From Tony Durkin 

DAD DOWN: It has been ‘probably three years’ since Emmet Walsh won an individual event at Headland so, naturally, the young draftsman was rapt with his B Grade victory in Saturday’s Club Birthday Single Stableford. But Emmet was even more excited about beating his dad, Justin, off the stick for the very first time. “We played in the same group, and I was careful not to say too much about our gross scores until after the round,” quipped Emmet, whose 80 is his best-ever round as a decade-long member. “Last Saturday in the Monthly Mug I equalled him with 86, so I felt I was not too far away from actually beating him.” Emmet, whose GA handicap has slimmed to a career-low 17.5 following his 41 points on Saturday – with seven three-pointers and no wipes on his card – says he is now taking his golf more seriously, is loving the game and loving the club ‘more than ever’. Jeff Jones (39 points) won A Grade, Roly Hoy (41) won C Grade, Sandi Whittle (37) was the best in the women’s field and David Parker and Joe Stotschek (49 points) took out the Medley Fourball event, played in conjunction. 

LADIES DAY: On a rare occasion at Headland since Medley events were introduced, two women finished in the placings in a Sunday Medley single event. And like a thoroughbred filly – albeit she recently celebrated her 60th birthday – Trish Howe flew home down the straight, scoring 21 points in her final eight holes, to score 41 points and win in a photo finish from Thomas Burt (also 41). Sue Harris (40) finished off the big day for the females by beating two males, to finish third. Trish, who won the April Monthly Medal following a series of lessons from Head Pro Adam Norlander, flew to Mudgee with family and friends to celebrate her birthday but returned home with Covid, limiting her recent outings on the course. “But I have still been practising what Adam has taught me,” she said, reflecting on her round of six pars, a birdie, eight bogeys and three doubles. 

DAVE’S FIRST: He spent much of his two decades as a Headland member living in Papua New Guinea, so Dave Kelso is – naturally – ecstatic to win his first Monthly Medal. Playing off a ‘healthy’ handicap of 24, Dave had 85 off the bat for a nett 61, a win in C Grade and the best score of the day by a shot from A Grade veteran, Peter Francis. “I have been playing poorly for a while, so the change in form came as a big surprise,” said Dave, who had 38 years in banking and finance in PNG before retiring to his long-time Buderim home base four years ago. Successive triples at 15 and 16 spoiled a very consistent card for the racehorse owner, who has among his stable a share in dual Sunshine Cup winner Scallopini. Port Moresby, Rabaul and Goroka were among the clubs he joined while working in PNG. Ian Harper (63) won B Grade. 

NOT WEARY: Those poignant words from The Ode – age shall not weary them – perfectly fits Thursday’s winner of the Single Stableford for Women, Patricia Scott. When declaring she did not start playing golf until she was 40, HH inquired when that was. “It was 42 years ago, so I don’t mind telling you I’m 82,” declared Patricia who, after a long break from the game, kick-started her golfing journey when she graduated from SWING ‘a few years ago’. And while she is not overly competitive and says she does not care if she comes last, Patricia added the proviso ‘but I don’t like coming last all the time’. Playing off a handicap of 42, Patricia scored 43 points to win C Grade, while Karen Wilson (40) won A Grade, and former Women’s Captain, Jane Boaler, jumped back to form winning B Grade with 41 points.

BEST COURSE: When Sydney-based Qantas Engineer Stewart Clover bought a property at Cotton Tree six years ago, he ‘played a few courses’ on the Sunshine Coast to get a feel for where he wanted to play golf in his retirement. “Headland won out, and I have never regretted the decision,” said Stewart, who was on the wait list for two years and finally became a member in January last year. And he has now cracked it for his first win – five over 71 for 38 points in Tuesday’s Single Stableford, followed by an impressive nett 66 (72) in Wednesday’s Monthly Mug and 38 points in Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. Currently a part-time Queenslander who is now retired, Stewart still travels between Sydney and the Sunshine Coast because of family commitments down south, and says that while he enjoys playing the current course, he can’t wait for the bunker work to be finished. “I cannot imagine a more enjoyable course, or setting, than Headland when the work is completed,” he said.

TRISH DOUBLE: Even though they are not her best scores as a five-year Headland member, Trish Murphy remains well and truly ‘hooked on golf’ after scoring a win on Tuesday (37 points) and playing to her handicap on Thursday (36). Trish, who spent a decade living on idyllic Stradbroke Island before retiring to Buderim eight years ago and joining the SWING program in 2017, had just on four months out of golf from November last year following post-surgery complications. “Ironically, I had a cracker of a game the week before I went under the knife, but it has been a tough road since,” said Trish, who won the Women’s Medal of Medals in 2018. Now retired, Trish plays two days a week and had a four-point hole and five three pointers in her winning Tuesday round.

