From Tony Durkin
ACE RECORD: On Monday Col Pledge may well have entered Headland history books when he scored his third hole in one on the same hole – this year. Club Patron Simon Whittle, who has been closely associated with Headland since the club was formed 67 years ago, cannot only not recall the feat occurring previously, but believes it would be a rarity at most golf clubs. Col aced the par-three 14th in Mondays Vets’ event, hitting a six iron to the 150-metre pin. He previously aced the same hole in February and September, both times using a five iron, and prior to that holed out there for his first ace in 2011, again with a five iron. That’s four aces at the same hole. And, to add to the Monday’s thrill, Col won the event with 39 points, reducing his AGU handicap to 11.7. NOTE: According to Golf Digest, the odds of an amateur golfer making a hole in one are 12,500 to 1. Despite extensive research, HH could not determine the odds of Col’s extremely rare feat of three, at the same hole, in one year.
WINNERS AGAIN: A quartet which won the last two-day Super Hack – played back in 2019 – has once again combined superbly, taking the honours in Saturday’s annual 10-hole event. Played as a Four-Person Ambrose on Headland’s challenging ‘cross-country’ course, Super Hack attracted 232 players across the three starting times and regular Saturday partners John Bohringer (handicap 24), Lawrence Hireme (12), Graham Smith (8) and Brian Callaghan (6) prevailed with nett 30.25 from their handicap of 3.75. The four – who have been routinely teeing off from the tenth in the 6.12am timeslot since 2019 – scored an eagle, eight birdies and one par in their bogey-free round. “We obviously know each other’s game fairly well and each of us contributed when needed. We probably only missed one putt that maybe we should have dropped,” Brian revealed. Paul Anderson, Stephen Blampied, Andrew Hay and Gary Marr (30.625) finished a close second, while the team of Steve Walters, Steve Rose, Tracey O’Connor and Dave Wickman (33.875) won the mixed event.
FELINE CHAMP: Headland Women’s Vets Champion, Pam Andrews, has devoted her 2022 Championship victory to Bailey, her 22-month-old cat. Following a year of ‘forgettable golf’, Pam has shaken off a shoulder injury in the past two weeks to post successive Vets victories, her second on Monday with a meagre 37 points to win the Women’s Championship. “I was gobsmacked when I discovered I’d won with that score. I thought at best I might get a ball,” she said. Pam, who won despite going out of bounds on the first hole, won $50 plus a Championship certificate, which she has posted on the wall of Baily’s bedroom – which doubles as the Andrews’ laundry. “I have photos of him and drawings on the wall, so I thought I would add the certificate to what I call Baily’s Art Gallery,” she confessed. Marg Smith (35 points) won A Grade and Odette Day (37) B Grade.
MARTY’S DOUBLE: Marty Dix has received two mentions in Headland Headlines in recent years, and both times his reference centered on him winning, and scoring 43 Stableford points. And although the dreams of a best-ever round by the former glazier were shattered by double bogeys at holes three and 11, Marty was ‘very pleased’ with his otherwise-solid round of seven bogeys, eight pars and a birdie at the par-three 14th in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men. The 32-year Headland member made a big investment recently by upgrading his clubs, and on the advice of Head Pro Adam Norlander kitted himself out with TaylorMade Stealth irons and a Cobra Air driver. “They are working very well, and Adam’s advice has greatly helped my game,” said the 17-handicapper. Lynn Deacon (39 points) won the Women’s event on Tuesday.
GOATS RULE: ‘Old Goats’ Peter Andrews, John Wettenhall and John Siddins helped fellow member Russell Dowling celebrate his 85th birthday in true-mateship style by combining exceptionally to win Wednesday’s Medley Irish Foursomes. The quartet, members of the ‘Order of Late Developing Golfers Optimistically Approaching Terminal Senility’, scored 94 points to ‘sneak in’ by a point, with the two best scores on each hole contributing to the final tally. And with a combined membership of 72 years and an average age of 80, the Old Goats’ foursome united like veterans, collecting eight points at the par-four fourth and seven points at the par-five tenth. Their worst collect on one hole was three points. Birthday boy Russell had two four-point holes and five three-pointers in his score of 38, while Peter (also 38 points) had one four and six threes, John Siddons (39) one four and three threes, and John Wettenhall (29) three threes. The best individual score on the day was 42 points, from Quentin Poulsen.
