From Tony Durkin
BROWN BROTHERS: Former Mooloolaba Surf Club head chef Peter Brown played golf on Sunday with his two sons, 15-year-old Carter and Austin, 20, which is not an unusual occurrence for the family. But this time it was very different. Dad Peter three-putted the ninth when he was facing his first even-par front nine in an age; Carter, playing for a handicap, scored a respectful 115; and Austin, a university student studying Biomedical Science in Brisbane, reeled off a phenomenal 51 stableford points. Although Austin joined Headland as a junior member three years ago, he prefers to play social golf, and Sunday’s round – in the Medley Single Stableford event – was just his third competition round in that time. And, needless to say, his 51 points demolished the small field, as well as his handicap of 33. His brilliant scorecard revealed one five-point hole – a birdie at the par-four third – two four-point holes and nine three pointers. Next time he plays, Austin will have a 26 handicap.
GLOOMY WIN: Jeff Lovell has been a Headland member for more than three decades and on Wednesday – the first day of competition golf in more than two weeks – he returned his best-ever score of 44 Stableford points. But while Jeff (handicap 23) was ecstatic with his round of 87, there was a huge tinge of sadness. Had Covid restrictions not intervened, Wednesday would have been ‘Dalby Day’, an event co-sponsored by Jeff and 15 fellow members in memory of former Headland Golf Manager Brent Dalby. “I would have been so happy, and proud, to have shot this score in honour of my best mate,” said the emotional winner. But, as fate would have it, Jeff – who had three four-point holes and six three-pointers in his memorable round – was joined in the winner’s list by fellow Dalby Day sponsors Alan Brooker (42 points) and Ian Moore (39), who quinellared A Grade. Graham Newlove (42), won B Grade while Jeff Lovell’s score of eight better than his handicap easily won C Grade.
PERFECT PRACTISE: Recently-retired police officer Col Pledge has proved correct the old adage ‘practise makes perfect’. For the past 12 months Col has spent a few hours – at least two days a week – at Headland’s practise facility, encouraging the fledgling golf career of his wife Suzanne, who has also been taking group lessons from Head Pro Adam Norlander. And while Col plays a strong supporting role, he has likewise gleaned many tips from Adam, from whom he had lessons himself earlier in the year. As a result, the ex-cop played his best-ever round on Saturday, scoring 42 points from his 11 handicap with 13 pars and five bogeys giving him an impressive scorecard of 77. Col led in a big Saturday field of 202 in the Medley Single Stableford event, winning A Grade by three points. Tony Briffa (40) won B Grade and Trevor Gourlay (41) saluted in C Grade.
PRO SHOP BLITZ: Head Pro Adam Norlander and his assistant, Mitch Jacobson, ‘made hay while the sun shone’ competing together in their brief break from Pro Shop duty on Thursday afternoon. Playing off scratch, Mitch scored 40 points in a four-under-par round 68 which included six birdies, while Adam – off plus one – shot a one-under 71 for 36 points. In his best round since he started work at Headland three years ago, Mitch had birdies at the second, fifth, seventh, eighth, 13th and 14th, but faltered with bogeys at three and 12. And Adam, who plays golf much less than he would like, eagled the 13th in a round that also included a birdie and two bogeys. Brad Leslie (41 points) won the A Grade division of the Medley Single Stableford, Stephen Woolcott (44) streeted the B Grade field and Frank Coleborn (42) ended a long drought to win C Grade.
EAGLE GIRL: Talented sportswoman Christina Claxton added another entry to her impressive sporting CV when she eagled the par-five 13th hole on Thursday – her first since she graduated from the SWING program in 2016. An exceptionally long hitter of the ball, the former representative soccer and hockey player was just 68 metres from the green for two, gripped down on a nine-iron, landed the ball just short of her target and in it popped. But while happy with her golfing landmark achievement, the Sunshine Coast University Research Scientist was far from impressed by her round, which yielded just 30 points from her handicap of 12. Following the eagle, she bogeyed holes 14 and 15, but finished strongly with pars at 16, 17 and 18. Pam Andrews and Veronica Bassingthwaighte, both with an excellent 40 points, returned the best scores by the women in the Medley Single Stableford event.
