From Tony Durkin
PENNANT STORM: Headland’s men’s Masters Pennant team has courageously prevailed 4&3 in its round two clash with Noosa at Cooroy in controversial circumstances. When the Headland team arrived at Cooroy on Sunday – in convoy – at 7.05am for a scheduled 7.45am tee time, to their surprise four Noosa players had already teed off. Because Gympie withdrew from the Masters competition after the first round, giving Nambour a bye on Sunday, all matches at Cooroy were moved forward on the time sheet. And while the new tee times were advertised on the Sunshine Coast Golf Zone website, the rescheduling was not conveyed to Masters captain, Warren Selvage. The glitch meant that four Headland players – Burgess Stephenson (three holes), Brett Stephenson (two holes), Peter Holt (one hole) and Warren Selvage (one hole) were already down in their matches by the time they had caught their opponents on the course. But in a stunning comeback, Brett – in his Pennant debut for the club – won his match 4&3 while Peter and Warren both salvaged draws. Other winners were another debutant, Peter Richardson (2up) and Ian Moore (4&3), while Burgess Stephenson was beaten 4&3 and Brian Kesby 5&4. Warren Selvage was quick to compliment the Noosa team members, who he said were simply playing to the rules. “In reality, they could have claimed those first four matches on forfeit, but in the spirit of the competition agreed to play on,” he said.
DROUGHT BROKEN: Almost religiously for the past 20 years, Glenn Brooker has saddled up for a weekly game of golf at Headland – mostly on Wednesdays, but more recently at the weekend. And in that time, he had never had a win an individual event on Saturday. But his 42 points at the weekend – identical nines of 21 and 21 with seven three-point holes and a four-point birdie on the 10th – has suddenly changed the fortunes of the 19 handicapper who saluted in the B Grade Single Stableford event. Following a career in the motor vehicle trade where he progressed to GM of Sci-Fleet Toyota in Brisbane, a stroke flattened Glenn who moved to the Sunshine Coast with his wife two decades ago. A less stressful vocation as a dog washer followed, complemented by his commitment to the golf course where relaxation with mates was always more important than results. But that laid-back philosophy didn’t stop Glenn from celebrating his rare win. When HH called to congratulate him, he was out to dinner with his wife of 30 years, Virginia.
IMPERFECT PRACTICE: Following a near-perfect 27 points from his team on their first nine at Headland on Wednesday, Tim Reed wondered why the second nine suddenly became so difficult. Tim and his partner Toby Zaremba won the Fourball Best Ball Stableford event – played over the front nine twice because of course renovations – with an impressive score of 49 points. But while the first-round nine was very notable – seven three-point holes and a four-pointer on the seventh – the second-nine 22 points was, in comparison, a disappointment. Tim, however, was happy with his return to form. A single-figure player 18 months ago, his handicap has ballooned to 15 but he hopes his 42 individual points on Wednesday is a move in the right direction.
THREE CLUBS: As captain of Headland’s Division Three Ladies’ Pennant Team, Chris Parkinson definitely does not advocate her fellow team members leave a quarter of their clubs at home when their 2019 competition kicks off against Beerwah on Monday, March 4. But, after scoring 34 points on Thursday with just three clubs and a putter – and winning the competition – the Buderim GP can be excused for wondering whether ‘all those clubs’ in her bag are actually necessary. Playing the front nine twice because of course renovations, Chris had 34 points (19 and 15) scoring six three-pointers and having just the two wipes. The 2015 graduate from Headland’s famed SWING Program – who has had some time away from golf in the interim – took a five wood, seven iron and sand wedge with her on Thursday and although conceding she was a very competitive person, thoroughly enjoyed the more relaxed form of competition.
