From Tony Durkin
AMY PASSES: Amy Pincott, one of the most decorated golfers and colourful characters in the 68-year history of Headland Golf Club, has passed away. Following a 65-year love affair with Headland, Amy – who lived in Bairnsdale Victoria at the time of her passing, on Wednesday (July 5) – was 97. Amy, who was an Australian Badminton Champion before taking up golf, moved from Bairnsdale to Buderim in 1958 with her husband Ian, almost immediately joined Headland, and became actively involved in the club. While at Headland she won Six Women’s Club Championships, spent nine years as Women’s Captain and made huge contributions to women’s golf, not just at her club, but at district and state level, and was awarded Honorary Life Membership of Headland in 1998. One of her most treasured victories was winning the Veterans Flight of the Australian Senior, in 1991. A funeral service for Amy will be held in Bairnsdale – where she and Ian returned in 2002 – on Wednesday (July 12) at Peter Murray Funerals Chapel.
WAIT OVER: Former Headland Club Captain, Tony Kelleher, has waited two years for a Saturday golf victory, yet still recalls his win in June of 2021 as if it was yesterday. “I was carried along in the slipstream of two champions,” recalled TK, who won Saturday’s B Grade Single Stableford with 40 points. “With Brian Richards, I was in the same group as his son Adam, and Ben Duncombe, who were playing the Men’s Match Play Championship final. “Adam won 4&3 over 33 holes, it was the first time he had won both the Club Championship and Match Play in the same year, and he was three-under for the day. It was just brilliant golf from the boys, and I was obviously inspired.” That day, on a 72-par course, TK won both the B Grade gross (80) and nett (64), and says he has found it difficult to repeat the performance since. But on Saturday he found an impressive finish, harvesting 15 points from his final five holes. Newcomer Tony Pearson (41) won A Grade and Lindsay Parchert saluted in C Grade, with 37 points.
POSTER GIRL: Trish Howe has become somewhat of a poster girl for Headland’s Head Professional, winning her third event in the three months since three lessons with Adam Norlander virtually re-assembled her game. Following a break from golf, Trish decided early in the year to seek the advice of a professional, and armed with a new stance and a new grip, she continued to struggle. “But Buff said ‘stick with it, and the results will come’,” Trish recalled after winning Saturday’s Single Stableford for Women, with 38 points. She had earlier won the April Monthly Medal and a Sunday Medley Stableford in June, and is now feeling ‘totally comfortable’ with the changes. Trish charged home on Saturday, scoring 21 points on the back nine and winning by three points.
BRETT’S DOUBLE: Brett Adamson has become the second A Grade golfer at Headland in the past month to win both the gross and nett in the Monthly Medal, a comparatively rare feat. Employed by Advance Flight Theories at Sunshine Coast Airport, Brett emerged from the golfing doldrums in Wednesday’s Mid-Week Medal round to score 71, with three birdies, eight pars and seven bogeys on his card. His 62 nett was the best score of the day and won him the A Grade Medal, while his four-over 71 was also the best gross score in the field. His last win was in February two years ago when he scored a superb 44 points from his eight handicap, which slipped out to a GA of 10 before he took some lessons from Head Pro Adam Norlander. “My problem was pretty basic, and I hit some great shots on Wednesday,” said Brett, who collected a handy booty of $175 for his two victories. Sean McGill (64/61) had previously snared the A Grade Medal double, in June. Ivan Fortmann (63) won the B Grade Medal and Jack Williams (64) won C Grade.
THREE FIRSTS: Jackie Walkington joined Headland’s SWING program in 2017 after moving to the Sunshine Coast with the aim of meeting new people, moreso than becoming a competent golfer. But in the intervening six years the former Canberra Professor has achieved both, and on Wednesday she tallied three firsts in her brief golfing career. Jackie won her first Monthly Medal, cracked 100 for the first time and scored a winning double when she returned the best gross score in her grade. “I was very happy with my round,” rejoiced 33-handicapper Jackie, who overcame three successive sevens on the back nine in carding her 95. “I was pleased with the way I held things together,” said Jackie, whose handicap in the past 12 months has slipped out from 27.9. Vicky Sheridan (66) sustained her superb recent run of form with a win in A Grade, while sponsor Jodie McDonell (67) won the B Grade Medal.
