From Tony Durkin 

HUGE COLLECT: PE Teacher Jayden Johnson-Moody waited almost two years to become a Headland member, then took five months to win his first event. And when he did, the recompense was an absolute doozy. Jayden (handicap 26) and his mate Anthony Maher (17) – a visitor from Caloundra Golf Club – combined superbly to win the morning field of Saturday’s Future Fund Day with a Fourball Best Ball Stableford score of 48 points. “I’m not a burglar – just look at my handicap,” a rather sheepish Jayden announced at the presentation ceremony when he collected a $250 voucher from the Pro Shop, with an added bonus of $20 for his NTP – and a resultant birdie – at the par-three eighth. “I just had a day out.” Jason tabled 29 of the 48 points, his contribution including three four-pointers and five three-pointers. But Anthony also played his part – adding two three-point holes and five two-pointers. The only blot on their card was a double bogey seven – for one point – at the par-five seventh. 

ROSEY VICTORY: Steve Rose freely admits that when rains falls before tee-off time – or is even predicted – he more often than not pulls the pin on golf. On Saturday, however, Steve and playing partner Dave Wickham had just putted out on 10A when the afternoon downpour arrived. “Dave wanted to pull out, and so did the women with whom we were playing. But Dave and I had a good card going (25 points on the front nine), so I convinced them all to keep going,” the fanatical All Blacks Rugby fan revealed. And the decision proved to be an astute one. Steve and Dave scored 47 points to head the afternoon field of 135 in the Future Fund Day Fourball Best Ball Stableford event. Steve (12 handicap) scored 26 of the 47 points, with seven three-pointers on the card including a birdie at the sixth, while Dave (19) was a handy ally, scoring six three-pointers. NOTE: Tracey O’Connor and Julie Welch who, with Steve’s prompting, agreed to continue their round, scored 42 points and finished 12th in the afternoon field. 

TEAM EFFORT: Despite a last-minute player inclusion, the winning team in Thursday’s Ovarian Cancer Charity Day for Women was just that – a team. “We certainly complimented each other, and shared the good shots and the moments of glory,” revealed Laura Mason-Baierl (handicap 32), who joined Marea Ryan, Nicola Whitmore and Allison Bradshaw to return the lowest nett score of 59.375 in the Ambrose event. “And we had so much fun too,” she added. One member of the group unfortunately withdrew the night before for personal reasons, and Allison Bradshaw (handicap 26) recruited her friend Marea Ryan, a member of Peregian Springs Golf Club. Marea (handicap 32) not only contributed like the rest of her team, but also collected an NTP, as did Nicola Whitmore (handicap 27). “We scored three birdies and with our generous handicap, we knew we were scoring well, but were still stunned when we won,” said Laura. More than $2500 was raised on the day – for research into Ovarian Cancer – in memory of member Lindy Gleason who succumbed to the disease 15 years ago. NOTE: Lindy, who lived adjacent to the seventh fairway, was an avid golfer who served on several Headland committees and organised the first Ovarian Cancer Charity Day. Sadly, she passed away just a month before seeing the event come to fruition. 

BUILDING MEDAL: Because of what he said was a combination of ‘good planning and great subbies’, Grant Martyn was able to take five hours out of his busy schedule of building houses, jump on the Headland website at 11am on Wednesday to score a rare vacant spot in the afternoon field. “I turned 50 on Monday, and thought ‘why not?’,” he explained to HH after winning the A Grade Mid-Week Medal with 64 nett, the lowest score of the day. “I estimate that would be my best round for maybe three years. Apart from 10A, where I had an absolute shocker and took triple, most of the rest was really pleasing.” Grant, who normally does not play during the week, shot 75 from his 11 handicap on a card that included three birdies – one at the tough par-four 15th – nine pars, four bogeys, a double and the ‘shocker’ triple. But while he has not been in particularly slashing form of late with consistent scores of around 34 and 35 Stableford points, Grant did win two Monthly Medals in 2023 – one in April and another in December. Steve Rose (65 nett) won B Grade and Lex Lane (68) topped the C Grade field. 

TOUGH VICTORY: “It’s tough out there on the course, it really is,” lamented Annabel Harris after she won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women, with 36 points. “That’s the first time I have played to my handicap for ages, and I’m very happy to have done so.” Annabel, whose handicap has slipped from a low of 7.8 to her current 11.7 during the early stages of 2024, says the difficult playing conditions caused by the recent deluge of rain – heavy ground, no run, long rough and carts on paths – has contributed to the below-average scoring, particularly by women. “And it is not a complaint, just a reality,” relayed Annabel, who said her past three rounds have taken almost five hours. But her A Grade win on Tuesday – by five Stableford points – certainly had some merit, with eight pars, eight bogeys and two doubles of her card. Set to compete in the NSW Senior Women’s Amateur at Tamworth from March 5 alongside fellow Headland members Josie Ryan and Kate Wilkie, Annabel has played ‘many, many’ rounds in the new year to prepare. 

