‘come and try’ event ladies should email Di Stark on swing.golfing@gmail.com. Meanwhile, mentors are needed in 2019 to assist with the SWING program. Di Stark says she will need up to 40 mentors to assist with the program throughout the year, with each expected to assist on about 12 occasions. The only qualifications the mentors need is a knowledge of the rules and etiquette of game, as well as a genuine enthusiasm to help new golfers in the start-up phase of playing golf. Interested members should contact Di on swing.golfing@gmail.com or call her on 0419 502 750.
RULE CHANGES: A number of rule changes came into effect from January 1, with the most significant summarised :1)There is no longer a penalty for accidentally moving a ball on the green. A player may simply replace the ball to its previous position. Players may also repair any damage to the green; 2) A player may ground their club in a hazard, provided they don’t use the club to improve their position. Loose impediments in the hazard may also be moved, without penalty; 3) Players now have just three minutes to search for a lost ball; 4) A ball drop must now be done from knee height, and not from the shoulder as previously; 5) a penalty is no longer incurred for a double hit; 6) Striking the flagstick while putting is no longer a penalty.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (30 players) – Tracey O’Connor (38 points), Barb Marrington (35), Rosalie Brandt (35); Men (62 players) – Sean Hanna (40), Dennis Taylor (39), Neville Kenzler (37).
Wednesday, Men, Mid-Week Medal (209 players) – A Grade, Greg Kuhn (68 nett), Nathan Osborn (69), Ashley Reck (69), Gross – Ashley Reck (71); B Grade, Shaun Sigley (66), Wayne Phair (68), Clayton McDonald (69), Gross – Shaun Sigley (83); C Grade, Ian Russell (68), John Siddons (69), Maurice Stoodley (69), Gross – Maurice Stoodley (93).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Ladies (49 players) – Trish Murphy (39 points), Karen Cassels (39), Yvonne Henry (37); Men (74 players) – Malcolm Galletly (41), Gregory McDonald (41), Michael Holmes (40).
Saturday, Ladies, Single Stableford (18 players) – Robyn Homans (40 points), Kirsten Kaergaard (37); Men, Monthly Mug (230 players) – A Grade, Ken Anderson (65 nett), Anthony Fichera (68), Brad Redden (69), Gross – Adam Richards (71); B Grade, Dominic Geeves (67), Dean Jones (69), Bernie Green (69), Garry Clotz (69), Gross – Dominic Geeves (81); C Grade – Roscoe King (64), Don Teague (66), Richard Senior (68), Graham Pitt (68), Gross – Roscoe King (86).
Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal (44 players) – Mathew Duncan (70 nett), Jay Gourlay (70), Jamie Duffy (71); Junior Medal – Keita Griffin-Klazema (72).