PAR PLUSSES: The fields were small and the weather shocking, but that did not thwart respective winners Jenny Stokes and Colin Cross from scoring well below their handicap in Tuesday’s Single Par event. Colin scored plus four to win, while Jenny beat her handicap by two (plus two) to beat the women’s field by four shots. For Colin, who has recently returned from a seven-week overseas holiday, his plan is to continue ‘chipping away’ at his current handicap of 21, with the goal of reducing to 18 by the end of the year. Although he had four minuses on his card, his confidence was bolstered by six pars and eight bogeys. And Jenny’s game continues to improve as a result of her Pennant experience this year, with five pars and five bogeys on her winning card – her second Tuesday victory in two weeks.
LIVING GOLF: A visit to Adelaide last year for the LIV Golf event not only convinced David W Smith that pros ‘play a different game to us’, but it motivated the former Queensland Corporate Superannuation Manager for AMP to work on his game and return to single figures. And the inspiration of LIV has worked, with David shooting his best-ever round – 77 – to win Monday’s Vets A Grade Stableford with 39 points from a handicap of 13. A six-year Headland member and former Junior Golf Co-ordinator, David returned a very consistent card of 10 bogeys and eight pars, and hopes he can get back to where his golf was five years ago when he was playing off nine. “I fell off a ladder in May last year, broke four ribs and didn’t play again until Christmas, so it’s been a long time between wins,” he lamented. Alan Reed (37 points) won B Grade and Rhonda Biggs (35) was best of the women.
LIV AGAIN: David (above) is not the only Headland member to have benefited from a visit to the LIV Golf tournament in Adelaide. Back in early May, recently-retired FIFO worker Dennis Schloss shot his best round ‘in yonks’ four days after visiting Adelaide, scoring 39 points to win a Thursday Single Stableford competition, and repeated that feat in a similar event on Thursday. Dennis again scored 39 points, but this time from a handicap of 19, two shots less than his round in May. While not spectacular, his round was pleasingly consistent – four three-point holes, 13 two-pointers and just the lone one-point – compared to his two four-point holes, four three-pointers and two wipes two months ago, which he described as a ‘mixed bag’.
BMW VICTORY: Headland members Michael and Sharon Thomas have become the first husband-and-wife to win the Sunshine Coast Coastline BMW Golf Classic, with an all-expenses trip to Fiji the prize. Playing in separate Single Stableford competitions, Michael won the men’s event with 38 points, while reigning Headland Women’s Champion Sharon headed the women’s field with 37 points. Michael, who has twice been runner-up in the event, said both he and Sharon ‘had some struggles’ midway through the back nine at Twin Waters on Friday, but rallied to win and score a berth in the National Final, to be played at Fiji’s Natadola Bay in October. The Fiji championship will be contested by all regional winners from Australia and New Zealand. Another Headland member and BMW owner, Rebecca Masters, won the Sunshine Coast event last year.
AUSSIE SKIPPER: Popular Headland member Paul Henricks has been selected to captain an Australian team to play against New Zealand on Wednesday – in bowls. The owner of Bowlers Paradise at Mooloolaba, who plays golf off five, is also a very proficient bowler and will captain an Australian bowls team against New Zealand during the upcoming Sunshine Coast District Bowls Winter Carnival. The event, an Open Fours contest over 14 ends, is an additional event on the Winter Bowls Carnival program, which is being contested from July 8 to 21, with prizemoney of $42,000. The unofficial ‘Test’ against New Zealand will be played at Coolum Bowls Club, from 12 noon.
