From Tony Durkin
MATES RATE: Mates and regular playing partners Scott Lindsay, Andrew Hay, Paul Anderson and Gary Marr achieved what they considered was the impossible to win Saturday’s 10-hole Super Golf Challenge Ambrose. Teeing off on the cross-country course in the afternoon field, the quartet was confronted with a morning score of 11-under, and immediately thought ‘that will be tough to beat’. “Thinking we had little chance probably helped us relax,” said eight-marker Scott Lindsay who revealed the group then went out and eagled their first hole. Two more eagles followed, plus five birdies and two pars for the winners – with a handicap of 2.875 – to score nett 30.125, and clinch victory by a smidgin from Nick Donovan, Quentin Poulsen, Anthony Larchin and Scott Walker (30.75), the team that was 11-under earlier in the day. According to Scott their low marker, five-handicapper Andrew Hay, was the ‘rock’, invariably getting them into positions where they could fire at the pins. NOTE: Each member of the winning team won a pair of Footjoy golf shoes courtesy of Adam Norlander’s Pro Shop, but Scott and Andrew will be trading theirs back. “Because of all the wet weather of late, we have both recently bought new golf shoes,” Scott revealed.
TOUGH COURSE: It was fitting that on a day when all players struggled, 74-year-old George Stoufis saluted on Wednesday for his first win after 18 months as a Headland member. “This course has almost ruined my game,” said George who was once a four-marker during his 45 years playing golf in New Zealand. “I have found Headland terribly difficult to master, and have even considered giving golf away. But hopefully I am now starting to get some idea of how to play the course.” His 38 points – 85 from his 15 handicap – is his second-best score after an 83 last year, but two doubles and a triple on the par fives blotted his otherwise impressive scorecard which included birdies at the fifth and 18th par threes. And the victory could not have come on a better day as each grade winner – George (B Grade), Bill Bolland (A) and Peter Birt (C) each received $100 and a bottle of wine from generous sponsor, Chris Pace of McGrath Estate Agents.
NO HANDBRAKE: With 33 points on his card after 14 holes, Tony Briffa refutes any suggestion the ‘handbrake’ was applied in Tuesday’s Single Stableford. One of his most impressive cards in a long, long time revealed 64 strokes from the 19 marker with four holes to play, but he then added another 22, for a miserly six points, on his way home. It was however, more than enough to win the event with his 41 points four clear of the men’s field. His card included two four-pointers – courtesy of birdies at the fourth and 13th – and five three-point holes, one at the par-three 18th to end the round on a good note. “Like most members, I haven’t played much golf in the past month and it was good to get out in the sunshine and relax. I was just disappointed with my run of one-pointers from holes 15 to 17,” he said. Vicki Oxley, with 34 points, won the Tuesday women’s event.
BENTWOOD TROPHY: Headland women have retained the Bentwood Trophy following a crushing win over Redcliffe at Headland on Thursday. Scoring in the annual Single Stableford event, played between the two clubs since 1986, is calculated on the best 12 results from each club and Headland won by 375 points to 315. Headland’s best was Helen Venter, who scored 36 points and was the only player in the field of 108 to play to her handicap, while Redcliffe’s best was Margaret Martin, who scored 29 points. Helen said she was surprised but happy her round had won the day, with putting her saviour. “My swing, which had deserted me of late, finally arrived, and I had only 28 putts,” said Helen, who shot 42 for 21 points on the front nine. NOTE: Last year’s event was cancelled, ironically because of wet weather.