BMW FINAL: Mouna Humzy will seek professional advice from Head Pro Adam Norlander before she heads to New Zealand in January to play in the 2022 BMW Golf Cup National Final. Mouna qualified for the event by winning the women’s division of the BMW Sunshine Coast Classic back in July, and will contest the Championship final at the famed Millbrook Resort in Queenstown. Adam and a number of Headland members recently played the course, and Mouna is keen to seek his counsel. Mouna’s husband Phil, who finished third in the men’s division of the Sunshine Coast qualifier, will accompany his wife on the trip to New Zealand, but only as a spectator and supporter. Mouna, whose handicap is 18, has enjoyed a successful golfing year. As a member of the Headland Sapphires Pennant team, she won four of her five matches and also won the B Grade Monthly Medal in July.
POOR START: He started bogey, double bogey, bogey and finished bogey, bogey, but in between Peter Holt – using an ‘old’ Ping putter – shot the lights out at Headland on Sunday. From holes four to 16, the 14-handicapper was just one over the card with a birdie at the par-five 13th the highlight of his 80 shots, which gave him a nett 66 and a win in Sunday’s Medley Single Stroke. While delighted with the win – his first in four years he reckons – Peter was jubilant at the fact he had beaten his son Tom who now has to ‘shout golf and beers’ next time they play. Back in October Tom scored a mind-boggling 48 Stableford points, 19 more than his dad that day. But revenge was sweet on Sunday – Tom’s nett score was 89, 23 worse than his dad.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets’ Women’s Championship (38 players) – Overall Winner, Pam Andrews (37 points); A Grade, Marg Smith (35), Carmel Visser (34), Monica Knowles (34); B Grade, Odette Day (37), Wendy Burnie (36), Lesley Wilson (33). Men, Single Stableford (35 players) – Col Pledge (39), Phil Thistlewood (39), Nick Cox (37).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (40 players) – Lynn Deacon (39 points), Althea McLean (37), Susie Meade (35). Men (65 players) – Marty Dix (43), Josh Poole (40), Jonny Clarke (38).
Wednesday, Medley Irish Foursomes – sponsors, Happy Doctors – (165 players) – John Siddins, Peter Andrews, Russell Dowling and John Wettenhall (94 points), Mackenzie Wright, Nick Bolton, Brian Hills and Michael Phillips (93), Duncan Wilson, Paul Santamaria, John Hensby and Mark Postles (92), Braden Anderson, Peter Keane, Terence O’Loughlin and Casey Kennedy (91).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women– sponsors, Ruth Broderick, Catherine Peterson, Denise Lawson and Maggie White – (competition cancelled because of weather conditions). Men (competition cancelled because of weather conditions).
Saturday, Super Hack – sponsor, David Mansley, Mooneys Insurance Brokers – (184 players) – John Bohringer, Lawrence Hireme, Graham Smith and Brian Callaghan (30.25 nett), Paul Anderson, Andrew Hay, Stephen Blampied and Gary Marr (30.625), Dean Oster, Earl Hicks, Mitch Jacobson and Chris Risby (31), Warren Selvage, Brett Stephenson, Todd Willis and Adam Robins (32.625), Gary Martin, Tony Pattinson, Bevan Horsnell and Chris Duhig (32.75). Mixed (48 players) – Steve Walters, Steve Rose, Tracey O’Connor and Dave Wickham (33.875), John Kamm, Sandy Whittle, Simon Whittle and Greg Jellis (34.875), Sharon Purnell, Damien Said, Jodie McDonell and Ryan Tomlinson (35.125).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (71 players) – Peter Holt (66 nett), Bradley Bacon (67), Wayne Cassidy (70). Junior Medal – Rian Mitchell (78).
