From Tony Durkin
FOURBALL LOGJAM: So tight was the finish to Wednesday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford that the MiScore digital scoring app went into overtime before finally declaring the winners. In an incredible result from the field of 102 pairs, nine teams finished on 45 points and an array of countbacks was needed. And while the winning pair of Peter Leggo and Pete Dickens each had $90 added to their respective House Accounts from the generous sponsorship of Toby Zaremba’s Formia Project Management company, team members who finished sixth to ninth – also on 45 points – won just $5. Both members of the winning team played their part, but in the end it was three-metre par putt by Peter for three points at the 18th which secured the winning edge. And while Peter will spend his $90 on a much-needed new pair of golf shoes, ex-policeman Pete – who does odd jobs for mates – has decided his winning booty will more than likely be spent, gradually, at the bar. NOTE: Although the winners have been members for a collective 38 years, Wednesday was their first game as partners.
STILL WAITING: Carol Sinclair joined Headland in September last year and when she realised she was No. 167 on the waitlist, decided to buy a ‘greens’ pass which enables her to play competition golf, with certain provisos. And on Thursday – Women’s Open Day at Headland – her unbridled passion for the game paid off when she won the C Grade Division of the Single Stableford event with an impressive 40 points. Carol penned eight three pointers on her scorecard, with a ‘monster’ par putt on the ninth giving her four points. Working in HR Hotel Management, Carol and her 94-year-old dad moved from Canberra to the warmer Sunshine Coast climate in 2019. Two years later, in September 2021, the former member of Gold Creek Golf Club in Canberra paid her Headland fees and, with 234 others, waits patiently to become a full member. In the meantime, she will continue to play competition golf when permitted, with the goal of bringing her 30 handicap down to 18. Kate Wilkie (38 points) won A Grade and Sue Briffa (B Grade, 41 points) has continued her recent winning form. NOTE: Carol has moved to 133 on the Headland waitlist.
SECOND THOUGHTS: When heavy rain fell on Friday, Mike Radmall phoned Headland Pro Shop and cancelled his place in Saturday’s Single Stableford field, believing the course would be sodden following the recent spate. But as Saturday dawned to clear blue skies, he not only had a change of heart, but was stunned by the superb condition of the course and – more importantly – played his best round in as long as he could remember. “I honestly cannot recall my last win, but it has been a very long time between drinks,” revealed the 25-year member who returned 41 points, the best score of the day, and easily won B Grade. A commercial real estate agent, 17-marker Mike faltered just once with a double bogey at the 16th, but otherwise carded five pars, 11 bogeys and a birdie at the sixth. And as an enrichment to his triumphant change of mind, Mike added a Pro Pin to his win, giving him a booty of $139. Aaron Shaw (38 points) won A Grade, Mark Gersbach (39) won C Grade and Wayne Wests’ par round was the best gross score of the day.
UK WEATHER: Born and raised in English weather conditions, Colin Cross did not allow a ‘spot of rain’ to deter him from finishing his round on Thursday and his perseverance was repaid, with a win in the Men’s Single Stableford event. Colin’s definition of a ‘spot of rain’ was a persistent downfall from the fourth hole onwards, and resulted in just nine in the field of 78 actually finishing their round. But the hardy Pom, who played with an equally resilient Scotsman – Stewart Douglas – said he relished the challenge and was delighted with his score of 36 points on a consistent card that revealed just the single wipe, one one-point hole, three three-pointers and 13 two point-holes. Colin, an engineer in the oil and gas industry, retired to the Sunshine Coast just on five years ago and made Headland his first golf club as a member, having previously played only in corporate days. Following lessons from Head Pro Adam Norlander, he started competition golf at Headland 4½ years ago on a handicap of 33, with 18 as his goal, and is now playing from 22. NOTE: Stewart Douglas (35 points) finished second to Colin, continuing his strong recent run which has included two wins in the past six weeks.
MISSED PUTTS: Yvonne Henry rates her 36 points to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for women as a ‘fairly average’ score, but a number of close misses on the greens stymied a much better outcome. Yvonne estimates she lipped out ‘three or four times’ on greens that were unusually ‘slowish’ as a result of the constant recent rain, so was pleased her ‘not too bad’ golf of late was able to add $45 to her House Account. Moving from Brisbane’s Pacific Golf Club with husband John and joining Headland in 2005, Yvonne has enjoyed her two decades of golf since injury forced her to relinquish her first sporting love, squash. Still maintaining an AGU handicap of 19 after the septuagenarian once played to a low of 17 gives Yvonne much satisfaction, but the real enjoyment is still being able to play two days and week, and remain competitive.