NINE IS ENOUGH: Thursday’s competition for men was restricted to nine holes because of the shotgun start for women playing in the Bentwood trophy event, with separate competitions on each nine. Dean Smareglia, playing off a 10 handicap, was the standout with a two-over par 38 on the back nine harvesting him 21 points. Josh Poole (handicap 16), also scored 21 points, but this too was on the back nine and he was beaten by Dean on a countback. Best score on the front nine came from Errol Greiner, whose 20 points easily won.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s No.1 Pennant team, the Diamonds, scored another win in the 2022 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Pennant season at the weekend, but it was a victory that was tinged with disappointment. The Diamonds, skippered by the vastly experienced Josie Ryan, were to have played Caloundra at Noosa Springs, but because of sickness and injury, only three Caloundra players were available to play and the club was forced to forfeit. Next Sunday Caloundra plays host the Diamonds, who will play the combined Noosa-Cooroy-Maleny team, which shares equal second spot on the ladder with Headland. Headland Emeralds hosted Mt Coolum on Sunday and the result was halved, five points apiece. Will Sprake was the star, winning 4&3, while Monica Antony won 1-up and Cathy Roberts squared her match. Vicky Sheridan and Kirsten Kaergaard were narrowly beaten, both losing 1-down. In a rare result, all three matches in Emerald Division matches played at Headland on Sunday were halved. However, it was not a good Monday for the Headland Sapphires and Rubies, with both teams going down 4-1. Playing Noosa Springs at Bribie Island, Carol Dwyer was the only Sapphires winner with a 6&5 victory, but Robyn Boreham (2-down), Leeanne Ptak (3&1), Mouna Humzy (2&1) and Gail Young (2-down) were on the deficit side of the ledger. The Rubies played at Gympie, against Maroochy River and the only Headland winner was Ruth Broderick (4&2). Wendy Mosley (2&1), Rhonda Parry (5&4), Trish Murphy (5&4) and Penny Cooper (1-down) were beaten.
DRIVER BACK: Adding four strokes to his all-time low handicap of 6.5 in the past four months was ‘somewhat catastrophic’ for golf tragic Rob Cunningham, who had recently turned his game around with ‘old man’s’ graphite shafted clubs. “My new Mizuno driver, which had been a revelation when it first arrived, went into a slump, and as a result so did my game,” said ex-banker Rob who returned to form on Sunday, winning the Medley Single Stableford event. His round of 81, which harvested him 37 points, was a return to some genuine consistency with two birdies, five pars and 11 bogeys on his card. Two-over 38 on the back nine for 21 points – with a tap-in birdie at the 16th the highlight – has Rob now hoping his game is somewhere back to where it was a couple of months ago. “It is amazing how the confidence returns when the driver is starting to behave itself,” said Rob, who revealed ‘lots of practise’ had also helped swing his game back into form.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (47 players) – Vicki Oxley (34 points), Liz Halyday (34), Trish Arden (33). Men (72 players) – Tony Briffa (41), Nigel Morrison (37), Ross Wedmaeir (37).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor Chris Pace, McGrath Estate Agents (205 players) – A Grade, Bill Bolland (36 points) Shane Muller (36), Tony Pattinson (36); B Grade, George Stoufis (38), John Jones (37), Mark Gersbach (37); C Grade, Peter Birt (37), Dion Southey (37), Jack Williams (36).
Thursday, Women, Bentwood Trophy sponsors Pam Andrews, Dianne Schulze and Shelagh Meadows (108 players) – A Grade, Helen Venter (36), Mary Young (35), Julie Halliday (35); B Grade, Linda Cannon (35), Bev Barnes (34), Kath Barford (33); C Grade, Jan Langdon (35), Trish Murphy (33), Kay Campbell (33).
Men, Single Stableford, nine holes (54 players) – Front, Errol Greiner (20 points), Phil Kornmann (17), Bill Attneave (17); Back, Dean Smareglia (21), Josh Poole (21), Terry O’Keefe (19).
Saturday, Super Golf, 10-hole Four-Person Ambrose, sponsors Headland Golf Club and Adam Norlander’s On-Course Pro Shop – (226 players) – Gary Marr, Andrew Hay, Scott Lindsay and Paul Anderson (30.125 nett), Nick Donovan, Quentin Poulsen, Anthony
Larchin and Scott Walker (30.75), Ben Laycock, Brendan Duncan, Andrew Stirling and Grant Martyn (31.75), Adam Richards, Ryan Tomlinson, Sharon Purnell and Jodie McDonell (31.75), Glen Grimish, Scott Bromfield, Jay Gourlay and Mick Morris (31.875).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (43 players) – Rob Cunningham (37 points), Dave Wickham (36), Alan Brooker (35).