HOT SCORES: The recent run of superb scores at Headland continued on Thursday when Pro Shop assistant Shane Muller shot his best-ever round – three under 64. But his score of 39 points was not good enough to win the Men’s Single Stableford competition, which was taken out by FIFO worker Cody Petrie. Shane, a former Trainee Professional whose GA is one, had four birdies and 13 pars in his round, with his only blemish a bogey at the par-four third hole. Cody Petrie (handicap 18) scored 42 points from a round of 79, with 30 of those points coming from just 10 holes. NOTE: New Headland Trainee Prop, Haydn Garner (handicap plus two), had six birdies in his score of 35 points, while on Sunday five-time Club Champion Dave Rattray fired up on the eve of the 2023 Pennant season, rattling off six birdies in his three-under round of 64. 

WOMEN’S PENNANT: In a dramatic conclusion to Sunday’s semi-final of the 2023 Sunshine Coast-Burnett Women’s Pennant competition, Headland’s Diamond team has prevailed courtesy of the blade of Kate Wilkie. After Headland’s No 1 and No 2 players – Josie Ryan and Sharon Thomas – had taken their much younger and considerably lower-handicapped opponents to the 18th hole only to be beaten by the combined Noosa-Cooroy-Maleny team members at home, three of the remaining four Headland players stepped up to the plate. Karen Wilson lost 2&1, but with Vicky Sheridan (5&4) and Annabel Harris (7&5) both victorious in stunning performances, the road to the final was in the hands of Kate Wilkie who – watched by players and officials from both teams – sank a 10-metre snaking putt for par, and a win. As a result of that putt, and the ensuing draw, the Diamonds have won entry into the final, to be played against the crack Maroochy River, at Gympie, on June 25. Despite a 5-1 win over Noosa, the Emeralds team was unable to move from sixth position on the ladder and will not be contesting the finals. However, jubilant winners on Monday were Lorraine Mazerolle (2-up), Wil Sprake (3&1), Narelle Hollowood (3&1), Monica Antony (1-up) and Jodie McDonell (2&1). Also on Monday, Headland hosted Rubies against Woodford, squaring the match 3-all. Winners were Ellen Bloxsome (4&3), Colleen Sarquis (2&1) and Susie Meade (2&1), and the result has elevated the team in to a semi-final berth at Mt Coolum on Monday (June 19). But the 2023 Pennant season is over for Sapphires, which lost 6-nil at Noosa and finished fifth, and the Opals, which had the bye at the weekend and finished sixth.

JUNIOR PENNANT: Headland’s Junior Pennant has drawn its second last match of the 2023 Pennant season, squaring the ledger against Noosa at Noosa Springs on Sunday, 2-all. Charlotte Ridley won 2&1, Rian Mitchell won 3&1, while Sam Fichera was beaten 5&4 and Flynn Lambalk lost 2&1.

Next Sunday, in the final match of the season, Headland plays Maroochy River, again at Noosa Springs. 

WEEKLY RESULTS: 

Monday, Vets – Single Stableford, Women (14 players) – A Grade, Sharon Pretorius (34 points), Rhonda Biggs (30), Ree Condon (29); B Grade, Caroline Munro (34), Mary Gibberd (32), Christine Osborne (30). Men (62 players) – A Grade, Stephen Noon (36), Stuart Liddell (36), David Werner (35); B Grade, Richard Hancock (37), Harvey Matthews (35), Phil Martin (34). 

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (46 players) – A Grade, Trish Murphy (37 points), Maggie Fitzpatrick (36), Alison Payne (36). Men (67 players) – Stewart Clover (38), Jim Snowball (38), Ian Crombie (37).

Wednesday, Medley Mid-Week Medal – Medal sponsored by Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 (224 players) – A Grade, Peter Francis (62 nett), Jim Aspinwall (63), Richard Franklin (63); B Grade, Ian Harper (63), Greg Smith (64), Scott Ingham (64); C Grade, Dave Kelso (61), Ryan O’Halloran (63), Peter McAndrew (64). Best gross – sponsored by Roger van Ginkel, Thomassen Australasia Pty Ltd – Matt Prince (69). 

Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (111 players) – A Grade, Karen Wilson (40 points), Namoi Doyle (40), Jodie McDonell (40); B Grade, Jane Boaler (41), Colleen Sarquis (37), Tove Larsen (40); C Grade, Patricia Scott (43), Prue Byrnes (41), Maureen Cartledge (40).

Men, (83 players) – Cody Petrie (42), Kevin Howe (40), Shane Muller (39).

Saturday, Club Birthday Single Stableford, sponsor, David Mansley, Mooneys Insurance Brokers – Women (32 players) – Sandi Whittle (37 points), Kathy Atkins (36), Sue Jones (36).

Men (212 players) – A Grade, Jeff Jones (39), Dave Rattray (39), George Stoufis (39); B Grade, Emmet Walsh (41), Justin Carroll (40), Don Follent (38); C Grade, Roly Hoy (41), Syd Shilling (40), David Parker (40).

Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (248 players) – David Parker and Joe Stotschek (49 points).

Juniors – Six-hole Stroke, Karman Barden (green line, 30 strokes, Mathew Bothma (orange, 30), Finn Darlison (orange, 31), Max Faulkner (green, 33), Harrison Swart (pink, 33). 

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (62 players) – Trish Howe (41 points), Thomas Burt (41), Sue Harris (40).