From Tony Durkin
DALBS PASSES: Headland lost a dear friend on Wednesday when popular former Golf Manager, Brent Dalby, passed away. Brent, a Headland member for more than three decades, was just 12 days short of his 70th birthday and held the position of Headland Golf Manager from 2008 until his retirement in 2016. Late in 2018 he was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma – a form of bone cancer – and subsequently underwent a series of radiation, injections and medications which helped stabilise his condition. But although his health steadily declined during the past 12 months, the tough-as-nails golf tragic continued to battle on, remaining at home in the care of his wife Jo and awaiting that 70 milestone. Brent passed away peacefully after just one night in Palliative Care. Before joining Headland, he worked in the hospitality industry on the Sunshine Coast, firstly with good mate Roscoe King at popular Mooloolaba restaurants Charades and Eatcetera, and then running See Restaurant and The Boatshed. Following a private cremation service, his ashes will be sprinkled in the dam adjacent to the 11th and 12th fairways and his name plaque displayed on the Pillow Biters seat at the 12th tee when COVID restrictions are lifted and overseas family members can be in attendance. At the same time, a celebration of his greatly-fulfilled life will also be held at Headland.
Brent Dalby (middle) with fellow Headland members Pat Beston and Jack Hastie
JOSIE’S SIXTH: Josie Ryan has miraculously discovered some of her best form during the 2020 Queensland Women’s Amateur Senior Championships at Mt Coolum last week, and subsequently walked away with her sixth QWASC title. With descending rounds of 84, 81 and 77, she stormed home from four shots down at the turn on the final day of the 54-hole tournament to win by two from Kath Griffiths of Hervey Bay. Showing the kind of form that has won her 17 Headland Ladies Championships, Josie finished two under on the back nine on the final day to seal the result. Describing her form of late as ‘struggling to produce what I do in practise’, she credits three recent lessons with Head Professional Adam Norlander for helping her out of her slump. Josie was joined on the winner’s podium by fellow Headland members Jenny Ingham and Kate Wilkie, who each won the 54-hole nett in their respective age divisions. NOTE: An added lure for Josie’s win was the promise of a magnum of 1998 John Riddoch Cab Sauv, from her husband Ron McMahon.
Josie Ryan – QLD Women’s Senior Amateur Champion
MOTHER AND SON: Scott Walker and his mum Kathy have once again dominated the Headland Patron’s Day Mixed event, winning for the third time in the past four years. On Saturday the mother-and-son combination scored 65.375 nett to win the Simon Whittle-sponsored event from the pairings of Bruce and Lee Heseltine and Adam Richards and Sharon Purnell, who both scored 67 nett. Four years ago Scott (handicap 2), invited his mum Kathy (29) to play in the annual American Foursomes format and apart from last year, when Scott was sidelined by a knee injury, the pair has been crowned Patron’s Day champs ever since. On Saturday their impressive card revealed nine pars, two birdies and seven bogeys, yet Kathy still felt mortified for leaving an eagle putt at the 11th a smidgen short. Adam Richards and Sharon Purnell had the cleanest card in the field, with just two bogeys, a birdie at the 11th and 15 pars. Fifty-nine teams teed off in the Mixed event while 114 players contested the Overflow, which was staged in conjunction. Andrew Stirling (7) and Darren Macleod (4) blitzed the course with a blemish-free five-under 67 for a nett score of 63.625. Warren Selvage and Warren Sorby (65.25) were second despite starting with three bogeys, while brothers Brad and Ben Butler also had five birdies on their card, but also three bogeys.
PRYOR WIN: Will Millroy (8) may be the lowest handicapper in a group of four young Headland golfers who call themselves the Seawolves, but he is lagging behind when it comes to winning on a Sunday. Lang Pryor (handicap 11) made it two victories in the past month when he won Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford with 39 points, joining Nick Reed (21) and Tom Burnett (11) who have also stood on the Sunday winner’s podium since Nick’s win back on July 12. But while his last win may have been in April last year, Will points out it was a Monthly Mug. The four University graduates and good mates, who did not take up golf seriously until joining Headland two years ago, play together most Saturdays and Sundays and have adopted the same name as their Beach Volleyball team. While Lang’s second win in a month was his PB, it did not come without some frustration. He stood on the 17th tee needing two pars to break 80 for the first time, but double bogeyed the 17th after a wayward drive. NOTE: Along with his Sunday Wood Duck win on July 19, Tom Burnett added Wednesday’s A Grade Medley Mid-Week Medal to his trophy cabinet.
PUTT FOR DOUGH: The cliched golf idiom ‘drive for show, putt for dough’ was never more apt than on Wednesday when former schoolteacher Bruce Reid played five shots under his 16 handicap to return the best score in the August Mid-Week Medley Medal, for a win in B Grade. Bruce, who is captain of Headland Vets, had only 26 putts in his round of 83 and collected $105 for winning both the nett and gross in his grade. Coming off a purple patch earlier in the year when he won the Monthly Mug in February, Bruce said his form of late had been average and hopes the red-hot putting continues. The ex-Tasmanian opening bowler of the late 60s beat C Grade winner Thomas Adcock (-4) for the best score of the day, while Tom Burnett (-2) saluted in A Grade. In superb conditions but on a course with some difficult pin placements, only five players in the field of 229 managed to break 80, with scratch marker Brad Butler the best with four birdies in his par round.
LADIES’ MATCHPLAY: Jenny Ingham and Bev Barnes have won their way into the Headland Ladies’ Matchplay final for 2020, with the decider to be contested on Thursday, August 27. In the semi-finals Jenny beat Robyn Boreham 2&1 and Bev finished her match against Rose Sztama at the par-three 14th, when in front 5&4, continuing her impressive form throughout the event. On the way to the final Jenny posted a walkover win against Leanne Ptak before beating Mary Dowling 2&1 in the quarters, while Bev beat Carmel Visser (5&4) and Wil Sprake (5&3). Neither member has previously won the prestigious event.