DALBY DAY: Headland’s popular former Golf Manager, the late Brent Dalby, will be honoured when full competition golf returns to the club. ‘Dalby Day’ was to have been held on Wednesday, but will now be staged on a date to be decided. Brent passed away 12 months ago following a protracted battle with cancer and 16 of his mates have banded together to sponsor the Medley Single Stableford event in his honour. And in a salute to their larrikin mate – who enjoyed a drink – the sponsors will be presenting a quality bottle of whiskey to the winner of each of the three grades.
PENNANT FINAL: Following a month-long delay because of Covid-related restrictions, Headland’s quest for the 2021 Sunshine Coast Men’s Golf Zone A Grade Pennant finally comes to fruition this coming weekend. The final will be played between Headland and defending champions, Noosa, at Gympie on Sunday, with the first players teeing off at 9am. It will be Headland’s third appearance in the final in the past four years and Captain James Brownsworth has named his strongest possible line-up with a team of four Club Champions and two Junior Champions. Headland will be represented by Adam Richards, Scott Walker, Sean McGill, Adam Rydwanski, Dave Rattray, Josh Holbrook and Ben Duncombe.
FOURSOMES CHAMPS: Headland’s Men’s and Women’s 2021 Foursomes Championships have finally been rescheduled, with the women to play their event on Thursday week, August 27. Sponsored by Guide Financial, the women’s event will be played over 27 holes and 2020 Champions Sharon Thomas and Dominique Paice will defend, with the formidable pairing of Josie Ryan and Annabel Harris appearing to be the toughest opposition to their fourth title in five years. Ash Reck and Wayne West will again team up to defend their 2020 title, which is sponsored by Mick Kinnear of Zero Termite and Pest. The men’s event will be played over 36 holes on Saturday, September 4. Pairs expected to strongly challenge the defending men’s Champions, who have won four times previously, are Adam Richards and Scott Walker, Sean McGill and Adam Rydwanksi and schoolboys Ben Duncombe and Josh Holbrook.
PATRON’S DAY: Headland’s Annual Patron’s Day, sponsored by Simon Whittle, has been rescheduled and will now be played on Sunday, September 26. The annual Mixed American Foursomes event, changed from Saturday to Sunday this year to encourage more mixed pairs to compete, was cancelled from two weekends ago because of Covid restrictions. Original nominations will stand unless the club is advised otherwise, but on-line bookings are now open for remaining spots in the field, which will have a shotgun start at 12.30pm. 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. Entries close on Wednesday, September 22.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (177 players) – A Grade, Alan Brooker (42 points), Ian Moore (39), Wayne Cassidy (38); B Grade, Graham Newlove (42), Chris Klazema (41), Scott Simpson (40); C Grade, Jeff Lovell (44), David Rennie (42), John Wettenhall (40).
Thursday, Medley Single Stableford (168 players) – A Grade, Brad Leslie (41 points), Mitch Jacobson (40), Dominic Geeves (39); B Grade, Stephen Woolcott (44), Carol Dwyer (39), Wil Sprake (39); C Grade, Frank Coleborn (42), John Edwards (40), Pam Andrews (40).
Friday, Medley Single Stableford (12 players) – Graham Smith (38 points), Ashleigh Matheson (35).
Saturday, Medley Single Stableford (202 players) – A Grade, Col Pledge (42 points), Clint Adams (39), Dave Mayes (38); B Grade, Tony Briffa (40), Wayne Pope (40), Joe Stotschek (39); C Grade, Trevor Gourlay (41), Lindsay Parchert (37), Di Stark (37).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (59 players) – Austin Brown (51 points), Brad Williams (41), Daryl Kong (41).
