From Tony Durkin
COSTLY BOGEY: A bogey on one of Headland’s easier holes has robbed schoolteacher Matt Fisher of his best round as a two-decade member. Once a scratch marker at the club, Matt bogeyed the par-four seventh (sixth on the original layout) when he hooked his drive into the trees on the left, chipped out and failed to get up and down. “It was my only poor short of the day,” said Matt, who started on the tenth and was three under the card when standing on the seventh tee after birdieing holes two, three and six. He managed to complete his round with successive pars to give him two-under 67, and not only win the A Grade Monthly Medal with 62 nett, but also return the best gross, for an overall collect of $150. It is his best round since he scored four-under in a Sunday competition two years ago, and was beaten. A teacher at Palmview State Primary School, Matt is delighted with the recent changes to the course, albeit conceding the new bunkers will need time to ‘mature’. “The course is really challenging,” said the now four-handicapper (GA 3.6), who started his golf as a junior at Strathfield in Sydney. Dennis Mikolic (66), won the B Grade Medal, Ben Faith (65) saluted in C Grade and Vicky Sheridan (70), won the Women’s Stroke event.
FARMER JOE: “I seriously cannot remember. Maybe it could be as long as 15 years ago,” confessed popular ex-Maroochy High teacher Joe Stotschek on how long it had been since his last win after he tabled a stunning score in Wednesday’s Medley Single Par event. Joe, who owns an avocado and mango farm at Kenilworth, penned two birdies, five pars and 10 bogeys on his card for plus eight, a win in B Grade and the best score of the day by four shots. “The putts rolled in,” was his simplistic answer as to why the long drought had finally broken, even suggesting the score could have been better had it not been for a wipe at the par three sixth (fifth on the original course). Retired three years ago after a 38-year teaching career, Joe joined Headland in 1978 and despite a three-year break because of illness and injury caused by ticks on his farm, he is now playing from his lowest handicap – 17 – in those 36 months. David Werner (+3) won A Grade and Mark Gersbach (+4) won C Grade.
HAPPY LISA: ‘A nice confidence builder’ was how Lisa Ramen described her five-over 75 at Headland on Tuesday, to win the Women’s Division One Single Stableford with 40 points. “Confidence is so hard won, but so easily lost,” emphasised Headland’s lowest-handicapped female member (8.1), who has been dealing with personal issues of late, and struggling to care much about her golf results. “But on Tuesday there was some very solid ball striking, and I feel my swing is coming back.” Playing ‘quite nicely’ for her three birdies, seven pars and eight bogeys, Lisa said a practise round the day prior following a disappointing Pennant result had helped, and she was feeling her days of regularly scoring in the 70s might be returning. Her lowest round at Headland has been par 73, twice, with two 75s last year the match of Tuesday’s best for 2024. With 37 points, Dianne Keen won Division Two.
HANDY HANDICAP: Although stoked at just his second individual victory as a seven-year Headland member, Paul Stephens credits his 27 handicap as his saviour. “I don’t play golf all that well,” concedes 73-year-old Paul, who spent many of his ‘younger years’ playing rugby league in several Queensland regional cities including Ipswich, Gladstone and Mackay. Paul utilised his ‘handy’ handicap to its fullest when he scored 41 points to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men, with one four-pointer, seven three-pointers and seven two-pointers on his card. “As rare as a win is for me, when it does come it is very enjoyable,” said the retired industrial supplies branch manager who took up golf when he moved to Lae, in PNG, back in 1987, and played to a 19 handicap. Since retiring to the Sunshine Coast and joining Headland in 2017, Paul’s pinnacle moment came in May 2020, when he aced the par-three 18th hole, ironically almost four years to the day from Tuesday’s success.
GWEN AGAIN: A confidence-boosting win in the 2024 Women’s Queensland Country Week Championships at Townsville in the first week of May has led to a series of good results for Headland veteran Gwen Nancarrow. Gwen teamed with Ronnie Morley, her former Darwin Golf Club member and friend of 48 years, to win in Townsville and then returned to Headland for a runner up (38 points) in Division One last Tuesday week, before another second (39 points) in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women. And in between, she smashed her opponent 7&6 in the 2024 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Women’s ICMP (Inter Club Match Play) competition, playing for team Amethyst. “I’m playing fairly consistently at the moment, but finding the course pretty hard,” explained Gwen, who scored 22 points on the back nine on Thursday, despite a wipe at the par-five 16th (15th), the result of a ‘brain freeze’. Pik Chong won Division One with 40 points, and 79 off the stick, Anita Boyle (36) was best in Division Two and Julianne Hosking-Potts (34) won Division Three.
NO BEERS: After a 16-year golfing famine, Andrew Gerrard won his first event at Headland on Thursday, without a wipe – and without a beer. Running his own lawnmowing business, Andrew takes Thursday afternoons off to enjoy his only round of golf, and a few beers with his mates. “But on Thursday I was running late, and didn’t have time to slip up to the clubhouse and buy any beers,” he says, hoping the alcohol-free round was NOT his lucky charm. “I had a really good day with the putter, thanks to a YouTube tutorial I recently watched so, perhaps, that made the difference.” Andrew, who joined Headland in 2008 and spent 12 months working with Merv Lum in the starter’s box, scored 23 of his winning 42 points on the back nine, and inked an impressive seven three-pointers on his card, each the result of pars. “I have been playing crap golf of late, so the win came right out of the blue,” he said.