BEST ROUND: ‘Newish’ member Peter Wood returned his best round and scored his first win at Headland on Tuesday, despite wiping his first hole. The long-retired IT business consultant for Warehousing and Distribution who joined the club with his wife Sylvia in May last year, scored 39 points to win the men’s Single Stableford by three points. A member of Muirfield Golf Club in Sydney before heading north, 76-year-old Peter has been playing golf for six decades and hopes his winning round – which featured six pars, nine bogeys and two doubles beside his wipe at the tenth – is a sign he is finally starting to come to terms with a course he loves, but has found extremely difficult to conquer. Once a 12 marker whose handicap had expanded to 22 at his new club before playing from 19 on Tuesday, Peter and Sylvia play most Tuesdays and Sundays, and Peter usually joins son-in-law Don Caldwell for a round on Thursdays. NOTE: Don (35 points) could not quite match Peter’s score on Tuesday, but he did snare two NTPs, at the fifth and 18th.
SHOCK WIN: Despite chipping in twice, scoring two ‘sandies’ and two ‘ferrets’, at no stage during Saturday’s round did Colleen Berger contemplate she would win the Single Stableford competition. But to the astonishment of the 13-handicapper, her 34 points did win the women’s event and she did not suffer too much from her two double bogeys – at holes 15 and 17 – which stood alongside an otherwise steady card of 11 bogeys and five pars. And while she says her game is in ‘reasonable shape’, Colleen is frustrated that she cannot master her new Ping three-wood, bought from the Pro Shop as a Christmas present from husband Rod. NOTE: For those unaware, a ‘sandy’ is the result of getting up and down from a bunker, while a ‘ferret’ is holing a putt from off the green.
STAFF DOUBLE: Jay Gourlay completed a weekend double for Headland ground staff when he won Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford with 40 points. A day earlier, 2010 Club Champion Aaron Shaw – a greenkeeper on the club’s highly-skilled ground staff – won the Medley Single Stableford in A Grade with 38 points. Jay, a 12 marker who has been a groundsman for four years, wiped the second hole on his way to 18 points on the front nine, but came home in two over par, for an impressive 22 points. Wipe aside, he penned a birdie, 10 pars and six bogeys on his winning card. On Saturday, six-year employee Aaron also wiped a hole – the ninth – but his otherwise outstanding card revealed three birdies, 10 pars and four bogeys from his handicap of five. Both playing members play vital roles in preparing the Headland course for what most agree is its best-ever condition.
CAPTAIN’S CALL: Men’s Director of Golf, Peter O’Brien, was in awe as he watched the stunning performance of 22-year-old Jed Morgan to win the recent Australian PGA at Royal Queensland, but he was even more impressed after he played the course. At the PGA Coca-Cola Invitational Day at Sanctuary Cove back in October, Club Captain Peter won the amateur event and an invite to play RQ the day after the PGA, with the course set identical to the final round. And while the 13-handicapper conceded ‘quite some difficulty’ conquering the RQ layout during the teams’ event, he did manage five pars, one of which was at the par-three 17th, the party hole during the championship. His Coca-Cola team finished with 71 points, eight behind the winners. “As a proud country boy, from Chinchilla, it was great to watch Jed win. No doubt there is more success to come,” beamed Peter.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (44 players) – Yvonne Henry (36 points), Anne Callanan (35), Tove Larsen (35); Men (70 players) – Peter Wood (39), Ted Banaszczyk (36), Peter Ross (35).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball – sponsor Formia Project Management (205 players) – Pete Dickins and Peter Leggo (45 points), Doug Morgan and Warren Gee (45), Chris Swan and Brett Stephenson (45), Roscoe King and Michael Fenton (45), Col Pledge and Bruce Heseltine (45).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women’s Open Day – sponsors Ree Condon, Jackie Thinee and Jackie Walkington (96 players) – A Grade, Kate Wilkie (38 points), Sue Jones (35), Julie Halliday (35); B Grade, Sue Briffa (41), Wendy Mosley (37), Mary Dowling (35); C Grade, Carol Sinclair (40), Gillian Thomas (33), Jan Langdon (32). Men (78 players) – Colin Cross (36), Stewart Douglas (35), Don Caldwell (35).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women (27 players) – Colleen Berger (34 points), Vicky Sheridan (33), Anne Callanan (33). Men (214 players) – A Grade, Aaron Shaw (38 points), Wayne West (37), Matt Fisher (37); B Grade, Mike Radmall (41), David Cekulis (38), Garry Clotz (38); C Grade, Mark Gersbach (39), Bruno Ciott (37), Greg Smith (36).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (59 players) – Jay Gourlay (40 points), Cathy Roberts (39), James Barnes (37).
