From Tony Durkin
SINGLE SIXTIES: The toughness of the course set-up was exemplified by Greg Stray being the lone golfer among a capacity field of 254 to score in the 60s during Saturday’s Monthly Medal round. The Financial Planning Systems Manager won the B Grade Medal with 68 nett following his lowest gross score since the first round of the Club Championships, but considered his 84 on Saturday a better round than the 81 he shot back in October. And the return to form was not before time. Greg had been struggling to score 30 points in recent Stableford events and on Friday took a rare trip to the driving range – and even that produced some erratic shots. But things came together somewhat on Saturday in a round that featured two birdies, six pars, six bogeys and four doubles. Jaidyn Dalziel (76/71) won the A Grade Medal and returned the best gross off the day, while Ed Hoey (70) finished ahead of the C Grade field. Bev Kelly (72) won the Women’s Medal with Josie Ryan (87) returning the best gross.
VICKY’S WEEK: Until last Saturday, Vicky Sheridan had been playing some self-proclaimed ‘rubbish’ golf. But, apparently, cometh the hour, cometh the better golfer, because in the space of five days Vicky took down 17-time Club Champion Josie Ryan in the Women’s Handicap Consolation Matchplay and also won the A Grade Monthly Medal. Her form reversal started with the very satisfying 4&3 weekend win over Josie, and boosted her confidence for the Medal round on Thursday in which she beat – on a countback – another prolific Headland Championship winner, Sharon Thomas. The Medal was Vicky’s second in the 18 months she has been a Headland member, joining in September 2019 from Maroochy River. Di Gilmour (74 nett) won the B Grade Medal, Sue Wake (79) saluted in C Grade and Carolyn Schwarz (75) won the Medal for those women restricted to a maximum 10 shots per hole.
KIWI COLLECTS: Proud Kiwi Steve Rose had a day to remember at Headland on Sunday, with the highlight an eagle on the par-four third following a monster drive. Not only was the eagle his first in three years as a Headland member, but it was the first Medal win for the 16-marker and his 83 off the bat his lowest score from the Championship tees for a nett 67. But there were other recollections from the round Steve will also carry with him for a while – double bogeys at holes four and five following his eagle, as well as a topped nine-iron from the 18th tee which scuttled along the ground, climbed onto the green and finished six centimetres from the pin for a finishing birdie. Steve, who proudly sports an All Black-monogrammed golf bag and scored an eagle in his native New Zealand more than three decades ago, has been in hot form of late and had 40 points the previous Saturday. Eleven-year-old Sam Fichera won the Junior Medal with 77 net.
WELCOME BACK: Wayne Nixey has been a Headland member for more than four decades, but spent 16 of those years operating a business – E Bikes R US – in other states. He and his wife Jill returned to the Sunshine Coast last year to retire, immediately became full playing members again and Wayne concedes that after his long absence from golf his ‘feel’ for the game is starting to return. A five marker when he left, Wayne played off 20 in Wednesday’s first Mid-Week Medal for the year and returned a nett 65 for the equal best score of the day, but was beaten on a countback by Burgess Stephenson. Despite an ugly quadruple eight on the 15th, Wayne’s round was otherwise consistent with nine bogeys and eight pars on his card, and he says finally getting to read the tricky Headland greens had been his most satisfying achievement. And the most significant change he has noticed in his two-decade absence? “I cannot believe the brilliant condition of the course, and it is an absolute privilege to be back playing here,” he said. After birdying his final two holes, Tim Diedricks (69 nett) won A Grade from his good mate Paul Henricks (70), while Burgess Stephenson (65) won B Grade and Russell Thistlewood (69) collected the C Grade Medal.