SIMULATED GOLF: Headland’s newly-installed Golf Simulation Studio has been up and running for almost two months and is proving a popular venue for game-day warm-ups, golf lessons and entertainment. The simulator studio has replaced the former ‘birdcage’ located adjacent to the Pro Shop and is a fully enclosed/air-conditioned venue, protected by a blue Colourbond exterior. The studio has various purposes, the first and foremost being an alternate venue for teaching professionals Adam and Matt to deliver lessons and club fits, irrespective of weather conditions. The installation of a GC2 (Game Changer) with high-motion technology (HMT), delivers the most comprehensive clubfitting analysis available, similar to that available to the best touring pros in the world. The monitor gives the effect of a driving range, and has an impact screen – able to absorb ball speeds up to 350 kph – that construes the result of shots and displays the relevant data. But the ‘fun’ aspect of the GC2 is that it can effectively be converted to a golf course, with US classics Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill and Spanish Bay, as well as other US resort courses, currently running. And, at $50 an hour for members and $60 for visitors (10% discount when booked online) the 18-hole experience is a more attractive alternative than the US $495 to actually play these courses. With Headland lacking a long-game driving range, the option to pay $10 for a 15-minute warm up session prior to teeing off has been popular with members. Bookings for the Golf Simulator Studio can be made online, or through the Pro Shop.
SPLIT SIXES: Next Saturday’s event – Split Sixes – is a new and exciting competition, played at Headland for the very first time. It will be a Medley fourball competition, meaning men and/or ladies can play in pairs, and the recording of scores on course is carried out in the same fashion as when playing a normal Fourball Stableford event. But the competition – as the name suggests – is split into three distinct six-hole scoring categories, with the three dissections scored electronically when the cards are returned. The first six holes on the course will be scored as a 4BBB – best score from an individual; the second six will be an aggregate of the scores of both players; and score for the final six holes will be the two individual scores of the team, multiplied. Men’s Director of Golf James Kidd who, along with Golf Manager Clay Williams, has been the driving force behind the variety of competitions played at Headland in recent years, has urged members to join in the spirit and enjoy the novel event, and suggests a score in the mid-to-high 70 points will be needed to win.
A DAY OUT: A combination of the hot weather and travelling has prevented Mandy and Bill Oster from playing a lot of golf at their home course in recent months. But they stepped out on Sunday – despite the extremely oppressive conditions – and had a field day. Bill finished second in the Single Stableford competition with 37 points, beating his wife into third place on a countback. He also won nearest the pin on the fifth with a superb shot that finished just 33 centimetres short of the hole. But the highlight of the day came from Mandy on the 18th. Her tee shot struck the pin on the first bounce and settled a meagre 1.5 centimetres from the hole. Both, not surprisingly, scored birdies.
PENNANTS: The stunning 4-3 victory by the Masters team was part of a clean-sweep for Headland teams in the Sunshine Coast Golf Zone Men’s Pennant competition on Sunday. B Grade prevailed 4½-2½ over Gympie at Mt Coolum, with Will Millroy (6&4), Jay Gourlay (1up), Matt Prince (3&2) and Simon Mitchell (3&1) winning their matches. Matt Macaulay squared his match, while Blake Thomas (4&3) and Michael Thomas (4&2) were beaten. Headland Juniors kicked off their competition for 2019 with a 2-1 result over Nambour at Gympie. New captain James Daniel snared his match 4&2 while Kieta Griffin-Klazema won 2&1. Campbell Gibney (beaten 8&7) will be looking for a better showing next week against Noosa Springs.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Stableford, (64 players) – Graham Pinn and David Carmichael (48 points), Steve Nash and Jock McLaughlin (46), Colin Williamson and Stuart Dykstra (45).
Wednesday, Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (96 players) – Toby Zaremba and Tim Reed (49 points), Denis McGrath and Ian Llewellin (47), Glenn Williams and Tony Durkin (46).
Thursday, Ladies, Three Club Single Stableford (55 players) – Chris Parkinson (34 points), Lynn Hayman (33), Trish Arden (32), Lesley O’Leary (32). Men, Single Stableford (38 players) – Sergio Nogarotto (37 points), Des McNee (37), Andrew Beck (35).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Ladies, (26 players) – Maggie Fitzpatrick (36 points), Kate Wilkie (34), Lisa Ramen (34). Men, Single Stableford (209 players), A Grade, Barry Newton (40), Michael Hinds (40), Peter Gablonksi (40); B Grade, Glenn Brooker (42), Ken McGuire (39), Gavin Terry (39); C Grade, Karl Aldrich (42), James Simmons (42), Gary Martin (41).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (19 players) – Aaron Kenzler (38 points), Bill Oster (37), Mandy Oster (37).
