From Tony Durkin
RYLEY’S RABBLE: He may have scored a meagre 35 points, but Ryley Martin’s one-under par round at Headland on Sunday is one he will surely recall as his burgeoning professional career unfolds. Playing off flus five, the 2015 Headland Club Champion who turned professional last year, returned an eclectic card with his six birdies and an eagle accompanied by six pars, three bogeys and two doubles. Among his ‘incredible’ shots was a pin-high drive at six; a driving iron just off the edge of the green on 11; and driver-eight iron into the 13th, with his second shot hitting the pin. But spasmodic chipping was his downfall. Ryley played in the same group as the day’s winner, visitor Chris Schultz (handicap 23) who scored 43 points and has indicated his keenness to join Headland. On the eve of the Men’s Sunshine Coast Open Amateur Championship, scratchmarker Sean McGill impressed with a one-under 71.
WICKED WIN: Not only did Dave Wickham beat the entire field of 244 at Headland on Saturday – albeit on a countback – but he returned his best-ever score. With no wipes and just two double bogeys on his card – and both on holes where he had two shots – 22-handicapper Dave scored 42 points from his lowest round of 88 to easily win C Grade, and beat A Grader Tony Pattinson on a countback for best score of the day in Saturday’s Single Stableford. A banker who played golf as a schoolboy in Warwick and had never had an official ‘adult’ handicap until he joined Headland in 2013, Dave plays only on Saturdays. And then he occasionally takes a rain check to follow his other hobby – he has been a V8 Supercars race official for the past decade. Tony Pattinson (also 42 points) won A Grade, while Burgess Stephenson (40) took out B Grade. Joy Logan (36 points) headed the women’s field.
WINNING JOY: If Headland’s innovative and extremely-successful SWING (Starting Women In Golf) program needed a shot in the arm, Joy Bullock gave it five stars on Wednesday when she headed the field of 219 to win the Medley Single Stableford event. Played in conjunction with a Medley Fourball Best Ball, the 2016 SWING graduate scored 40 points to beat Men’s reigning B Grade Champion, Aaron Duff, on a countback, and she did it in a cakewalk. Aaron had 19 points on the back nine, but Joy collected a whopping 24, which included a four-point birdie at the 18th. While this was her best round at Headland (103), it was not her best score. Back in June last year she scored 42 points to win a B Grade Medley event, and also return the best score in the field which that day was 182. The combination of Denis McGrath and Ian Lewellin, who regularly play together on Wednesdays, won the Medley Fourball with 48 points. NOTE: Joy was one of only four women to play in the Medley event and has urged other Headland ladies play on Wednesdays.
MATES RATE: It was a case of ‘anything you can do, I can do’ when Chris Byrnes won Thursday’s Single Stableford for men. Five days earlier his mate and regular Wednesday and Saturday playing partner Alan Reed took top honours in the C Grade Monthly Medal, and Chris reckoned it was about time he stepped up to the plate following a three-year drought. Chris did not start playing serious golf until he joined Headland three years ago after selling his dry-cleaning business, and despite shaving 10 shots from his original handicap, he had not scored a win. But playing in the elite company of Club Captain Tony Kelleher on Thursday, he fired 39 points to win on a three-way countback, finishing with 21 points on the back nine despite a double bogey at 11 and a wipe at 12. Chris has quickly understood that golf is confidence game, and he found that that flowed with his consistent driving and putting on Thursday.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s Division One Women Pennant team produced another strong win in their second-round match against Noosa Springs in the North Coast Zone Ladies Golf Association, winning 4-1 and halfway through their very short competition sit atop the table by 1½ points. With Captain Josie Ryan unavailable through illness, Carol Dwyer stepped up from Division Two and fought strongly all day to finish a winner, 2-up. Jenny Ingham had another easy win, 4&1, as did Kate Wilkie (3&1), while Karen Wilson won 2&1. After her putt on the 18th sat on the lip, Julie Halliday lost 1-down. Division Two were also without their Captain, Chris Parkinson, but Robyn Boreham led the team strongly at home with a 4-1 victory over Bribie Island. Kathy Petrie lost on the final hole, but Leanne Ptak (2&1), Mouna Humzy (3&2), Helen Fraser (3&2) and stand-in skipper Robyn Boreham (1-up) were each victorious. Division Three team had its first official game of the season following an opening-round bye and halved Bribie Island at Beerwah Golf Club. Debutantes Penny Cooper (2&1) and strong Consolation Matchplay performer Ali Lamond (2&4) had mixed results, and although Captain Di Stark lost 2&1, Rhonda Parry (3&2) and Jane Boaler (square) ensured an honourable start to the season. On Sunday the weekend team also jumped to the top of the table with a five-match thrashing of Maroochy River – a strong team performance against opposition which included three juniors playing off handicaps of 2,8 and 12 respectively. Cathy Roberts (7&6), Amanda Ingham (5&3), Kirsten Kaergaard (3&2), Vicki Sheridan (1-up) and Christina Claxton (5&3) had excellent results.
NO BOMBS: Essendon AFL supporter Steve Blampied may not have dropped any ‘bombs’ on the putting green during Tuesday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, but he certainly mastered most other parts of his game. Steve and first-time golfing partner Robert Jones scored 48 points to win the event, with Steve shooting 79 for 44 individual points. A Headland member since May last year, Steve has only recently returned to golf following carpal tunnel surgery on both hands, which kept him sidelined for three months. But he showed no ill effects on Tuesday with his most consistent round since joining the club – 11 pars and seven bogeys – and his third score in the 70s following a recent 78 at Nambour and a 79 at Eastwood Golf Club in Victoria when he was 15.
