From Tony Durkin
BEST EVER: Two-time former Headland Junior Champion, Josh Holbrook, has shot his lowest round of golf – five-under 67 – to win Saturday’s A Grade Single Stableford. The first-year PGA Trainee, who is employed at Caloundra Golf Cub but maintains his Headland membership, scored 40 points from his handicap of plus one to beat fellow Professional and former Headland Trainee, McKenzie Wright (also +1) by a point. Josh, who is 19 and first joined Headland as a 10-year-old, had just the one blemish on his impressive card which revealed an eagle at the par-five seventh plus four birdies, two of which were on the front nine en-route to a fabulous four-under 32. “My bogey was at the 15th, a hole I hate and bogey quite often. I hit my drive into the tree line on the left, came up short, chipped on and missed my putt,” he explained. But Josh will have little time to celebrate. Today (Monday) he will attempt to qualify for the Australian PGA, to be played at Royal Queensland over the coming weekend. Two returns of 44 points – by Mark Johnson (B Grade) and Dennis Farmer (C Grade) – highlighted Saturday’s event, while Joy Bullock (39) won the Women’s competition.
AGED MARVELS: The captivating battle between Headland’s aged marvels, Ken Anderson and Bob Trevor, has continued with both single markers achieving further ‘aged’ landmarks during the past 10 days. Ken, who is 81, equalled his age in last Wednesday’s par event when he played to his handicap of nine, taking the number of times he has either beaten or equalled his age in a round to an astounding 18. But, as he has done so often of late, Bob responded in Tuesday’s Single Stableford, carding 76 for 37 points, and bringing his number of the same achievement to 17. Then on Saturday – a week after turning 78 – Bob equalled Ken’s mark of 18 he scored 78 in the Single Stableford event, for 36 points. Three men – David Carmichael, Paul O’Connor and Trevor Simpson – headed Tuesday’s leaderboard on 40 points, with David winning on a countback.
AMBROSE SHIRTS: Winners of Thursday’s Four-Person Ambrose for women have committed to wear their ‘victory’ shirts when they defend their ‘title’ next year. The team of Chrissy Eggins, Carmel Visser, Tove Larsen and Jenny Pirini scraped home with 58.25 nett, a morsel ahead of Cathy Roberts, Vicky Sheridan, Julie Halliday and Sue Bolton (58.625). But it was enough for the four regular partners to not only win the event, but also score new golf shirts from Head Pro Adam Norlander, whose Headland Pro Shop sponsored the event. According to Chrissy Eggins (34) the longest handicapper in the winning group, no-one was a particular standout. “We all had our turn at good shots, although Tove did sink the vital putts for two of our three birdies,” she revealed. While the quartet has previously played together, that was their first attempt at an Ambrose and the victory has whet their appetite for more success in the event.
FOURBALL FINAL: As was the case in the quarter finals last weekend, teams with the highest handicaps have once again prevailed and qualified for next Sunday’s final of the Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford Match Play Championship, sponsored by Michael Thomas of ZenFind Accounting. Andrew Hempsall and Roly Hoy (combined handicap of 51) beat Clive Glover and Mark Johnson (49) 2&1, while John Marrington and Sergio Nogarotto (58) eliminated Graeme Warne and Brad Reddan (26) 1-up. John and Sergio won the first three holes against Graeme and Brad, who subsequently fought back to be all square teeing off 18. However John, with a shot, parred the final hole to take the match. In the other semi-final, it was Andrew’s putting that saved the day with a win at the par-four 17th giving them their 2-up victory.
SWORD SUCCESS: A new driver, a new grip and a changed swing have combined to help Roger Van Ginkel return his best golf score in ‘I can’t remember how long’. Headland’s House Director scored 44 points in Wednesday’s Single Stableford, despite ‘fatigue’ double bogeys at holes 16 and 17, and won B Grade with the best score in the field of 210. And while he spruiked about the benefit of a new swing and a new grip, it was a driver gifted him by a mate in Bangkok about which Roger was most excited. “The brand name is Sword, made by the same Japanese people who make Samurai swords. My mate, who no longer plays golf because of his health, gave it to me on the condition I never sold it, or never allowed anyone else to use it,” he explained. And Roger, who had nine pars and seven bogeys on his card beside those doubles, reckons the new ‘sword’ works a treat. Paul Clarke (43 points) won A Grade and Noel Cassels (41) topped the C Grade leaderboard.