WOMEN’S OPEN: Entries have been called for Headland’s 2024 Women’s Open, to be played on Monday, July 22. Sponsored by Narelle Hollowood’s business, Skirt Sports, the Open will be played as an 18-hole Stroke event for A Grade players, and a Stableford for B and C graders. Entry fee is $30, which includes a pre-booked lunch, and entries close on July 11.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s A Grade Men’s team has kicked off the 2004 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Pennant season with a 4-3 victory on Sunday over the strong Noosa combination. Assistant Course Superintendent, Stephen Hudson, was the star, winning 6&5, while Glenn Walker, elder brother of former Champion Scott, was eight-up after eight holes and also won 6&5, and newcomer Geoff Walker (no relation) was a 3&2 winner. Adam Richards and Shane Muller both halved their matches, with Sean McGill and Brad Butler both losing one-down in close results at Maleny. The victory was even more meritorious considering Ben Duncombe and Adam Rydwanski, the reigning and 2003 Champions respectively, were unavailable. Next Sunday Headland plays Mt Coolum, at Woodford.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Diamond, Headlands No.1 Women’s team in the 2024 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Women’s ICMP (Inter Club Match Play) competition, suffered its second loss of the season when beaten 3½-2½ by Noosa at Noosa on Sunday. Kate Wilkie (7&6) and Vicky Sheridan (4&3) were impressive winners, while Annabel Harris squared her match. However, Lisa Ramen went down 7&6 to an opponent who finished square with the card, Josie Ryan was beaten 4&2 and Pik Chong also lost 4&2. Diamond has drawn two and lost two matches, and faces an uphill battle to make the finals with two matches remaining against the strong Maroochy River team, one at home, and one away. Emerald also lost to Noosa, going down 4½-1½ at Beerwah, with Odette Day winning 2&1 and Jan Langdon squaring her match. Losses to Cathy Roberts (5&3), Julie Welsh (7&6), Angela Pearson (2-down) and Jodie McDonnel (6&5) meant the team, sadly, suffered its biggest defeat of the season. With a match against Beerwah at Mt Coolum next Sunday and a bye remaining, results from other teams may have a bearing on an Emerald finals berth. On Monday Headland beat ladder leaders Maroochy River in Pearl Division, virtually ensuring the team of a finals berth. Playing at Caloundra, Headland was victories 4-2 by virtue of wins to Deborah Bennetts (4&2), Kath Barford (3&2), Ellen Bloxsome (4&2) and Sue Bolton (4&3). Di Stark (6&4) and Wendy Burnie (2&1), were beaten.
JUNIOR PENNANT: Members of Headland’s Division Three Junior Pennant team – all debutants – finished their 2024 season at Mt Coolum in the final on Sunday, with a 3-1 loss to Maroochy River. Peter Hall won his match 6&5, but Rian Mitchell (6&4), Noah Sergeant (5&4) and Paige Prosser (5&4) were beaten. Players from both Headland Junior teams, and family members, gathered at the club on Sunday afternoon, celebrating what coach Leon Faulkner tagged ‘an extremely encouraging season’. Finger food and drinks were provided by the club.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (46 players) – Division One, Lisa Ramen (40 points), Vicky Sheridan (35), Jill Nixey (34); Division Two, Dianne Keen (37), Julie Lewis (37), Suzanne Pledge (34).
Men (65 players) – Paul Stephens (41), Ted Banaszcyk (40), Ben Kennedy (40).
Wednesday, Medley Single Par – sponsor, Nelson and Lachlan Valderrama, Absolute Building Solutions – (190 players) – A Grade, David Werner (plus 3), Steve Rose (+2), Josh Vearing (+1); B Grade, Joe Stotschek (+8), Peter Gablonski (+4), Kevin George (+3); C Grade, Mark Gersbach (+4), Graham Miller (+2), John Halbert (+2).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (97 players) – Division One, Pik Chong (40 points), Gwen Nancarrow (39), Kerry Longworth (36); Division Two, Anita Boyle (36), Ree Condon (35), Division Three, Julianne Hosking-Potts (34), Raewyn Anderson (33), Colleen Sarquis (32).
Men (84 players) – Andrew Gerrard (42 points), Kyle Schutt (42), John Christmas (41).
Saturday, Women, Single Stroke – sponsor Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth (12 players) – Vicky Sheridan (70 nett), Cathy Roberts (73), Anne Callanan (74).
Men, Monthly Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth (162 players) – A Grade, Matt Fisher (62 nett), Tom Burnett (66), Damian Moelands (68); B Grade, Dennis Mikolic (66), Peter O’Brien (67), Chris Klazema (67); C Grade, Ben Faith (65), Richard Dinkelmann (66), Gary Jamieson (67). Best nett – sponsor, Brian Kesby – Matt Fisher (67).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (42 players) – Corey Zammit (38 points), Max Pasterfield (37), Steve Walters (36).