SCHOOL’S IN: Promising junior golfer Josh Holbrook doesn’t have to wag school on a Wednesday anymore to tread the fairways of Headland. Seventeen-year-old Josh, who graduated to Headland’s No.1 Pennant team last year and has a current AGU handicap of 1.6, last week started a one-day-a-week school-based traineeship at Headland, under the guidance of Head Pro Adam Norlander. The traineeship, arranged through Sienna Catholic College where Josh is a Grade 12 student, is business based and covers all aspects of Pro Shop life – from stock control, to re-gripping clubs and cleaning golf carts. And there is a huge upside for Josh, who is contemplating a career in golf. Once he has completed his six-hour working day, he is free to practise, or play in the Wednesday comp.
GOLF SHOES: Sue Jones, winner of three Headland Championships including Women’s Champion in 2014, can’t better the 13 pairs of golf shoes of Coralie Walsh (revealed in HH last week). But the ex-Navy Commander does have the neat dozen pairs – and neat is the applicable word. Because Sue spent almost four decades in the Navy, spotless attire – and in particular her footwear – remains her mantra. In fact, rumour has it that Sue uses a special ‘cleaning table’ in her garage dedicated specifically to her golf shoes. NOTE: Prior to Christmas, Sue may have topped the Headland Shoe ‘leaderboard’. However, during a spring clean she ‘tearfully farewelled’ a couple of pairs which ‘had done a lot of miles and deserved retirement’.
FOLLIES WIN: It was a case of keeping it in the family when eight of the 12 prizewinners in Thursday’s Fourball Team event for men were members of the sponsor group. Frazer Follies provided the cash for the aptly-named Follies Team Stableford, and Follies’ Mal Galletly, Ian Dundas, Barry Mapes and Mark Dolan won with 117 points, while fellow members Tony Kelleher, Neil Oxley, Matt Doyle and Mick Kinnear (112) finished third. In past years the event was erroneously named the Follies Foursomes, but because it is played as a stableford and not a foursomes – with the best three scores on each hole tallied – the title has been amended. The win by Barry Mapes was his second within a week, and a healthy $135 has been added to his House Account.
MANY MOONS: On the comeback after just on a decade of very little golf, two-time Headland Mixed Foursomes Champion Robyn Muir has won her first event in what she feels is ‘many moons’. Robyn jumped out of the blocks like the player she once was with a brilliant 24 points on the back nine in Monday’s Headland Vets Single Stableford, and finished with 40 points to beat allcomers in the field of 126. And while nerves unravelled her game somewhat on her second nine, her second comp game for 2021 was an extremely enjoyable experience. Vowing to play more golf and lower her handicap to somewhere closer to the single figure mark from which she once played, Robyn is seemingly on the right path. After Monday’s round she is down from 20.5 to 19.8. Merv Lum and Peter Schoch, both with 38 points, were the best of the Vets’ men.
LADIES MATCHPLAY: Ali Lamond and Mouna Humzy have won their way through to the Division Two final of Headland’s Lendlease Women’s Consolation Handicap Matchplay event. Ali beat Cathy Roberts 4&3 while Mouna had a tougher struggle, finally disposing of Carol Quin at the 18th. In the Consolation Plate, Kathy Petrie beat Gail Young 1-up, Leigh Derigo defeated Trish Murphy 4&2 and Rhonda Parry eliminated her friend and regular playing partner, Women’s Golf Director Jane Boaler, 5&4. In Flight 3, Veronica Bassingthwaite has qualified for the final with a 2-up victory over Chris Parkinson in Division Two, and will play Monica Antony who beat Leanne Ptak 1-up, while the ageless Penny Cooper beat Di Stark 2-up in Flight 4. In Division One, Kate Wilkie received a ‘concession’ win from Carl Dwyer because of a family emergency with pair all square after 16 holes, while Weekend Pennant Team Captain Kirsten Kaergaard was forced to withdraw from the Consolation Plate because of a broken ankle, with Robyn Boreham the beneficiary. Christina Claxton will meet Robyn in the final after she beat Pik Chong 2&1.