EARLY GIFT: The $55 Anne Hayward won as victor in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for women was an early birthday gift for the soon-to-be octogenarian. Anne, whose birthday is on Friday (November 25) can’t recall the last time her name was atop the leaderboard, but thinks it may well have been two years ago when she and husband Bob won a Medley Fourball Aggregate Stableford with a superb 80 points. “My wins are few and far between,” quipped Anne, who was particularly pleased that her winning card of Tuesday – 42 points – revealed no wipes. “If I have a good game, like I did on Tuesday, I’m happy, but I don’t stress if I don’t. I just enjoy the outing.” Anne, who joined Headland with Bob 14 years ago after moving north from Sydney, had a four-point par at the 14th on her card, as well as nine three-point holes. The couple celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in September.
ANOTHER PLEDGE: A four-point par at the 18th hole on Sunday has given 2018 SWING graduate Suzanne Pledge her sixth win of the year, her most points – 41 – in a Single Stableford, and a rare female victory in a Headland Medley event. It also enabled Suzanne to beat clubhouse leader Charlotte Ridley who, at 13 years of age, is Headland’s most promising junior girl of at least the past decade. Suzanne revealed a lesson from Assistant Pro Mitch Jacobson during the week had ‘sorted out’ her recent issues with her three-hybrid club. Meanwhile Charlotte, playing from her lowest-ever handicap of 16, had two birdies and three double bogeys in her best-ever round of 86 after starting on 37 two years ago. Suzanne (handicap 39) had seven three-pointers and two four-point holes on her winning card. NOTE: Charlotte’s name will be missing from the Headland leaderboard for the next month. She heads off to England on Thursday to visit her grandparents.
HEALTHY GOLF: Fully recovered from bowel cancer surgery back in March and the resultant three-month layoff from golf, retired banker Mark Glassop is back in the winner’s list for the first time in just on 12 months. The 21-year Headland member shot 86 from his 20 handicap in Thursday’s Single Stableford for 42 points, 23 of them harvested on a front-nine of 41 shots. Mark plays three times a week and – on the advice of the same GP who diagnosed his cancer – the 75-year-old still walks the course. “I had a purple patch of sorts around the time when I last won back in October last year, and it feels good to be back in the winner’s list again. But after what I have been through recently, it’s just good to be out there playing again,” he said.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (57 players) – Anne Hayward (42 points), Trish Marsden (41), Catherine Peterson (41). Men (57 players) – David Carmichael (40), Paul O’Connor (40), Trevor Simpson (40).
Wednesday, Medley Single Par – sponsor, James Brownsworth, Innovative Planning Solutions – (210 players) – A Grade, Paul Clarke (43 points), Bevan Horsnell (40), Earl Hicks (40); B Grade, Roger Van Ginkel (44), Terry Lawlor (43), Tony Briffa (42); C Grade, Noel Cassels (41), Alan Dellar (38), John Waterworth (38).
Thursday, Women, Four-Person Ambrose – sponsor Adam Norlander, Headland Pro Shop – (113 players) – Chrissy Eggins, Carmel Visser, Tove Larsen and Jenny Pirini (58.25 nett), Cathy Roberts, Vicky Sheridan, Julie Halliday and Sue Bolton (58.625), Odette Day, Cathy Haimes, Sue Hadenham and Raewyn Bissett (60), Mary Ann Sanderson, Norma Hobson, Lynn Hayman and Margaret Easton (60.25).
Men, Single Stableford (89 players) – Mark Glassop (42 points), Ray Manyweather (41), Richard Franklin (41).
Saturday, Single Stableford – sponsor, Chris Pace, McGrath Estate Agents – Women (28 players) – Joy Bullock (39 points), Kirsten Kaergaard (38), Lesley Johnston (37).
Men (212 players) – A Grade, Josh Holbrook (40), McKenzie Wright (39), Ben Brown (39); B Grade, Mark Johnson (44), Roger Van Ginkel (40), Peter Raymond (40); C Grade, Dennis Farmer (44), Wyndham Tibbits (41), Chris Hollowood (41).
Juniors, Boys, 7 years and under – Blake Rydwanski (52 strokes); 8-10 years – Benjamin Cox (39); 11-13 years – Flynn Lambalk (46).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (49 players) – Suzanne Pledge (41 points), Charlotte Ridley (39), Jay Gourlay (39).
Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford Match Play Championship, semi-finals – sponsored by Michael Thomas, ZenFind Accounting – Andrew Hempsall and Roly Hoy beat Clive Glover and Mark Johnson (2&1); John Marrington and Sergio Nogarotto beat Graeme Warne and Brad Reddan (1-up).