RIP PHIL COOPER: Popular Headland member Phil Cooper has passed away, aged 76. A member of the South Australian-based Coopers Brewing family, Phil regularly sponsored events at Headland, which were always popular, and often legendary. Phil was a member of Headland for 35 years and served several terms on the Board, as House Director. Phil is survived by his partner, Dee Davidson, also a Headland member, his brother Glenn, sister- in-law Elspeth, niece Rachel and husband Nathan, nephew Andrew and wife Rebecca and their children. A celebration of Phil’s life will be held at Headland Golf Club in August.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s A Grade team continues its unbeaten run in the 2023 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Pennant competition, beating Beerwah 5-2 at Maroochy River on Sunday. Club Champion Adam Richards had his second successive victory, disposing of highly-rated Pelican Waters Champion Joel Stahlhut 2&1, while veteran Dave Rattray smashed his opponent 7&6, the same score recorded by Brad Butler. Other winners were Wayne West (2-up) and Shane Muller (1-up), while No.1 player Ben Duncombe was beaten 2&1 by 2021 Beerwah Champion Sean Daines and Sean McGill lost his first match of the season, going down 4&2. Headland’s Masters team scored a 3½- 3½ draw with Gympie at Noosa, with skipper Mark Henricks (4&2), Andy Whitmore (4&2) and Chris Pace (2-up) the victors. Peter Dunn squared his match, and Bryan Haggarty (4&3), Col Pledge (2&1) and Terry Grogan (1-down) the trio beaten. B Grade was again beaten – 4-3 – but team captain Michael Thomas continued his undefeated run, winning against his Gympie opponent 1-up at Noosa. Steve Bell was the big Headland winner, thrashing his opponent 8&6, while the other victor was Brendan Duncan (2&1). Damien Moelands (2-down), James Daniel (3&2), Druce Fielding (2-down) and Ryan Tomlinson (3&1) were beaten.
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford – sponsor, Perry and Oster Funerals – Women (24 players) – Rhonda Biggs (35 points), Jo McDougall (35), Anna De Bondt (34). Men (61 players) – A Grade, David W Smith (39 points), Gary Savil (36), Col Pledge (36); B Grade, Alan Reed (37), David Parker (37), Mal McDougall (35).
Tuesday, Single Par, Women (7 players) – Jenny Stokes (plus 2), Linda Cannen (-2), Cathy Goldsworthy (-3). Men (23 players) – Colin Cross (+4), Dave Sims (+3), Bob Trevor (+3).
Wednesday, Medley Monthly Medal – sponsored by Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 – (170 players) – A Grade, Brett Adamson (62 nett), Brendan Southey (63), Warren Selvage (64); B Grade, Ivan Fortmann (63), Jim Saunderson (64), Chris Klazema (64); C Grade, Jack Williams (64), Chris Byrnes (66), Tony Larkin (66). Best gross – sponsored by Roger van Ginkel, Thomassen Australasia Pty Ltd – Brett Adamson (71).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal– sponsor, b By Halcyon and Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth – (112 players) – A Grade, Vicky Sheridan (66 nett), Narelle Hollowood (68), Robyn Muir (69), gross – Lisa Ramen (78); B Grade, Jodie McDonell (67), Lynn Deacon (68), Jan Langdon (68), gross – Lynn Deacon (87); C Grade, Jackie Walkington (62), Susan Stratford (64), Helen Martyn (65), – gross, Jackie Walkington (95).
Men, Single Stableford (87 players) – Dennis Schloss (39), Rod Hamilton (37), Jodie Groom (37).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women (31 players) – Trish Howe (38 points), Narelle Hollowood (35), Colleen Berger (340.
Men (216 players) – A Grade, Tony Pearson (41), Aaron Shaw (38), Ty Pilcher (38); B Grade, Tony Kelleher (40), Greg Patrick (37), Graeme Nicholas (37); C Grade, Lindsay Parchert (37), John Waterworth (37), Roly Hoy (36). Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford – Narelle Hollowood and Gary Jamieson (46).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (53 players) – Lawrence Hireme (38 points), Trevor Gourlay (38), John McMaster (35).
