From Tony Durkin
PRESIDENT WINS: Headland’s long-serving President, Jon Welch, has finally recovered from a debilitating shoulder injury and on Sunday registered his first win in just on two years. Jon, who has been a Headland board member since 2006 and is in his seventh year as Club President, scored 41 points to win the Medley Single Stableford event, beating Lawrence Hirimi and Dom Geeves on a countback. And that was not surprising, considering he scored 24 points on the back nine, carding a string of six three-pointers from holes 10 to 15. Playing in the postponed Easter Sunshine Coast Open Amateur in September of 2020, Jon – off line among the trees on the right side of the second fairway – struck a hidden tree root and badly damaged tendons in his shoulder and bicep. As a result, he was out of golf for more than 12 months, returning gingerly in November last year with frequent scores in the 100s. But playing off the very generous handicap of 21 on Sunday, the former 12 marker had nine three-point holes on his card with no wipes, and is confident his game is getting back to somewhere near normality.
WILL’S BEST: Despite an ‘ugly’ double bogey at the usually ‘easy’ par-five 13th hole, Will Millroy has converted a near-perfect start into his best-ever round as a four-year Headland member. The 28-year-old Civil Engineer, who has reduced his handicap from 19 to six since joining after having never previously played regularly, shot a par round 71 – with the par-five second hole shortened to a par four because of construction work on the tee – to beat his previous best of 74 when he scored 42 points to win Saturday’s A Grade Single Stableford event. But it was the start which most pleased Will. He was four-under par before a poor tee short at the par-three eighth cost him a bogey, yet still finished the front nine in 32 for a return of 24 points. And while Will and long-time friend Nick Reed won the 2021 Two-Ball Jug mid-year, Saturday’s win was his first individual victory in the past 12 months. Ironically, Nick – his playing partner on Saturday – won B Grade with 41 points and Paul Anderson (43), with the best score of the day, won C Grade.
HALL OF FAME: After scoring 38 points in Thursday’s Three-Club Single Stableford event, Chris Hall wonders why she ‘needs’ the allowable 14 clubs in her bag. Following a sleepless night – she woke at 2.30am thinking about golf – the retired educationalist carded a birdie, three pars and six bogeys to return the best score of the day and win B Grade. Chris elected to take a driver, five wood and eight iron plus putter, which she said was ‘on’ despite the renovated greens. But the club to best perform was her five wood, which has long been one of her favourites. A graduate from the 2014 Headland SWING program, Chris and her husband moved to the Sunshine Coast 17 years ago and she has thoroughly enjoyed her move into golf, reducing her handicap from 45 when she started to Thursday’s mark of 30. Narelle Hollowood (33 points) won A Grade.
ACE WATCHED: The gallery may have been small when Col Pledge scored his second hole-in-one at Headland on Saturday, but it was very well credentialled. With the pin at the back of the par three 14th hole, Col knew his tee shot was ‘sweet’, yet was unable to see the end result. But sitting on the adjacent cart path and in full view of the green and the pin position was Course Marshall Glenn Joyner, a 33-year PGA Tour player who still competes on the Australasian Legends Tour. Ironically, 11 years ago retired Police Officer Col scored his first hole-in-one on the same hole, back then using a five-hybrid to a front pin. On Saturday, into the wind, the much-improved 12-marker hit a five iron. The ace came in the middle of an assorted run of holes for Col. He parred the 12th, birdied the 13th, aced the 14th, bogeyed the 15th and doubled the 16th, but still managed 14 points in those five holes and a total of 36 points for the round.
FRIEND INDEED: Tips from close friend, Redland Bay Golf Professional Heath Reed, has been of immense help to Lynn Deacon, who won Saturday’s Single Stableford for women with 40 points. But despite her win, and the professional advice, the dental assistant claimed she played only ‘reasonably well’ and missed opportunities were aplenty. Lynn, who is hitting the ball much further and has reduced her handicap from 41 since she graduated from SWING in 2019 to her current AGU of 22.9, had six three-point holes and two four-pointers on her card, with her lone wipe coming at the 12th when her ‘lessons didn’t work’. The win was Lynn’s third since and came on a rare Saturday round.
BOB AGAIN: For the second time this year, 77-year-old Bob Trevor has equalled or bettered his age at Headland, and has done it with his most trusty servant – a 43-year-old putter which cost him $20. On the shortened par 71 course, Bob carded a four-over 75 in Saturday’s Single Stableford event for 40 points from his eight handicap. It is the 11th time he has bettered or equalled his age during his 34 years as a Headland member, and each time his magic wand has been a Spaulding CASH-IN putter, which was used to illustrate a book called ‘The Secret of Holing Putts’ by Horton Smith, best known for winning the first and third US Masters events. Bob read the book when he was putting ‘so badly it hurt’, and then – miraculously – found the putter at Gailes Pro Shop in 1978 when playing a Pennant match for Ipswich.
