From Tony Durkin

 HOT FORM: Headland’s A Grade Match Play finalists, Scott Walker and Adam Richards, both take hot form into next Saturday’s final following excellent rounds from the Championship tees at the weekend. Reigning Club Champion Scott parred the par-72 course on Saturday with four birdies on his card, while three-time Club Champion Adam scored three birdies in his one-over round (73) on Sunday. The duo, along with Tom Burnett and Brett Adamson (B Grade) and Geoff Bland and Tony Vickers (C Grade) will play 36 holes on Saturday for their respective titles. Adam was one of five players on Sunday to beat the score of 35 points from Men’s Director of Golf Tony Kelleher, and share in the winning spoils in the Medley Single Stableford event. 

JAMES TAKES GOLD: Apprentice jeweller James Daniel will have no problems engraving his Gold Mug, won on Saturday as the best of the finalists from the 2020 Monthly Mug winners. The 19-year-old former Headland Junior Pennant Team captain scored nett 70 to win by a shot from Headland greens staff member Jay Gourlay, with both playing off 13. James, who was unaware he was eligible for the Gold Mug and did not find a spot in the field until Friday, teed off on the back nine and started shakily with a double bogey at 10. But he regained his touch and played par golf for the next eight holes, turning in 38. On the front nine he was four over after seven, then three-putted the eighth and ninth greens, to finish with 83 off the bat and, ultimately, a win in the prestigious event. In the Single Stroke event played in association, Andrew Hay (69) won A Grade, Geoff Bland won B Grade and newcomer Noel Harris, with the best score of the day on 67 nett, was best in C Grade. 

MARGIE DAY: While it may not be a first for Headland, Thursday’s Ladies Ambrose event – generously sponsored by Head Professional Adam Norlander – provided a most unusual coincidence. Two ladies, both named Margie, scored holes in one – Margie White on the eighth and Margie Howard on the 14th. For Margie White, who used a ‘heaven’ wood, it was her fourth hole in one, having previously aced the fifth at Headland following earlier hole outs while a member in Darwin and at Keperra. And, coincidentally, Margie Howard’s first ace shortly after she had just joined Headland club almost two decades ago, was also at the eighth. To add to the intrigue of the day, Margie White’s exceptional play filled her compulsory fourth tee shot for the Ambrose, with just one hole to play. NOTE: Adding further to Thursday’s Ambrose theatre, the winning team of Barbra Schultz, Trish Murphy, Trish Arden and Lesley Wilson birdied each of the four par-three holes. 

FATHER AND SON: Anthony and Sam Fichera have won their way through to the final of the Headland Fourball Match Play Championship, to be played next Sunday. The father-and-son combination beat Jason Meehan and Michael Rutledge 4&3 on Sunday, and will meet the ‘accidental’ pairing of Fred Muller and Chris McArdle, who disposed of pre-Championship favourites Jay Gourlay and Dane Partridge (3&2). And, oddly, Fred and Chris did not even play together in the fourball event which doubled as the qualifying rounds. They both played in a three-ball that day and when their cards were ‘matched’ for the fourball score, they decided to continue as a parring in the Championship. Also ironically, if Anthony and Sam win, they will be the second victorious father-and-son combination in successive years following the win last year by Matt and Jack Fisher. And 10-year-old Sam, as was the case with Jack, is a student at Sienna Catholic College. 

MASTERFUL WIN: Unlike his much-loved Parramatta Eels, Mark Fisher was able to prevail under pressure and win Headland’s Masters Monday event, and the accompanying green jacket. And not only did he return the best score of the day, it was Mark’s best score since joining Headland five years ago and also his first individual win as a member. Playing as a guest of Rooney’s Electrical (owned by Course Director Gavin Rooney), the 19-handicapper blitzed the front nine in 40 strokes, for 23 Stableford points, and despite a wipe on 10, came home with 20 points for 43, and a win by two shots. But for the FIFO miner, who is currently enjoying long-service leave, the win opened another window to the vagaries of golf. “I thought I hit the ball almost as well on Saturday, and could manage only 30 points,” he lamented. Sponsored by James Kidd of EKO Financial, the tradition of Masters Monday continued despite clubhouse renovations, and attracted a strong field of 91 players who enjoyed pre-golf breakfast and post-golf lunch and presentations, all held in the Garden Bar. 

MAGIC MONTH: Helen Fraser has enjoyed some good recent form – and publicity – and concedes November has been a very good month for her golf. A recent headline grabber for her ‘assisted’ holes-in-one in successive years on Breast Cancer Day, Helen scored 40 points to win Saturday’s Single Stableford event for ladies – from the championship tees – to add to another 40-point round earlier in the month. And while her 85 on Saturday is her third best gross score – behind 83 in 2016 and 84 two years ago – it is her lowest round from the back tees. What pleased Helen most about her terrific round was the consistency – a birdie, six pars, seven bogeys and three doubles – from her 16 handicap, and the vast improvement from the previous day when she played ‘like a novice’ in an Invitational event at Maroochy River. 

GOLDEN TOM: After only three years playing golf and reducing his AGU handicap from 30 to 7.5, Tom Burnett has become a gold medallist. The Financial Adviser won the 2020 Headland Mid-Week Medal on Wednesday, scoring nett 69 to beat the best of the other competing six Mid-Week Medal winners by a remarkable six shots. He started superbly from the championship tees with one-under 35 on the front nine, but slipped somewhat with a triple, a double and two bogeys coming home, for 43. Although it was a clear-cut victory on Wednesday, Tom is calling himself Tom ‘Bradbury’ following a couple of fortuitous calls in recent weeks. He finished 10th in the B Grade Club Championships but won his way into the quarter-finals of the Match Play when two players ahead of him in the standings could not play, and last Saturday week won his way into the final with another slice of luck. When one-down to B Grade Champion Aaron Duff, Tom was handed the win when McDonald’s store manager Aaron was called to work. Tom then went on to beat Ian Farrington in the semi-final and will meet Brett Adamson in next Saturday’s final. 

