From Tony Durkin
FAME NAME: Jack Nicholas may not be the golfing legend of his eminent American namesake, but his past two Saturdays at Headland have revealed a talent with apparent potential. Two weekends ago Jack played five better than his handicap to win the Men’s A Grade Single Par event (plus 5) and on Saturday added 40 points to his super seven-day form in running second in the A Grade Single Stableford. He had rounds of 78 and 81 respectively. Nurse Gary Marr won A Grade on Saturday with 41 points – 78 gross – while Brett Stephenson (39) prevailed in B Grade and Alan Dellar (38) won C Grade. Helen Fraser (36) returned the best score ion the women’s field. NOTE: Because of the Covid-related lockdown, Saturday’s afternoon competition was cancelled.
MAGIC MICK: Breaking through the 80 barrier for the first time on Thursday was a magical thrill for former tennis Pro Mick Kinnear, but it came at a cost. His 44 points in the Single Stableford event emanated from a gross score of 77 and, as a result, the owner of Zero Termite and Pest has had his handicap sliced from 13.4 to 11.2. Apart from an errant drive on the third hole which ultimately cost him a double bogey, Mick rated his round of two birdies, 10 pars and five bogeys as ‘nothing spectacular, but enjoyably consistent’. Mick did not take up golf seriously until he joined Headland 3½ years ago and reckons he is just starting to understand his game – in particular his driver. Now that he has broken 80, his new goal is to reduce his handicap to single figures. NOTE: Zero Termite and Pest is sponsor of the Headland Men’s Foursomes Championship, to be played over 36 holes on Saturday, August 14.
ARTISTIC WIN: If retired house painter Ian Michel was an artist, his winning score at Headland on Wednesday may well be classed as a masterpiece. Ian ‘carried’ playing partner Gary Clotz to victory in the Medley Fourball Stableford Aggregate, scoring 44 of the team’s 78 points with his best round of golf – 75 – in as long as he can recall. “I shot 72 in a social round recently but of late I have been flat out breaking 85. It was getting to the stage where I thought I would never shoot in the 70s again,” said the 35-year Headland member. And it was the fact he had no blow-out holes that most pleased him in a round which contained three birdies, nine pars and six bogeys. Ian, 64 and still very much enjoying the social aspect of golf, lost two shots as a result of his win – down from 11 to 9 – but was more than adequately rewarded by his spoils from the day. He and partner Gary picked up $100 each from generous sponsor Justin Walsh of Walsh Consulting Engineers, while he added another $41 for grabbing the Pro Pin at the sixth.
KEAY TO SUCCESS: According to Sue Keays, the formula for her massive score in Thursday’s Single Stableford for women was ‘no three putts, no bunkers and no water’. Add two birdies and an NTP to that mix, and the physiotherapist – who was a late starter at golf – played nine shots better than her 34 handicap when she scored 45 Stableford points to win B Grade on what was a high-scoring day at Headland. Incredibly though, that is not Sue’s best score. Back in 2009 she had an astonishing 47 points. But it is her first victory since a cycling accident last year resulted in a broken wrist, and 11 pins in her right arm. Adding to her day of glory, Sue was able to share her win with good friend Helen Venter, alongside whom she learned her golfing trade at Nambour before they both joined Headland in 2002. Helen (38 points) finished second in A Grade on Thursday, beaten on a countback by Gwen Nancarrow, while Rhonda Parry, with an outstanding score of 43 points, won C Grade.
PRIZELESS GOLF: Former Commercial Construction Project Manager, Graham Molineux, built his best-ever golf round on Thursday and ‘won’ the Single Stableford competition by three points, yet decided not to accept the prize. And while many Headland members may consider his decision rather odd, Graham believed it was the honourable and honest thing to do. A SMING (Starting Men in Golf) graduate under the coaching of Head Pro Adam Norlander in 2017, Graham prefers to play regular social golf with a group of eight mates. And having not played a competition round since September last year, he felt his game was in much better shape than the 27 handicap from which he played on Thursday – which proved correct as he blitzed the field with 47 points, 88 gross and a nett score of 61. “Because that wasn’t my real handicap, I did not deserve to win the money,” was his magnanimous assessment of the result. But that could well be the last of his generosity. His excellent round sliced five shots from his handicap which, at 23.5, is closer to where Graham believes is his standard.
ADDICTED RUTH: Having graduated from SWING in 2016, Ruth Broderick plays golf at least twice a week, refers to herself as a golf tragic and frankly admits to an addiction to the game. But the Brisbane Lions fan says one aspect of the sport confuses her – why the massive ebbs and flows on the scorecard? Following a spate of sub-par form, Ruth has recently had a golden run and her GA handicap (27) is once again on the downward spiral. Three weeks ago, in the Headland Women’s Open, Ruth returned the best gross and nett scores in C Grade and on Tuesday scored 41 points – her second-best score ever – to win the Women’s Stableford event. And while her card revealed six three-point holes and a four-point birdie at the par-three 14th, she was particularly enamoured by the fact there were no wipes on her card. NOTE: Ruth recently played in the same group as prolific Headland Champion Josie Ryan and said that experience had helped her golf, and her confidence, immensely.