LEGEND GLENN: Headland Course Ranger Glenn Joyner has been a noticeable absentee in recent weeks – and for good reason. The 33-year PGA Tour Professional, who joined the Headland staff late last year, has been competing on the Legends Tour in Victoria, and last week scored outstanding back-to-back victories. The former Victorian who based himself on the Sunshine Coast four years ago, won the Settlers Run Legends Pro-Am and the Northern Golf Club Legends Pro-Am on successive days, and in winning at Settlers Run equalled the course record with his round of 64. In a phenomenal run, Glenn had an eagle and seven successive birdies in eight holes. He then backed up the next day with a three-under-par 69 to win at Northern, finished second in the ProAm at Keysborough and fourth at both Gardiner’s Run and Rich River. And to end a spectacular run of success, Glenn and Guy Wall finished third in the Legends Victorian Foursomes Championship. His next event is the NSW Open at Concord Golf Club from Thursday.
CHAMPION KATE: Kate Wilkie has won the overall Lendlease-sponsored Headland Handicap Consolation Matchplay competition for Pennant players, beating Division Two Champion Mouna Humzy after sinking a clutch putt at the 18th to win one-up. Kate, the Division One Champion, had to give Mouna 16 shots in the Championship play-off but continued her stellar form of late to be crowned overall Matchplay Champion. In the Consolation Cup, Christina Claxton beat Rhonda Parry (3&2) despite conceding 21 shots, while Annabel Harris also gave 21 shots to Penny Cooper but prevailed 2&1 to win the Flight 1 V 2 final, and Josie Ryan received a walkover from Veronica Bassingthwaite (Flight 2 V 4 final) who was visiting her grandchildren in Perth. All three gripping finals were played in rainy and difficult conditions on Thursday. Thursday’s Single Stableford divisions were won in A Grade by Robyn Muir (35 points), Yvonne Richter (B, 33) and Susie Meade (C, 37).
EASTER OPEN: Winners of the past three Men’s Sunshine Coast Open Amateur Championship, Adam Hawkins and Jake Crowther, will both tee up in the prestigious event at Headland over the Easter weekend. Adam (handicap scratch) from Surfers Paradise Golf Club, won the 2020 title and former Headland Club Champion Jake (plus 3) won back-to-back in 2018/19. Jake, who is working in Sydney and is now a member of Asquith Golf Club, could not play last year because of Covid travel restrictions, but is looking forward to his return and the challenge of again competing against some of the best amateurs in south-east Queensland. Among the hot field already entered are former Headland Champions Adam Richards (1) and Dave Rattray (2), Noosa young gun George Giblett (plus 2), Duncan Wood (Peregian, plus 1), Mitchell Salmond (Pacific, plus 3), Redcliffe’s Richard Cook (plus 1) and George Bailo (Maleny), Andrew Eaves (Maryborough) and Manato Natatani (Surfers Paradise), each on plus one. Sponsored by Headland member Justin Walsh of Walsh Consulting Engineers for the 22nd consecutive year, the Open will be played on Saturday and Sunday, April 3 and 4, and entries close at 5pm on Wednesday, March 24.
MIXED FOURSOMES: Defending champions Josie Ryan and Sean McGill head the list of 46 pairs entered for the 2021 Headland Mixed Foursomes Championships, to be played over 36 holes next Saturday (March 20). Josie and Sean have won the title three times, while the mother-and-son combination of Sharon and Blake Thomas – who are again entered – have won twice. Other strong combinations seemingly in with a chance are Annabel Harris and Dave Rattray, Dominique Paice and Wayne West and last year’s runners-up, Sharon Purnell and Adam Richards. Among the remaining chances are Vicky Sheridan and Brendan Duncan, Lynzey Valianes and Barry Newton and Scott Walker and Coralie Walsh.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (126 players) – Robert Jones and Steve Blampied (48 points), Errol Greiner and Richard Franklin (48), Josh Poole and John Christmas (47).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (219 players) – Denis McGrath and Ian Lewellin (48 points), Tony Pattinson and Barry Newton (47), John Waterworth and Graham Clarke (46), Brendan Southey and Warren Chapman (46), Harvey Nicholl and George Olzard (45). Single Stableford – Joy Pollock (40 points), Aaron Duff (40), Toby Zaremba (39).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (sponsor, Accurate Pest Control) (70 players) – A Grade, Robyn Muir (35 points), Karen Wilson (33), Sue Jones (32); B Grade, Yvonne Richter (33), Odette Day (31), Kathy Petrie (30); C Grade, Susie Meade (37), Brooke Wildin (34), Katrina Burke (34). Men (58 players) – Chris Byrnes (39), Craig Jenkins (39), Michael Rutledge (39).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women (32 players) – Joy Logan (36), Kirsten Kaergaard (36), Janelle Heaney (35); Men (221 players) – A Grade, Tony Pattinson (42 points), Earl Hicks (40), Bryan Haggarty (40); B Grade, Burgess Stephenson (40), Tony Briffa (37), Mark Dolan (36); C Grade, Dave Wickham (42), Emmett Walsh (40), John Christmas (37).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (57 players) – Chris Schultz (43 points), Maureen Cartledge (39), Josh Vearing (39).