HEADLAND CAPTAINS: Washing carts at Headland after school and at weekends may not be everyone’s ideal pathway to a career, but it has been a successful stepping stone for two future leaders at nearby Mountain Creek State High School. Mitch Norlander, son of Head Professional Adam, was last week named one of the two Male School Captains for 2021, while Junior Pennant Captain Keita Griffin-Klazema has been elected one of eight Leadership Captains at the school for next year. The achievement by Mitch is particularly outstanding – he only enrolled at Mountain Creek SHS in the fourth term of last year, while Keita has been a student since Year 7. Keita’s dad, Chris Klazema – who is also a Headland member – co-sponsors the monthly Sunday Medley Wood Duck Challenge through business, Mod Bathrooms.
Mitch Norlander with dad Adam
Keita Griffin-Klazema with his mum Jo
JOCK WINS: Retired teacher Jock McLaughlin has continued the recent impressive form of Headland members who belong to a bikers group named the Bandy Toes, with a win in Tuesday’s Single Stableford. Playing off 14, Jock had 82 off the bat for 40 points on a scorecard that disclosed nine three-point holes. But while Jock was pleased with the general consistency of his round – 10 pars and six bogeys – like most golfers he was disappointed with double bogeys at the second and 15th holes. The Bandy Toes (a play on the name Bandidos) consists of a group of bikers who make regular short treks on their machines – when they aren’t playing golf. Three weeks earlier and two days after returning from their most recent trip, members Ross Wedmaier and John Harris quinellered a Headland event, while Ross also won a Vets Single Stableford with 41 points in the same week. A ‘lesson’ from watching golf on TV at the weekend was the catalyst for Jock’s turnaround in form – with more emphasis on turning his shoulders first on takeaway, rather than his arms.
BEST ROUND: She may have previously won an A Grade Monthly Medal at Headland three years ago, but 2012 SWING graduate Catherine Peterson returned her best-ever round on Thursday to finish with another medal, but this time in B Grade. Not as fiercely competitive at golf as she is as a gold-medal winning Masters rower, Catherine says she contests both sports for the benefit of three Fs – fitness, fun and friendship. And it was a simple piece of advice from one of her friends – keep your head down – that helped her out of a recent form slump to score 88 for a nett 67 and the best score by four shots in the big field of 126. Her front nine 40, which included a birdie at the par-three fifth, was ‘as good as it gets’. Kathy Atkins (71 nett) won the A Grade Monthly Medal, Rose Sztama (71) saluted in C Grade and Rhonda Parry (73) was best in D Grade.
GLORY GAINED: Judy Norman has reclaimed some of the family golfing glory with her 39 points, and victory, in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for ladies. Judy and husband Will became Headland members 13 years ago when they retired from Sydney, and they have recently been joined at the club by son-in-law Scott Lindsay who won the Sunday Medley Single Stableford event six weeks ago. “Scott can’t have all the glory,” Judy cheekily chirped following her first win in 18 months. But it has not been an easy ride of late for the septuagenarian who had nine months away from golf following complications from a sun cancer removal. She returned to the game in February, but says before Tuesday’s round her recent scores have mostly been in the mid-20s. The former netballer had seven three-point holes and a four-point par at the eighth on her card, and says putting was the major point of improvement. NOTE: Not only does Judy now have bragging rights over son-in-law Scott, she left husband Will in her wake on Tuesday. He could manage only 26 points.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (54 players) – Judy Norman (39 points), Leigh Dorigo (37), Linda Hunter (37); Men (74 players) – Jock McLaughlin (40 points), Charlie Worthy (38), Jack Brown (38), Sandy Jamieson (38).
Wednesday, Medley Mid-Week Medal (229 players) – A Grade, Tom Burnett (minus 2), Glenn Kelly (-1), Peter Ruscoe (-1), gross – Brad Butler (72); B Grade, Bruce Reid (-5), Mark Barlow (-3), Joe McGuirk (-2), gross – Bruce Reid (83); C Grade, Thomas Adcock (-4), George Rodman (-3), Bruno Ciot (-2), gross – George Rodman (92).
Thursday, Ladies, Monthly Medal (126 players) A Grade, Kathy Atkins (71 nett), Josie Ryan (73), Lisa Ramen (75), gross – Josie Ryan (83); B Grade, Catherine Peterson (67), Helen Fraser (71), Monica Knowles (72), gross – Catherine Peterson (88); C Grade, Rose Sztama (71), Doreen Davidson (72), Lyn Forbes (73), gross – Ros Brandt (103); D Grade, Rhonda Parry (73), Susan Hadenham (73), Raewyn Bissett (74), gross – Rhonda Parry (110).
Men, Single Stableford (96 players) – Mark Glassop (39 points), Des McNee (38), Neville Kenzler (38), Geoff Sawyer (38).
Saturday, Patrons Day, American Foursomes, Mixed (118 players) – Scott and Kathy Walker (65.375 nett), Bruce and Lee Heseltine (67), Adam Richards and Sharon Purnell (67), Daniel Lane and Jenny Ingham (67.375), Brian Kesby and Cathy Roberts (68). Overflow (114 players) – Andrew Stirling and Darren Macleod (63.625), Warren Selvage and Warren Sorby (65.25), Brad and Ben Butler (68.375), Bernie Green and Gary Jamieson (69.25), Grant Martyn and Damien Moelands) (69.25).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (92 players) – Lang Pryor (39 points), Mark Swift (39), Tony Briffa (38).
