From Tony Durkin 

COURSE RENOS: The inevitable is about to happen, with the superb condition of our golf course changing from next Sunday (February 7). Course renovations, held over from October because of increased course usage due to Covid-19, will start from the first tee, meaning the front nine will be closed until Wednesday when work switches to the back nine. Course Superintendent Ben Tilley expects the renovations – which, when asked for an explanation in layman’s terms, facetiously described the process as ‘ripping up the grass, punching holes in it, throwing down sand and fertiliser, then waiting for the grass to grow again’ – to be finished by the Friday at the latest, with the greens back to their best within three-to-four weeks. Club Patron Simon Whittle, who is one of Headland’s longest-serving members, is adamant the course has never been in better condition. NOTE: For agronomy enthusiasts, a complete description of what is entailed in the renovations will appear in the Course Maintenance blog on the Headland website.

RAREST BIRD: Matt Macaulay scored only 29 points in Wednesday’s Fourball Aggregate Stableford, yet walked in to the Headland Clubhouse afterwards high-fiving anyone within sight – and for good reason. Matt is thought to be just the second Headland member in the club’s 66-year history to score those rarest of birds, an Albatross. Smashing a four iron 218 metres for his second shot on the par-five 13th, Matt struck the ball so sweetly he quipped to his mate Dan Diachkoff ‘that will be the shortest eagle putt I’ve ever had’. But he did not need the putter and, like a bolt from the blue, five Stableford points was added to his scorecard. And while it was his first Albatross, ironically just a week earlier Matt – an eligible bachelor he says – moved in to his first house situated right across the road from the club. After finally retiring from Rugby Union following 16 years as a first grader with the University Barbarians, Matt (handicap nine) intends to play more golf in 2021. The last Albatross scored at Headland was by former President, John Ruscoe, in 2006 and, as fate would have it, also on the 13th hole. 

SMILING CHARLOTTE: Eleven-year-old Charlotte Ridley returned to school last week with a smile of her face, a spring in her step and a boost in her pocket money. The Year Seven Sunshine Coast Grammar student finished third in ’s Medley Stableford with 37 points and a gross score of 101, her best since teeing off in competitive golf at Headland back in September. The memorable round included four pars, two of which were on women’s index one and two, the ninth and tenth holes. While she returned her lowest score off the stick on Tuesday, Charlotte’s best score has been 44 points, and a win, in just her second competition round in September last year. In just four months Charlotte – Headland’s youngest female member in at least two decades – has reduced her handicap from 35.7 to 26.

PERFECT PRACTISE: Darcy Brown, a former New Zealand softball representative and top-flight Kiwi Rugby player, fully understands the rationale of the adage ‘practise makes perfect’. That is why, following Wednesday’s miserable return of 19 points in the Medley Stableford event, the chiropractor took time out on Thursday and Friday to fine-tune his chipping and putting. And it paid dividends in a big way with Darcy scoring a 14-year career-high 40 points on Saturday, collecting $35 for being runner-up in the Single Stableford event and another $35 for finishing fourth with partner Andy Whitmore in the Fourball Best Ball Split Sixes. His two rounds within three days were remarkably dissimilar – five three-pointers and a four-point birdie on Saturday, against five wipes and eight one-pointers on Wednesday. And his honest assessment – apart from the practise – ‘I was trying equally as much both days’. The Fourball event was won by Bruce Reid and Roly Hoy with 69 points, while Steve Rose (40) won the individual event on a countback. 

WOMEN’S MATCHPLAY: The Handicap Consolation Matchplay competition for Headland Pennant players has reached the semi-final stage, with Vicki Sheridan and Ali Lamond the outstanding winners this past week. Vicki bounced out prodigious winner and Club Champion Josie Ryan 4&3 in Division One, while Ali thrashed Chris Parkinson 6&4 in Division Two. Josie and Chris are the Headland Captains of their respective Pennant teams. Quarter-final results in the competition, which is sponsored by Lend Lease, were: Division One – Vicki Sheridan beat Josie Ryan 4&3, Jenny Ingham beat Susie Fenton 3&2, Carol Dwyer beat Amanda Ingham 2&1, Kate Wilkie beat Julie Halliday 1-up; Division Two – Carol Quin beat Monica Antony 1-up, Ali Lamond beat Chris Parkinson 6&4, Mouna Humzy beat Leeanne Ptak 3&2, Cathy Roberts beat Veronica Bassingthwaite 1-up. 

UNTOUCHABLE: Former Australian Touch Football coach Peter McNeven, along with playing partner Hans Raaschou, proved untouchable in Wednesday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford. The good mates, who have played together regularly since Peter joined Headland in 2007, amassed 76 points to street the field by six – and it was their first victory as a fourball team. While both contributed to the excellent score, Peter shone with 41 points, the best individual score in the field of 213. He had six three-pointers on his card while the pairing scored six points on three holes, with their lowest return a two-pointer on the 18th. Other notable individual scores came from Rob Ingham and David Parker, who both scored 40 points, while the pairing of Shaun Sigley and Steve Browne, as well as Paul Henricks and John Harris, scored 71 points. 