WIN ENJOYED: Stephen Woolcott plays Headland two to three times a week, specifically to enjoy the round, and does not focus too much on victory. “But it is nice when one comes along,” quipped the former Canberra Public Servant, who won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men with 40 points. Stephen joined Headland eight years ago and recalls at least one prior win, but says the victory dais is a place he has rarely visited. “There is no specific reason I played well on Tuesday – I just had a good day. The course being damp may have helped because the ball seemed to stay on the green rather than run through, as often happens,” he said. One statistic Stephen could confirm was that his back nine – 39 shots for 22 points – is his best on the course. He started with three successive three-point holes, followed by a two-pointer and two more threes before finishing with two and one. 

ON THE RISE: Although a fruitless eight months has passed since Brett Beaumont carved up Headland with his best-ever score of 45 Stableford points, the retired businessman can see some positives ahead. “I think I could be back on the rise,” jested the 17-handicapper following his win in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men. Brett scored 39 points, with two four-point birdies on a card that was blemished with two doubles and a wipe. “But I’m still capable of some rubbish,” he reflected. Brett was a member of Headland for a decade before he started playing ‘seriously’ four years ago, during Covid. He now plays up to three times a week and his simple goal is to become more consistent. “If I could be as consistent as Brian Richards, who never seems to stray from the fairway, I would be happy,” he quipped, referring to his 79-year-old fellow member with whom he often plays. NOTE: When he tallied his impressive 45 points back in May last year, Brett broke 80 for the first time despite a triple-bogey seven at the par-four 12th. 

HOLE OUT FOR GOODLUCK:  After starting his round with his “customary” double-bogey at the 1st hole, 6-year Headland Member Michael Goodluck got his round back on track with back-to-back birdies at the 3rd and 4th holes.  Whilst conceding that the was a bit of luck with the first – a holed shot from 70m after some tree trouble, the second was the result of a tap-in from 3 feet aster a great approach.  From there, it was smooth sailing for the 33 year-old 10 handicapper, who recorded a further birdie on 11, and just four bogeys – coming on the 7th, 12th, 15th and 18th.  Sunday’s victory was Goodluck’s second of the year – having won his grade in Bryan Haggarty’s R2G Communications day in January.

WEEKLY RESULTS: 

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (39 players) – A Grade, Annabel Harris (36 points), Sharon Thomas (31), Vicky Sheridan (30); B Grade, Kym Mason (28), Tove Larsen (26), Ali Lamond (25).

Men (59 players) – Stephen Woolcott (40), Geoff Kerr (38), Bob Trevor (35).

Wednesday, Single Stroke, Medley Mid-Week Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (215 players) – A Grade, Grant Martyn (64 nett), Ryan Tomlinson (65), Andy Whitmore (67); B Grade, Steve Rose (65), Anthony Larchin (66), David Hawes (66); C Grade, Lex Lane (68), Bruce Heseltine (68), Errol Greiner (69). Best gross – sponsor, Roger Van Ginkel, Thomassen Australasia – Paul Henricks (74). 

Thursday, Women, Ovarian Cancer Charity Day, Scrambled Ambrose – sponsors (friends of Lindy), Monica Knowles, Kathy Atkins, Jodie McDonell, Robyn Muir, Karen Wilson, Carol Quin, Anne Callanan, Pamela Hudson and Melanie Byrne – (123 players) – Marea Ryan, Nicola Whitmore, Laura Mason-Baierl and Allison Bradshaw (59.375), Mouna Humzy, Ali Lamond, Catherine Peterson and Mary Dowling (61.25), Kath Barford, Rhonda Biggs, Valerie O’Brien and Ree Condon (63.125).

Men, Single Stableford (76 players) – Brett Beaumont (39 points), Don Kitson (37), Tony Briffa (36).

Saturday, Future Fund Day, Medley Fourball Best Stableford – sponsors, Jocelyn, Drew and Megan Walker – Morning field (128 players) – Jayden Johnson-Moody and Anthony Maher (48 points), Nick Bolton and Lang Pryor (46), Lincoln Harris and Josh Vearing (46). Afternoon field (135 players) – Steve Rose and Dave Wickham (47 points), Wayne Cassidy and Les McClymont (44), Barry Newton and Ciaran Fenton (43).

Sunday: – (32 players) – Michael Goodluck (62), Ty Pilcher (65), Andrew Whitmore (67)