From Tony Durkin 

COURSE SMASHED: Headland’s Course Superintendent, Ben Tilley, has described the first seven weeks of 2024 as the most challenging of his decorated career at the club. From January 1 to February 18, more than a metre of rain – 1010 millimetres to be exact – has been recorded at Headland’s weather station adjacent to the 17th tee. The extent of the recent deluge can be put into perspective when related to the overall rainfall received in 2023 – 1263 mls. And in comparison, nearby courses Maroochy River and Mt Coolum have received around 800 mls in the first seven weeks of the year. “This has easily been the most challenging period in my time as Course Super,” revealed Ben, who joined Headland in 2007. “The amount of rain has been one challenge. The other has been managing the bunker project, as well as re-designing a couple of tees and greens.” But Ben said the new bunkers have stood up well during the torrent of rain. “The drainage has been brilliant. The bunkers are now the least of our problem when it rains like it has been,” he said. However, the unprecedented weather has stalled work on the 17th tee and green, as well as the ninth green. “Fingers crossed for good weather from now, and if that is the case the original 18-hole Headland course could be back in play by the end of May. NOTE: Ben Tilley won the Excellence in Golf Course Management Award in 2012, named by the Australian Sports Turf Managers’ Association, and in 2019 at the Queensland Golf Industry Awards, won the Superintendent’s Industry Recognition Award. He is currently President of the Australian Sports Turf management Association. 

MAXXED OUT: Year Six Caloundra Christian College student Max Faulkner has become the second youngest junior in recent years to win a members’ competition at Headland, scoring 39 points to salute in Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. The 11-year-old, who gained his official handicap at the end of 2023, was playing only his seventh competition round, and in that time has reduced his GA handicap from 35 to 29.3. The son of Headland’s junior coach, Leon Faulkner of Golf Rocks Kids Academy, Max scored an impressive 24 points on the back nine, with a four-point par at hole 10B, four three-pointers and four twos. “He loves his golf, and is thrilled to be playing in the members’ comps. And he reckons using the app to score, is pretty cool,” revealed his dad. Max collected $80 for his win, and Leon says the money will more than likely be spent in the Headland Pro Shop ‘very soon’. NOTE: The most recent youngest winner of a Headland members’ comp was 10-year-old Sam Fichera, who teamed with his father Anthony to win the Fourball Best Ball Medley Matchplay Championship in 2020. Now 13, and playing off 11, Sam shot 79 at Twin Waters on Sunday, coming home in one-over 37. 

JOSIE’S DAY: Despite a triple bogey seven at her opening hole, Josie Ryan has returned to somewhere near her best form with the top score of the day in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women, and a win in A Grade. The 19-time Headland Women’s Champion who continues chemo treatment for her Multiple Myeloma cancer, recovered from her ‘duffed chip and three putts’ at the first to then roll in 10 pars and seven bogeys for 35 points from her daily handicap of nine. “It was nice, steady golf. I hit six greens in regulation, and managed to drop a few putts,” revealed Josie, who has now won twice at home this year, following a barren 2023. “And the course was surprisingly quite dry, and I managed to actually get some run.” As well as her victory, Josie collected the A Grade Pro Pin for the third shot at the third hole (the par-five second on the original layout) for a total collect of $91.50. On a low-scoring day, Vicky Oxley (31 points) won B Grade and Laura Mason-Baierl (34) continued her recent run of good form, with victory in C Grade. 

SMALL DIVIDEND: Coming from a finance background, recent retiree Mark Davis was not disappointed with a less-than-usual collect of $60 for winning Wednesday’s B Grade Medley Stableford with an outstanding 43 points, the best score of the day. Upwards of $100 is typically the spoils for winning on Wednesdays, but a smaller than normal field – because of the recent poor weather – meant the booty was much lower. “It was my first win as a Headland member, so how could I be dissatisfied,” said former Sydneysider Mark, who sat on the waitlist list for 12 months before becoming a member just on two years ago. And it was quite a win, with seven three-pointers and a four-point birdie – one of three – on his impressive card of 77. Mark, who started as a junior at Shelly Beach on the NSW Central Coast and played much of his senior golf at Ryde Parramatta Golf Club, bought a home at Mooloolaba six years prior to moving north, and says he is really enjoying the Headland layout. Bevan Horsnell (42 points) won A Grade and Ed Hoey (40) won C Grade.

TODD AGAIN: When plumber Todd Petrie won his first individual event at Headland two weeks ago, his superb back nine of six pars, a birdie and a bogey, was tainted only by a wipe at the par-three 18th. And it was a similar scenario on Thursday, as the self-confessed golf tragic scored 20 of this winning 37 points on the back, with a very consistent four pars and five bogeys on his card. “When I first started playing here, I thought the front nine was easier, but lately I’m finding the opposite to be the case,” said Todd, who moved his plumbing business – Todd Petrie Plumbing – interstate to the Sunshine Coast in 2005, and became a Headland member in October 2022. Todd, who played from a 14 handicap on Thursday, concedes his game ‘still needs some work’, but improved iron play and chipping helped him clinch his second win, which came after a three-way countback. 

WEEKLY RESULTS: 

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (9 players) – Leeanne Ptak (34 points), Lisa Ramen (28), Jill Nixey (25).

Men (14 players) – Alnon Christian Paggabao (36 points), Mark Selig (35), John Kamm (29).

Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (134 players) – A Grade, Bevan Horsnell (42 points), Jack Pyke (38), Gary Marr (38); B Grade, Mark Davis (43), Donald Caldwell (42), Steve Rose (37); C Grade, Ed Hoey (40), Trevor Beall (38), Errol Greiner (37). 

Thursday, Women, Single Stableford – sponsors, Chrissy Eggins, Carmel Visser, Tove Larsen, Jenny Pirini, Maria Hiremi, Bev Banes, Ellen Bloxsome and Pik Chong – (35 players) – A Grade, Josie Ryan (35 points), Narelle Hollowood (33), Sue Jones (32); B Grade, Vicky Oxley (31), Tracey O’Connor (30), Jan Langdon (30); C Grade, Laura Mason-Baierl (34), Sue Keays (29), Mary Ann Sanderson (28).

Men, Single Stableford (55 players) – Todd Petrie (37 points), Garry Holmes (37), Andrew Gerrard (37).

Saturday, Single Stableford (no competition, course closed)

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (62 players) – Max Faulkner (39 points), Tom Burnett (38), Josh Vearing (37).