From Tony Durkin
ALMOST BACK: The return to playing in groups of four from Saturday has put a smile on the faces of those Headland members struggling to secure spots in the field, but ‘normality’ as we know it is still some way off. Until stage two of Queensland’s COVIDSafe Australia Roadmap is introduced – potentially on Saturday, June 13 – Headland will continue with the one-tee start. Once the current stage one restrictions are eased and gatherings of up to 20 people are permitted, Headland General Manager Ben Dobson is confident the two-tee start will be re-introduced. This will mean fields – on Saturdays for instance – will be increased from 188 to the 256 capacity. However, the opening of the clubhouse and service of alcohol is not expected until July 11 when – conditional of no spike in Covid-19 cases – gatherings of up to 100 patrons will be permitted.
WELCOME JORDAN: The new face seen in the Headland Pro Shop from last week is 25-year-old Jordan McDonald, who has joined the staff as a first-year PGA trainee professional. Jordan links with 20-year-old second-year trainee MacKenzie Wright at Headland, along with Nate Smyth and Head Professional Adam Norlander. A Victorian who moved to the Sunshine Coast with his family in 2005, Jordan did not take up golf until age 14 when he joined Caloundra Golf Club on a handicap of 24. Within four years the former cricket and AFL tragic was playing off plus four. After a distinguished amateur career, a stint at Queensland Academy of Sport’s Golf Program and two Club Championships at Pelican Waters, Jordan kicked off his PGA traineeship at Pelican Waters in January this year. However, because of the impending redevelopment of Pelican, Jordan has taken the opportunity to continue his traineeship at Headland under the tutelage of 2018 Australian PGA Club Professional of the Year, Adam Norlander.
Jordan McDonald (centre) with fellow Queensland professionals Chris Crabtree and Charlie Dann
NOT SO SWIFT: Mark Swift sold his light transport business 12 months ago and moved to the Rendezvous Foundation working with adults with disabilities, but his change-of-work lifestyle unfortunately did not transfer to any swift change of luck on the golf course. In the four years since he joined Headland Mark’s best score had been 38 points, and he reckons that in the past 18 months he has rarely broken through the 30-point barrier. But that form transformed dramatically on Sunday when he scorched the Headland turf with 43 points from his 18 handicap, and a four-year best gross score of 83. And while he can’t put a finger on the exact reason for the much-improved form, he thinks money could have been a determining factor. “With the club closed, we now play for money, not beers,” he quipped after leaving regular playing mates Chris Pace (35 points), Bryan Haggarty (34) and Tim Diedricks (31) in his wake. Mark beat newcomer Ben Butler (handicap 13) on a countback for the best score of the day, and the week.
PTAK ATTACK: Retired handyman Henryk Ptak told his golf-mad wife Leeanne three weeks ago that if he didn’t play reasonably well in a social round on which they were about to embark, his 2½-year ‘semi-serious’ golf career was over. Because he played okay that day, he stuck at it, and the rewards have come. Last Saturday week he scored 35 points from his 28 handicap and on Tuesday stunned himself by breaking through the 100-barrier for the first time and scoring 42 Stableford points to win the competition. A one-time ‘hacker’ in Tasmania, Henryk joined Headland in 2017 but prefers social play to competitions – which may change since Tuesday’s wipe-less round which included eight three-point holes. But, after his best-ever round of golf, German-born Henryk reckons he may now contemplate retiring while at the top of his game. That, though, remains unlikely considering the continued encouragement from Leeanne.
HOWE GOOD: Teacher Kevin Howe beat home a cluster of four ladies to win Thursday’s Medley Single Stableford by the lone point and pocketed $85 for his effort, but he regards winning a Gold Lotto ticket from good mate and fellow chalkie, Dennis Taylor, as a greater conquest. Coming off a four-month lay-off late last year following foot surgery, Kevin is enjoying his return to golf during long-service leave before his intended retirement from the classroom of Kawana Waters State College at the end of 2020. And he hopes he can continue to play like he did on Thursday, especially over the final eight holes when he amassed 23 points. Catherine Peterson, Veronica Bassingthwaighte, Kath Walker and Robyn Boreham each scored 39 points to trail Kevin by one, with Catherine’s birdie at 18 giving her a back nine of 21 points and the runner-up prize on a countback.
NO FLEAS: Formerly a 10-marker at Twin Waters, Peter Nash broke through for a rare win at Headland on Wednesday but was not overly-enamoured by the victory. Describing his form of late as playing ‘like a dog with fleas’, the rheumatologist was embarrassed that his handicap has ballooned to 23, and also surprised that a meagre 39 points had won the competition. But there were some plusses – a four-point birdie at the 12th, the sinking of a couple of long putts and a strong score for the year-long Bourbon Cup competition, a contest played each Wednesday by members of the Young Doctors group. Now that most Covid-19 restrictions pertaining to golf have been lifted, the good doctor is intent on improving his game and at least lowering his handicap to the mid-teens.
TOUGH TIMES: Some Headland members have felt somewhat frustrated in recent weeks by reduced fields, playing in twos, with no, bubblers, ball washers or sand buckets in use and social distancing in place. But spare a thought for members of England’s Richmond Golf Club back in the 1940s, during World War Two. Headland member Tracey O’Connor has passed on a list of rules recently sent to her by her dad, John Robinson. Instructions to members included: permission to take cover – without penalty for ceasing play – during gunfire or falling bombs; shrapnel and bomb splinters in the bunkers or on the fairways could be moved, without penalty; a ball moved by enemy action may be replaced, without penalty. However, if a player complained his/her stroke was adversely affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb, the shot may be replayed – but with a one stroke penalty. Please, Headland members, no more complaints.
WHOOPS: Vagaries associated with using the MiScore digital scoring app continued at Headland on Saturday when Bruce Heseltine ‘scored’ his first-ever eagle. Unfortunately for Bruce the eagle – registered on the app as a 2/5 at the 12th – was actually a 5/2. Naturally, Bruce was highly embarrassed when officially credited with the eagle, as was John Brewster two Saturdays earlier when his card revealed a hole-in-one at the 18th – also his first – but was actually a 4/1. But the daddy of them all came on Wednesday when David Munns had racked up 52 Stableford points after 10 holes, including a hole-in-one on the par-five tenth for 1/7. Obviously, with practise, the digital cobwebs will soon be cleared.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (130 players) – Henryk Ptak (42 points), Christine Hall (41), Glenda Bates (41), Robert Pixley (40), Yvonne Henry (40), Annabel Harris (39).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (131 players) – Peter Nash (39 points), Ross Itzstein (39), John Jackson (38), Peter Francis (38), Ross Roberts (37), Barry Newton (37).
Thursday, Medley Single Stableford (132 players) – Kevin Howe (40 points), Catherine Peterson (39), Veronica Bassingthwaighte (39), Kath Walker (39), Robyn Boreham (38), Mick Kinnear (38).
Saturday, Medley Single Stableford (186 players) – A Grade, Rob Cunningham (37 points), Ken Maguire (36), Adam Richards (36), Brett Hardner (36), Michael Moore (35), Matt Fisher (35); B Grade, Rohan Albury (38), Doreen Davidson (37), Gary Martin (37), Michael Phillips (36), Ted Banaszczyk (36), Adam Griffiths (36).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (114 players) – Mark Swift (43 points), Ben Butler (43), Kirsten Kaergaard (40), Derrick Bogaart (39), Josie Ryan (39), Graeme Brown (38).
