From Tony Durkin
SPELL HELPS: While his back-nine card on Saturday may not have been as impressive as the front, his 20 points – from four pars, three bogeys and two birdies – was enough to snare Ash Reck an A Grade win in the Single Stableford event, played from the black tees. He won with 40 points, on a countback from Tony Dunford and Dave Rattray, who scored 19 and 18 respectively on the back nine. And for Ash it was just his third game for 2002 and follows a break from golf because of work and family commitments and a six-month period in which his handicap has ballooned from one to five. But the spell – and the increased handicap – has helped, with Ash reeling off nine successive pars on the front nine, which he played second on Saturday. A Headland member since 2001 and four-time winner of the club’s Men’s Foursomes Championship, his one-over par 73 on Saturday was a far cry from his best – a four-under 68 back just on a decade ago. The best score on Saturday came from B Grade winner, the evergreen Burgess Stephenson, with 42 points.
HOT AND COLD: Despite the fact she spends six months of the year organising dog-sled tours in Norway, Jenny Campbell didn’t shirk the 34-degree heat at Headland on Tuesday and subsequently returned the best score of the day. Playing in the Medley Single Stableford, Jenny had 39 points to win B Grade in her best round since she returned to golf as a Headland member four years ago. Formerly playing off nine at Royal Queensland back in the 80s, Jenny has spent the past four decades involved in varying business pursuits with the most recent running a bed and breakfast and associated tourist activities in Norway, where her engineer husband is involved in the oil industry. And while she concedes she is back ‘into’ golf, Jenny says time constraints prevent her from playing in Norway’s summer months, although one of the best courses in the country is just a 45-minute drive away. Now playing off 30, Jenny had 18 points on the front nine on Tuesday – despite wiping the first hole – and 21 on the back, but confided the good score was merely the result of ‘one of those good days that all golfers have once in a while’.
HANDICAP SCRAMBLED: Alex Sue See broke 80 for the first time in a competition round during Wednesday’s Medley Monthly Medal, much to the chagrin of his VW Scramble team. Playing off a handicap of 13 back in November when Alex and fellow team members Dan Harding, Gary Marr and Rohan Albury won the Headland qualifying round of the annual Australia-wide Ambrose event, the Maroochydore banker who does not play regular competition golf, needed five current competition cards between August and March to be eligible for the regional final next month. And while Alex – the father of three children under six – had no qualms about meeting that demand, he wasn’t banking on Wednesday’s extra-special round and the subsequent loss of two strokes from his handicap. Alex started playing golf when he was six, gave it away when he was 13, and despite joining Headland six years ago usually only plays socially early in the morning because of work and family commitments. But Wednesday’s A Grade-winning card of 79 – for 66 nett – revealed one double bogey, five bogeys and 12 pars, and has whetted his appetite for more of that consistent, mistake-free golf. Greg Patrick (69 nett) won B Grade and John Marrington (72) took the C Grade Medal, while Brad Butler (77), Ross Roberts (88) and Ian Harper (97) returned the respective best gross awards. NOTE: Alex added another twist of intrigue to the Ambrose team handicap when he scored 39 points – with a wipe – to win Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford event.
HOOKED ON GOLF: Before moving to the Sunshine Coast with husband Russell to retire 15 years ago, Mary Dowling had played only ‘hit and giggle’ golf at her former home of St George. And even after she had joined Headland as a fully-fledged member, Mary preferred to play at the nine-hole Glenview course with friends because she lacked confidence in her fledgling game. But that has changed over the years, and on Thursday the septuagenarian grandmother of nine won her third Headland Monthly Medal with her best-ever score – a nett 73, which is par for women. And, in winning the B Grade Medal, Mary not only had her lowest score on the front nine – 45 shots – but she added to the Monthly Medals she collected in 2018 and 2016, the same year she also won the prized Medal of Medals. While her handicap may have ‘grown’ a little in recent years, Mary’s love of the game has not waned and she still plays at least two days a week. Monica Knowles (71 nett) won the A Grade Medal on Thursday, Susan Briffa (73) the C Grade Medal, while the first victor if the newly-introduced D Grade division was Helen Martin (74).