EASY ACE: On Tuesday Roz Brandt scored her first hole in one after 31 years as a Headland member, and now that she has achieved the feat can’t understand why it took so long. “When it happened, it was actually pretty easy,” joked the rising 77-year-old who claims to be the shortest hitter of a golf ball in the club. Roz aced the par-three 14th hole, smacking a driver ‘with the wind in my face’ and each member of the Two-Person Ambrose quartet saw the ball drop in the hole. They also saw Roz completely miss her ball on the previous hole, taking out a chunk of turf instead. “But that’s golf,” says Roz who decided to take up the sport in retirement when she and her husband moved from Sydney in 1988. Initially the ‘non sporty’ Roz started tennis, but could not hit the moving ball, so tried golf because ‘at least the ball is still’. Currently playing off a 26 handicap, Roz has been as low as 19, still loves the game as much as ever and plays, on average, 2½ times a week. NOTE: Roz became the first Headland member to score an ace in 2022.
GRITTY WIN: Despite firing a four-under 68 in Wednesday’s Medley Two-Person Ambrose, former Maroochydore cricket team mates Paul Henricks and Jim Aspinall had to survive two countbacks before being declared winners. Playing the front nine twice on the recently renovated course, the close friends were two over after six holes, birdied six of the next 12 without dropping a shot for a nett 61.5. And while Paul, handicap four, was his usual precise self from tee to green, Jim (14) starred on the sandy greens dropping three ‘bombs’ within three to five metres. When heavily involved in Maroochydore Cricket Club in the mid-90s, Paul hosted Englishman Jim at his home for 12 months, and the Maleny farmer enjoyed the hospitality so much he decided to stay. NOTE: Paul has become something of an specialist at the Two-Person Ambrose. In October he teamed with Wagga visitor Ken Howell to again win, with a score then of 64 nett.
WALKED IT IN: Jackie Walkington was ‘happy with my own game’, but said partnering eight-marker Bob Trevor in an Ambrose was a wonderful experience. Playing the back nine twice before course renovations kicked in, Jackie and Bob walked in Tuesday’s Two-Person Medley Ambrose by three shots, returning a two-over gross score of 74 for a nett 64.5 after bogeying their final two holes. And Jackie – who graduated from SWING in 2017 – said she likes to think she made a small contribution, while the former University Professor described some of Bob’s shots as ‘truly amazing’. There was also a slice of luck before the round – Jackie was a late inclusion after Bob’s original partner withdrew. Starting her golf career on the maximum handicap of 45, Jackie has gradually whittled that down to her current low of 27.7 and is so confident with her game these days she and a dozen other Headland members are currently enjoying a week-long golf trip on Norfolk Island.
ANNUAL WIN: John Marrington scored 44 points to win Thursday’s Single Stableford for men by a massive seven points, and confessed that was his one good game for the year. “That’s the way it has been in recent times – one decent score a year. My last win was at least 10 months ago,” he confessed. John, handicap 23, reckons this time practise made perfect, having had four rounds on the same nine on successive days because of course renovations. And on the second nine on Thursday, he had six pars in his score of 24 points. “On Wednesday I could not sink a putt – on Thursday each time I hit a lump of detached turf, it ricocheted towards the hole,” he joked. But the most pleasing aspect of his round was the decision to concentrate on a rhythmic swing, and he never missed a fairway.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Medley Two-Ball Ambrose (62 players) – Jackie Walkington and Bob Trevor (64.5 nett), Steve Walters and Josh Poole (67.25), Valerie O’Brien and George Stoufis (62.5).
Wednesday, Medley Two-Ball Ambrose (108 players) – Jim Aspinall and Paul Henricks (61.5 nett), Clint Adams and Ian Harper (61.5), Doug Morgan and Warren Selvage (61.5).
Thursday, Women, Three Club Single Stableford (56 players) – A Grade, Narelle Hollowood (33 points), Kym Mason (32), Lyn Mansfield (30); B Grade, Chris Hall (38), Donna Rose (37), Gillian Thomas (36). Men, Single Stableford (44 players) – John Marrington (44), James Snowball (37), Charlie Worthy (36)
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women (28 players) – Lynn Deacon (40 points), Joy Murray (38), Robyn Muir (37). Men (207 players) – A Grade, Will Millroy (42), Bob Trevor (40), Aaron Duff (39); B Grade, Nick Reed (41), Chris Klazema (40), Deon Breytenbach (40); C Grade, Paul Anderson (43), John Miller (40), Todd Parker (39).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (52 players) – Jon Welch (41), Lawrence Hirimi (41), Dom Geeves (41).