PROUD MARY: Septuagenarian and grandmother of nine, Mary Dowling, acknowledges she is no spring chicken and because of that is proud of her achievement in Thursday’s Single Stableford for women. Not only did Mary’s 40 points beat the next best score by four, but her round of 95 is her lowest in a dozen years playing competition golf at Headland. Mary had five three-point holes on her impressive card and added a sweetener with a four-point birdie at the 18th, with her only disappointment a visit to the water on the 12th, and a triple bogey seven. While Mary has won three Monthly Medals and in 2016 collected the prized Medal of Medals, her most satisfying achievement has just arrived – following Thursday’s win she is now playing off a lower handicap than her husband Russell. 

DAN IS BACK: When his tee shot on the opening hole landed on the roof of the cart shed, Dan Hurst had every reason to think his Australia Day round on Tuesday was going to be memorable for the wrong reasons. But after signing for a double bogey – and getting the ‘feel’ of his demo Callaway Maverick driver – the Caloundra High teacher had an almost unblemished round. He went on to score two birdies, 14 pars and a lone bogey over the following 17 holes for 42 Stableford points, and a comfortable win in the Medley event. His one-over par 73 – Dan’s sixth as a Headland member – was his best round for more than 12 months, a lean period in which his handicap has inflated from 3.8 to 7.1, the mark from which he played on Tuesday. His back nine, which reaped 22 points, started with a birdie and he then followed with eight successive pars. 

IMELDA WALSH: Headland member Coralie Walsh may not be as fanatical about shoes as former Philippines First Lady, Imelda Marcos, but a fixation with golf shoes certainly does exist. However, her latest pair – taking her collection to 14 pairs – came courtesy of friend, neighbour and fellow Headland member, Burgess Stephenson. When Burgess learned Coralie had 13 pairs of golf shoes, he generously added to her collection with a Christmas gift, believing 13 to be an unlucky number. Coralie’s collection raises the query – is there another Headland member who can top that number? If so, email atdurkin@bigpond.net.au with the details. NOTE: The late Imelda Marcos once boasted 3000 pair of shoes, 720 of which are on display at the Marikina Shoe Museum in Manila.

BIRTHDAY BOY: Ageless Ken Anderson turned 79 on Sunday, and shot his age. The remarkable golfer, who has beaten his age 15 times, had 37 points from his eight handicap to finish third in the Medley Single Stableford event. Ken, who has suffered some health issues of late, still practises almost every day and in February last year beat his age twice within a week, with rounds of 75 and 77. But he wasn’t the only player in the field of 62 on Sunday to fire. A Grade Headland Pennant Captain Sean McGill (scratch) had three birdies and a bogey in his two-under par round of 70, one-marker Jamie Duffy shot a one-under 71 and Trainee Professional McKenzie Wright parred the course. But plumber and former Newtown rugby league player Kevin George washed the field away with a sterling 41 points from his 18 handicap. 

AGE BREAKER: Former Headland member Bob Macpherson, who these days plays at Noosa Springs, recently ‘smashed’ his age during a round at the resort course. The 83-year-old, who was once runner-up in the Headland Championships, carded 77 for 42 Stableford points and a win in the Monday competition. As a 17-year-old, Bob made the Victorian State team, but gave golf away shortly afterwards and did not play again until he moved to Buderim in the mid-70s, and joined Headland. He recalls being given a generous handicap of 17 initially, and the former two-marker says he was a most unpopular member during his first six months as he went on a winning spree before being reeled in by the handicapper.

BUFFALO’S BRIEFS: Members regularly question us on the influence of the lie angle of a golf club. The simple answer is that if your lie angles do not match with your swing, hitting the golf ball straight will be a difficult proposition. A too-upright lie angle influences the heel of the club to dig into the ground, and as a result golf ball will – more often than not – finish left of the target. The opposite occurs when the lie angle is too flat – the toe of the club digs into the ground and the ball travels right. Next time you play, I suggest you have a look at your divot pattern. Is the divot a nice clean/even divot, or does it look like the toe or the heel digs into the grass at the start of the divot? If your divots are uneven, there is a good chance your lie angles are wrong. Pro Shop staff members are able to adjust lie angles with our Lie/Loft Machine, and can also test your lie angles in our simulator.

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (86 players) – Dan Hurst (42 points), Phil Maron (38), Charlotte Ridley (37), Rod Hamilton (36), Chris McArdle (36).

Wednesday, Medley Fourball Aggregate Stableford (213 players) – Hans Raaschou and Peter McNeven (76 points), Shaun Sigley and Steve Browne (71), Paul Henricks and John Harris (71), Chris Risby and Joel Cooney (70), Dave Sims and Gary Marr (69).

Thursday, Women, Single Stableford – Sponsor: Cirlock (Tove Larsen) (108 players) – A Grade, Pik Chong (36 points), Helen Venter (35), Robyn Muir (34), Anne Callaghan (33); B Grade, Mary Dowling (40), Marina Mace (36), Kerrie Tibbits (35), Libby Hall (34); C Grade, Raewyn Anderson (35), Lesley Wilson (34), Susie Meade (33), Judith Vine-Murray (33). Men, (86 players) – Barry Mapes (38 points), Alan Stratford (38), Nigel Morrison (37), Graeme Warne (36).

Saturday, Medley Split Sixes (242 players) – Bruce Reid and Roly Hoy (69 points), Graeme Warne and Mark Dolan (66), Andrew Hempsall and Neil Oxley (65), Andy Whitmore and Darcy Brown (65); Medley Single Stableford – Steve Rose (40 points), Darcy Brown (40), Brendan Williams (40).

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (62 players) – Kevin George (41 points), Sean McGill (38), Ken Anderson (37).