From Tony Durkin
BEEFY GOLF: Greg Wareham may have carved up the front nine at Headland on Saturday, but the Baringa IGA butcher conceded he had then not been ‘much chop’ on the back nine. Greg and Tom Hewitt both scored 40 points in Saturday’s Single Stableford, with Tom winning A Grade and Greg saluting in B Grade, his first visit to the victory dais in more than two years. But for Greg, it was a case of two extraordinarily contradictory nines. The 16-marker started sensationally, and was square with the card before a double bogey struck at the ninth, and he finished with an exceptional 24 points. But he made mincemeat of the back nine, with just the one par among six bogeys and two doubles, yet his 16 points from 46 strokes was still enough to carry him through for the win. For the second time in three weeks, 88-year-old former Police Superintendent Don Teague (38 points) won C Grade, while Fiona Munro and Naomi Doyle (46 points) teamed to win the Fourball Best Stableford played in conjunction with the single event.
DUNFORD DEAL: Headland members Liz Dunford and Sandee Brimblecombe have been regular golfing partners – and close friends – for six years, which makes the win by Liz in Saturday’s Women’s Single Stableford a tad ironic. Before last Saturday week, both Liz and Sandee could not recall their last win in an individual event at Headland, but Sandee was able to end her lengthy drought the previous week, winning the Saturday Single Stroke. Liz then took her turn, winning Saturday’s Single Stableford for Women with 37 points, the same score as Sandee who, following a series of countbacks, finished fourth. And both players had identically-reversed nines – Liz 16 on the front and 21 on the back, Sandee 21 on the front and 16 on the back. “I actually felt a bit of a fraud taking the win on a countback as I scored just one point on the final hole,” Liz quipped. NOTE: Liz and Sandee teamed in the associated Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, scored 45 points, and finished sixth in the big field of 248 players.
BIG PAY DAY: When Chris Byrnes sold his business – Bundilla Dry Cleaners – and retired a decade ago, he knew he would need another interest apart from his morning swim with the Mooloolaba Beach Bums. And despite never playing the game previously, Chris turned to golf, joined Headland in 2017 and started on the then maximum men’s handicap of 36. “I really struggled early, but stuck with it because I enjoyed the course, the camaraderie and the exercise,” said Chris, who collected his biggest-ever pay day on Wednesday when he pocketed $150. Not only did he return the equal best score of the day in the Medley Single Stableford – 39 points – Chris won C Grade and also teamed with Eric Larsen to win the associated Fourball, with 49 points. Ross Roberts (also 39) continued his recent good form to win A Grade, while Jim Aspinwall (38) won C Grade.
AUSSIE LEE: Lee Heseltine, a SWING graduate from 2019 who until two weeks ago was playing competition golf once a fortnight, is Headland’s Australia Day Champion for 2023. A Radiation Therapist at Royal Brisbane Hospital, two weeks ago Lee stepped back to become a five-day-a-fortnight operative, and is keen to play more golf – which will be from a lower handicap following her 42 points in Thursday’s Medley Single Stableford. “After graduating from SWING, I started on the maximum handicap of 45, but working in Brisbane fulltime I found it difficult to find consistency in my game playing just once a fortnight,” she said. Thursday’s round of 107 from her handicap of 40 is easily her best gross score, although she did have 42 points previously, but was beaten that day by a score of 44. On Thursday Lee had seven three-point holes and one four-pointer and, most pleasingly, no wipes on her card.
DISBELIVERS: “No-one could believe I was playing from a 28 handicap,” was Cody Petrie’s explanation after the FIFO worker started Sunday’s Single Stableford with five successive three-pointers, then a four-point par at the seventh. Despite a slight lapse on the back nine – 18 points compared to his 24 on the front – Cody won his first event as a Headland member with 42 points, and turned in his best-ever round (94). Cody attended school at nearby Mountain Creek, has lived in Karawatha Drive for 12 years and finally became a member with playing rights six months ago. “I played safe,” he explained after a round that included eight three-pointers, his four-point par and no wipes. “I can’t wait to get back in two weeks and play again,” the 23-year-old dad enthused.
HOME FOR HOLMES: Garry Holmes waited 14 months before becoming a full playing Headland member in April last year, but it was well worth the wait. In the interim Garry – a recently-retired Building Manager – was able to build his new home at Golden Beach and get his head around playing consistent competition golf for the first time since the late 90s. “I was a member at McLeod in Brisbane but, being a cricket tragic, took up QCA umpiring until 12 months ago,” he revealed. Garry won his first event as a member in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men, scoring 37 points from his 19 handicap, with 22 of those points coming on a back nine of four three-point holes and six two-pointers. “My driver let me down on the front nine – I only hit one fairway,” said Garry, who has been consistently appearing on the $5 run-down list for his past half dozen games.
BACK-TO-BACK: Sue Condos has gone back-to-back for her first two wins as a Headland member but – again – has just failed to break through the 100-barrier. Sue won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women with 37 points, two less than she totalled to head the field a week earlier. But there were some plusses – she had one less stroke on her handicap, down from 31 to 30, and scored two pars on Tuesday, something she was unable to achieve the previous Tuesday. But her golf is gradually improving, and the motto of the former competitive softballer, netballer, tennis player and swimmer is to ‘hang in there’. Sue won the B Grade division while Leeanne Ptak (36 points) saluted in A Grade.
KEN AGAIN: Three days out from his 82nd birthday, Ken Anderson has shot less than his age yet again. After a shocker of a start in Saturday’s Single Stableford – bogey, double bogey, bogey, bogey – the wily old veteran came home in two over par from the fifth hole for 37 points from his handicap of eight. He had birdies at the ninth, 14th and 16th and his seven-over 79 was the 20th time he has either equalled or beaten his age as a Headland member. Ken and 78-year-old fellow member Bob Trevor are staging a battle royal in the club’s ‘age shooting’ title, with Bob having achieved the rare golfing feat 21 times with a round of 78 just 10 days ago. Also on Saturday, Bob shot 79, one more than his age.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (54 players) – A Grade, Leeanne Ptak (36 points), Jill Nixey (36), Mouna Humzy (35). Men (69 players) – Garry Holmes (37), Dean Smareglia (36), Alan Stratford (35).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Adam Robins, AR Coastal Scaffolding – (229 players) – A Grade, Ross Roberts (39 points), Dean Smareglia (37), Ian Moore (37); B Grade, Jim Aspinwall (38), Michael Rose (38), Barry Potter (37); C Grade, Chris Byrnes (39), Glen Weekes (39), Bob Snowball (38). Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford – Chris Byrnes and Eric Larsen (49 points).
Thursday, Australia Day Medley Single Stableford (103 players) – Lee Heseltine (42 points), Jay Gourlay (39), Charlie Worthy (39), Sharon Purnell (38).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsor, Bev and Ross Kelly – (34 players) – Liz Dunford (37 points), Bev Kelly (37), Marg Smith (37). Men (214 players) – A Grade, Tom Hewitt (40), Andrew Stirling (39), Ian Michel (39); B Grade, Greg Wareham (40), Derrick Bogaart (39), Richard Ryan (37); C Grade, Don Teague (38), Stu Ennever (37), John Jackson (37). Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (248 players) – Fiona Munro and Naomi Doyle (46 points).
Juniors – Parent and Child, 7 and under, Blake and John Rydwanski (38 strokes); 8-10, Max and Leon Faulkner (36); 11-13, Kamran and Marjorie Bardon (39).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (61 players) – Cody Petrie (42 points), Angela Pearson (40), Narelle Hollowood (39).