PRACTICE AGAIN: Headland members no longer have a gilt-edged excuse for poor putting, chipping or short iron shots, because the storm-damaged practice facilities are now available for use again. The nets adjacent t to the practice fairway on Golf Links Road were obliterated during the vicious storm in late November and replacement of them was curtailed by insurance red tape. However, the nets are back and following the recent rain, the practice facilities are in superb condition. Club hierarchy has asked HH to pass on its thanks for the patience of members while the damaged facilities were replaced.
PENNANTS: Two down with four holes to play, Brad Butler pulled off a superb come-from-behind win on Sunday to give Headland’s A Grade team its first victory of the 2020 Sunshine Coast Golf Zone Pennant season. On the most difficult stretch of his home course, Brad parred 15, birdied 16 and parred 17 to take the lead, the birdied 18 to win 2-up and ensure his team of victory. His win – and a superb three-under 69 – gave Headland its thrilling 4&3 margin over Mt Coolum, with fellow team members Sean McGill (8&7), Adam Rydwanski (4&2) and Jamie Hill (4&2) also triumphing. Headland, who play defending champions Noosa at Maroochy River on Sunday, had their first round washed and received a bye the following weekend. Headland’s Masters team also won their first match of the season, following a loss and bye. Led by another superb golfing display from Scott Bromfield (7&6 victory), Headland beat Caloundra 4½-2½ at Twin Waters. Joining Scott on the victory dais were Warren Sorby (3&2) and father-and-son Burgess (2&1) and Brett Stephenson (4&3), while team captain Warren Selvage salvaged a squared result. B Grade had a narrow loss, down 4&3 to Peregian at Peregian with Will Millroy (3&2), James Kidd (1-up) and debutant Tom Burnett (3&2) the winners. And following two successive victories, Headland’s Junior team lost to Maroochy River 2, with Alex McLardy (6&5) the lone winner in the 2&1 defeat. This Sunday Headland Masters play Twin Waters at Caloundra, B Grade meets Cooroy at Noosa Springs and the Juniors play Noosa 3 at Gympie. NOTE: Such was the gripping finish to Sunday’s A Grade Pennant match that Headland’s Men’s Captain, Tony Kelleher, was seen drinking coffee while waiting for the final group to appear on the 18th tee.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (118 players) – A Grade, George Rodman (39 points), Hamish Urquhart (37), Robert Bush (37); B Grade, Jenny Campbell (39), Chrissy Eggins (34), Alexander Walker (34).
Wednesday, Medley Monthly Medal (209 players) – A Grade, Alex Sue See (66 nett), Bevan Horsnell (68), Adriaan Moorcroft (68), gross – Brad Butler (77); B Grade, Greg Patrick(69), Ross Carvell (70), Justin Scattini (71), gross – Ross Roberts (88); C Grade, John Marrington (72), Clive Glover (72), Peter McNeven (73), gross – Ian Harper (97) .
Thursday, Ladies, Monthly Medal (88 players) – A Grade, Monica Knowles (71 nett), Fiona Munro (72), Vicky Sheridan (76), gross – Fiona Munro (83); B Grade, Mary Dowling (73), Monica Antony (74), Veronica Bassingthwaighte (79), gross – Monica Antony (99) ; C Grade, Susan Briffa (73), Trish Murphy (79), Jenny Campbell (79), gross – Susan Briffa (103); D Grade, Helen Martin (74), Vicki Oxley (76), Lynn Hayman (81), gross – Helen Martin (113).
Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (88 players) – Mark Dolan and Mick Kinnear (44 points), Kevin Howe and Frank Coleborn (43), Tim Nunan and Les McClymont (43).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Ladies (32 players) – Anne Callanan (38 points), Sue Jones (36),Trish Marsden (35). Men (218 players) – A Grade, Ash Reck (40 points), Tony Dunford (40), Dave Rattray (40); B Grade, Burgess Stephenson (42), Nick Cox (41), Donald Caldwell (40); C Grade, Gary Jamieson (38), Bill Barnes (38), Michael Fortune (38).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (33 players) – Alex Sue See (39 points), Barry Matl (39), Chris De Bruyn (38).