CANNY SCOTT: Former Master Mariner Colin Williamson spent a career navigating big ships, and after a lesson from Adam Norlander two weeks ago he is now regularly piloting his driver down the middle of the fairway. He may be a ‘shrewd’ Scotsman, but with his AGU handicap reaching its cap of 22 – out from 18 three months ago – he sought advice from Headland’s Head Pro to correct his persistent and annoying slice. And the lesson worked almost immediate wonders with Colin finishing third (37 points) in the Vets Single Stableford on Monday and winning the same event on Tuesday, with 40 points. So poorly had he been playing that a round of 18 – points, not holes – convinced him that he could no longer suffer the indignity, and expert advice was needed. Pam Vincent and Trish Marsden (both 39 points) returned the best scores for women in Mondays Vets’ event, while 41 points from Gordon Russell and Sandy Jamieson was the best for the men.
EAGLE BOYS: Not only did Bob Trevor and Nigel Morrison both score eagles at the par-five seventh hole on Tuesday, but in something of a copycat rarity both also birdied the previous hole, the par-four sixth. For Nigel, it was his fourth eagle and for Bob, his third. And both finished well – Nigel shot 79 for a return of 37 points and Bob had 77, for 38 points, but with a tinge of disappointment. Completing his round at the ninth, he missed a two-metre putt for par, which would have been the ninth time he had shot less than his age. But the most notable eagle of the week came from two-month member, Dean Simmons, two days later. The FIFO miner hooked his tee shot at the par-four 11th so savagely during Thursday’s Single Stableford that it finished near the new tee on the 12th. He was 86 metres out, selected a 56-degree wedge and promptly dunked the shot. A ‘casual’ golfer prior to joining Headland and securing a 22 handicap, Dean has previously scored eagles at Peregian and Twin Waters.
STAFF WIN: Headland’s annual ‘Big Match’ between Staff and Volunteers has been won by the Staff – nett 333.5 to 352.25. With the help of ‘gun’ low markers Steve Hudson (+2), Tilly Poulsen (4), Adam Norlander (+1), and Mitch Jacobson (scratch), the combination of staff members and directors prevailed, but the ‘inside’ knowledge of Greens Director Gavin Rooney proved to be the difference. Gavin partnered Finance Director Sergio Nogarotto to win the nine-hole two-person Ambrose on Friday morning with a score of 30.25, and also snared nearest the pin on the par-three eighth hole. Steve Eggins and Ken Scanlan (32) were the best of the Volunteers.
PATRON’S DAY: Headland’s Annual Patron’s Day, sponsored by Simon Whittle, has been changed from Saturday to Sunday this year, and will be held on August 15. The event will be a Mixed American Foursomes, and on-line nominations are now open. In the hope of attracting more mixed couples, Club Patron Simon requested the switch to Sunday and has added more features, including a special prize for the best-dressed team. Another change from the norm is a 12.30pm shotgun start. Entries close on Wednesday week, August 11.
PENNANT DELAYED: The three-day Covid-related lockdown for south-east Queensland from Saturday forced the cancelation of Headland’s quest for the 2021 Sunshine Coast Men’s Golf Zone A Grade Men’s Pennant. Headland qualified for Sunday’s final, to be played against Noosa at Gympie, with a 4-3 win over the strong Maroochy River team. It will be the third appearance in the final in the past four years for Headland, while the crack Noosa team will be chasing its third successive title. No new date has been set for the final.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford – sponsor Perry and Oster Funerals, Women (42 players) – A Grade, Pam Vincent (39 points), Deborah Thomas (38), Anne Callanan (38); B Grade, Trish Marsden (39), Bec Francis (38), Kath Barford (38). Men (85 players) – A Grade, Gordon Russell (41), Sandy Jamieson (41), David W Smith (38); B Grade, Brian Garnett (38), Colin Williamson (37), Andrew Hempsall (36); C Grade, Bruno Ciot (40), Jack Williams (39), Peter Keane (38).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (57 players) – Ruth Broderick (41 points), Wendy Burnie (38), Norma Hobson (38); Men (85 players) – Colin Morrison (40), Bill Attneave (39), Charlie Worthy (38).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Aggregate Stableford – sponsor Walsh Consulting Engineers (224 players) – Ian Michel and Gary Clotz (78 points), Brendan Southey and Ian Russell (76), Chris Byrnes and Alan Reed (73), Michael Fenton and Steve Phillips (72), John Siddons and Jim Macready (70).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors Odette Day, Raewyn Bissett, Cathy Haimes, Susan Hadenham and Ellen Bloxsome (122 players) – A Grade, Gwen Nancarrow (38 points), Helen Venter (38), Monica Knowles (37); B Grade, Sue Keays (45), Mary Dowling (41), Monica Antony (38); C Grade, Rhonda Parry (43), Susanne Harris (40), Ellen Bloxsome (39). Men (90 players) – Mick Kinnear (44), Trevor Simpson (39), John Christmas (39).
Saturday, Medley Single Stableford (114 players) – A Grade, Gary Marr (41 points), Jack Nicholas (40), Mark Selig (38); B Grade, Brett Stephenson (39), Mick Prince (39), Glen Grimish (38); C Grade, Alan Dellar (38), David Parker (36), Chris Hope (35). NOTE: Because of Covid-related lockdown, afternoon competition was cancelled.
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (cancelled because of Covid-related lockdown).