WHOOPS: Wednesday’s first Mid-Week Medal for 2021 was played in heavy under-foot conditions and intermittent rain, and the scoring exemplified the difficult conditions. Playing from the Championship tees, only 11 members broke their handicap and just one player, scratchmarker Brad Butler, parred the course. But the most alarming statistics was the number of century makers. In the greatly-reduced field of 145, almost one-third failed to break 100. In cricketing terms, 45 members ‘raised their bat’, with the highest a forgettable 126.
BUFFALO’S BRIEFS: One of my staunchest business principles is to never stand in the way of progress, even if it has a direct effect on my business. So, this past week I have had to stand by that philosophy and regrettably accept the resignation of one of our key staff members – Trainee Professional Jordan McDonald. Jordan has accepted a wonderful opportunity to continue his traineeship at the prestigious Kingston Heath Golf Club, one of the famed Melbourne Sandbelt courses. As Jordan – who joined Headland in May last year – explained, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. He will continue his traineeship under Director of Golf, Justin Burridge, and fills the position left vacant by Lachie Kenny who, ironically, is the brother of Jordan’s partner, Sophie. While we are naturally disappointed to lose Jordan, I’m sure all members join the Pro Shop staff in wishing him the very best. A search for Jordan’s replacement is already underway.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, Vets – Single Stableford, Ladies (32 players) – Robyn Muir (40 points), Heather Lum (36), Robyn Homans (34); Men (94 players) – A Grade, Merv Lum (38 points), Huki Matenga (35), Tony Coad (33); B Grade, Tim Schoch (38), Peter McNeven (34), Michael Whelan (33); C Grade, Ray Besgrove (36), Jack Williams (36), John Ross (33).
Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (competition abandoned because of weather and course conditions).
Wednesday, Medley Mid-Week Monthly Medal (145 players) – A Grade, Tim Diedricks (69 nett), Paul Henricks (70), Neven Daniel (70); B Grade, Burgess Stephenson (65), Wayne Nixey (65), Peter Gablonski (67); C Grade, Russell Thistlewood (69), Anthony Larchin (72), Mark Beswick (73); gross – Brad Butler (72).
Thursday, Women, B BY HALCYON BUDERIM Monthly Medal, medal provided by Ken and Vicki Maynard KVM Traffic Services (108 players) – A Grade, Vicky Sheridan (75 nett), Sharon Thomas (75), Wil Sprake (78), gross – Sharon Thomas (86); B Grade, Di Gilmour (74), Anita Boyle (74), Gwen Nancarrow (75), gross – Gwen Nancarrow (96); C Grade, Sue Wake (79), Kathy Walker (79), Maureen Cartledge (79), gross – Sue Wake (110); D Grade (maximum hole score 10) – Carolyn Schwarz (75), Joy Logan (75), Susan Stratford (78), gross – Joy Logan (112). Men, Follies Team Stableford, sponsor Frazer Follies, (95 players) – Mal Galletly, Ian Dundas, Barry Mapes and Mark Dolan (117 points), Jacob Mimnaw, Neil Harvey, Steve Nash and Jock McLaughlin (115), Tony Kelleher, Neil Oxley, Matt Doyle and Mick Kinnear (112).
Saturday, Monthly Medal, Women (27 players) – Bev Kelly (72 nett), Marg Smith (74), Naomi Doyle (75), gross – Josie Ryan (87). Men (227 players) – A Grade, Jaidyn Dalziel (71 nett), Brett Hardner (72), Michael Hinds (72), gross – Jaidyn Dalziel (76); B Grade, Greg Stray (68), Kirk Hardy (71), Tony Coad (71), gross – Greg Stray (84); C Grade, Ed Hoey (70), Nick Bolton (71), Ian Harper (71), gross – Nick Bolton (92).
Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal (71 players) – Steve Rose (67 nett), Graham Cartledge (69), Skip Antony (70). Junior Medal – Sam Fichera (77).