NOTHING SPECIAL: Retired schoolteacher Mal McDougall beat his handicap by six shots from the championship tees on Wednesday to return the best score in the Medley Single Stroke event, but described the round as ‘nothing special’. “There were no birdies, no chip-ins, no long putts sunk,” said Mal, who joined Headland in April last year with his wife Jo. Playing off a handicap of 27, Mal shot 93 for a nett 66, his best round and result since gaining his first handicap just 18 months ago. As merely social golfers before retiring to the Sunshine Coast, Mal and Jo always intended to play more golf and were influenced to join Headland when they purchased a house close to the club and were struck by the excellent condition of the golf course and the friendliness of members. Jo is yet another graduate of Headland’s highly-successful SWING program. Mal saluted in C Grade with his outstanding score, Ian Michel (-4) won A Grade and the ever-consistent Don Follent (-4) led in the B Grade field. 

LOSS, BUT WIN: Ian Dundas stood on the ninth tee at Headland on Thursday – his last hole for the day – with 39 points, and finished on the same score. But despite being unable to find his ball from the tee shot, his 39 points was still good enough to beat four others on that score in the Men’s Single Stableford event. Ian, a semi-retired refrigeration mechanic, has been a social golfer for much of his adult life and has only started to take the game ‘a little more seriously’ since he joined Headland late in 2018. And being friends with members of the Fraser Follies group, he looks forward to Thursdays and the chance to win beers from his playing partners – when he is not traveling in his RV, that is. Playing off a handicap of 33, Ian recorded three points on nine holes during Thursday’s round. 

VALE KEVIN ASPLAND: Headland lost one of its oldest and longest-serving members when Kevin Aspland passed away last week. Kevin, a teacher who retired in 1987 as Deputy Principal of Maroochydore State School, was 93 and had been a member of Headland for more than 50 years. A keen golfer, Kevin and his wife Eileen – who won seven Ladies Championships – were Headland’s Foursomes Champions in 1977. Kevin is survived by Eileen, sons Tony and Michael, his seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. A funeral service will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, for immediate family only, but will be live streamed for others wishing to celebrate the life of the popular teacher. 

EAGLE UPDATE: Because Covid-19 thwarted his return to China following a trip home for Christmas, Glenn Walker re-joined his junior club earlier in the year and has since scored four eagles – his fourth coming at the par-five second on Saturday. Earlier, Glenn has eagled the 10th, 11th and 13th in his seven months back home. Glenn is the older brother of Club Champion Scott, with whom he was playing on Saturday. And Ashleigh Matheson’s eagle on Wednesday – a hole-in-one at the par-three fifth – is his third, with the other two coming at the Fiji Golf Club in Suva. The former banker, who worked throughout the Pacific before retiring to the Sunshine Coast and joining Headland in April last year, struck a five wood ‘pretty straight’ to the back pin, and actually saw the ball disappear into the hole. Margie White and Margie Howard (see Margie Day story above) also added to the list of eagles this past week. 

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Monday, Masters Monday, Medley Single Stableford (91 players) – A Grade, Ash Reck (39), Steven Bell (39), Sean Hanna (36), Jamie Duffy (36); B Grade, Mark Fisher (43), Chris Duhig (41), Josh Vearing (39), Robyn Boreham (37).

Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford – competition abandoned because of extreme weather conditions.

Wednesday, Medley Single Stroke (207 players) – A Grade, Ian Michel (minus 4), Brian Richards (-4), Jacob Mimnaw (-3); B Grade, Don Follent (-4), John Langdon (-4), Darcy Brown (-3); C Grade, Mal McDougall (-6), Megan Walker (-4), Peter Corney (-3). Mid-Week Gold Medal – Tom Burnett (-3). 

Thursday, Ladies, Fourball Ambrose (121 players) – Barbra Schultz, Trish Arden, Trish Murphy and Lesley Wilson (58.375), Kerrie Tibbits, Kate Wilkie, Lynn Hayman and Veronica Bassingthwaighte (59.875), Julie Halliday, Josie Ryan, Jenny Ingham and Amanda Ingham (61.25). Men, Single Stableford (90 players) – Ian Dundas (39 points), Anthony Otago (39), Brad Reddan (39).

Saturday, Ladies, Single Stableford (35 players) – Helen Fraser (40 points), Kathy Atkins (38) Bev Kelly (38). Men, Single Stroke (211 players) – A Grade, Andrew Hay (69 nett), Justin Nicholson (69), Alan Brooker (69), gross – Scott Walker (72); B Grade, Geoff Bland (69), Tony Dunford (70), Peter Raymond (70), gross – Tony Dunford (84); C Grade, Noel Harris (67), Bob Lane (68), Steve Browne (70), gross – Gary Jamieson (90).  Gold Mug – James Daniel (70).

Sunday – Medley Single Stableford – Beat the Men’s Director of Golf (80 players) – Rhys Willemse (38), Brendan Duncan (38), Mal McDougall (37), Shae Coghlan (36), Adam Richards (36). Fourball Best Ball Match Play Championships, semi-final – Chris McArdle and Fred Muller beat Jay Gourlay and Dane Partridge (3&2), Anthony and Sam Fichera beat Jason Meehan and Michael Rutledge (4&3).