From Tony Durkin
JULIE’S MEDAL: She has suffered from an immune health issue for the past seven years, but the diminutive Julie Halliday has refused to allow that illness to derail her impressive golf journey. A Headland member for 23 years from Lae in PNG, Julie shot 83 for 70 nett on Thursday, to win the Women’s A Grade Monthly Medal for July. “It is my first Medal in three years,” she enthused. “My golf has been on and off, but today, thankfully, it was on.” Julie, who cut her golfing teeth in Goroka, has been down as low as an eight handicapper during her Headland journey, playing Pennant golf and mixing it with the best players, and she has set herself the goal of returning to single figures. Her victorious round on Thursday included six pars and a birdie – coming when she dunked a five-metre downhill putt at her final hole, the par-three 18th. Deborah Bennetts (71 nett) won the B Grade Medal, Sue Bolton (72) saluted in C Grade and Lisa Ramen (80) returned the best gross. The alternative event, a Single Stableford, was won by Liz Halliday (no relation) with 37 points.
BIRTHDAY BOY: Just two weeks after turning 80, two-decade Headland member Burgess Stephenson has beaten his age by a commanding two shots. The ex-Queensland Public Servant penned 78 from his 16 handicap to score a mammoth 45 points in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, winning B Grade by four points. And while it was the seventh time the former single-figure marker had either equalled or beaten his age, this was his most rewarding. “It is the best round I have had since heart by-pass surgery last year, and I played pretty solid,” mused the octogenarian. “And considering there were no birdies on the card, 45 points is a decent score.” The other highlight for Burgess was that his unique achievement materialised alongside his son Brett, who was in the same foursome. “Brett thought I would probably win with 45 points, but he didn’t realise I had beaten my age,” Burgess revealed. The winning round featured 11 pars and seven bogeys, with a two-over 37 on the back nine. Another veteran, former Club Champion Brian Kesby, scored 40 points to win A Grade, while Chris Byrnes (39) won C Grade.
TOUGH GOLF: So difficult were conditions at Headland on Tuesday that not one of the 28 starters in the Single Stableford competitions could break their handicap. Jill Nixey and Joy Murray (both 35 points) were the highest scorers, with Jill winning the Women’s competition on a countback. And of the 18 Men, Tim Nunan was best, with just 34 points. “The course was very wet from the recent spate of weather, and it was even raining when we teed off. I am actually quite surprised I finished my round,” quipped Jill. A visitor and friend, Sheree Lokan, was the inspiration for Jill’s good round – her second last at Headland before undergoing knee replacement surgery this week. “Sheree is a former member here, and now plays at Iluka. Her handicap is seven and she handled the conditions really well,” Jill added.
YOUTUBE CONFUSED: With plenty of time on his hands, recently-retired Fairfax Regional Media Executive, Rod Habgood, had become a student of YouTube golf tips. “But forget them. All they did was confuse me,” was Rod’s advice after he returned the best score in Saturday’s Single Stableford for Men. Rod and his wife Dora moved their membership from Bonville (on the NSW Mid-North Coast) to Headland late in 2022, and while both have enjoyed their new club, Dora has ‘settled’ better than Rod. “I have been through a bad patch recently. Watching all these videos made me over-complicate things,” he revealed, after scoring 40 points to win C Grade. “On Saturday I decided to go back to standard old me – my old swing, with my same old habits – and things just fell into place.” On ‘one of those days’ golfers have – and with a new set of Titleist T350 irons in his bag – 19-handicapper Rod penned seven three-pointers on his card, with an impressive 22 points on the front nine. Brian Callaghan (37 points) and Tristan Scott (38), won A and B Grade, respectively, while Janelle Heaney (36 points) won the Women’s event.
SOCIAL LINDSAY: He claims to be ‘just a social golfer’, but Lindsay Parchert pulled out a near-professional performance on Sunday to win the Medley Single Stableford event. “At our age, golf needs to be social, not serious,” quipped the rising 75-year-old following his 41 points in a round that included two wipes. “Everyone has a special game every now and again and plays to their handicap, and that was me today.” But the 15-year member played way better than his handicap of 24. Despite a wipe, he amassed 23 points on the front nine and came home with 18, also with a wipe on his card. “The idea of golf is to be social, and a just tiny bit serious. The win today was wonderful – my first in maybe five years I reckon. But the best part was the fun I had with the guys in my group.” Despite his win, Lindsay – who had a 40-year RAAF career before retiring to the Sunshine Coast – modestly described himself as a ‘bad golfer’.
IN CLOVER: A three-year Headland member from The Coast Golf Club in Sydney, Stewart Clover says he ‘very much’ likes the course, particularly since the recent renovations were made. And his golf is reciprocating, with a handicap reduction of two shots – from eight to six – since he finally became a member in 2021, after being on the wait list for three years. But Stewart played off four on Thursday when he scored 39 points – and 72 off the bat – to win the Single Stableford for Men. It was his second-best gross score – he shot par 69 on the shortened course a month ago, when he returned 42 points in a Tuesday competition. “My natural shot is a draw, so most holes here suit me,” he said. “And while the new bunkers have made the course tougher and you need to think more about your game, I am really enjoying it.” Stewart’s one-over 72 on Thursday featured a birdie, two bogeys and 15 pars, and he was especially pleased with his one-under 34 on the back, which he considers the tougher of the two Headland nines.
MEN’S PENNANT: With two matches remaining in the 2024 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse A Grade Pennant competition, Headland’s team sits atop the ladder – alongside Bribie Island – following another impressive win on Sunday. With outstanding golf from Adam Rydwanski (7&5), Geoff Walker (7&5) and Sean McGill (6&5), Headland thrashed Maleny at Beerwah, 5-2. No.1 seed Ben Duncombe was unavailable and five-time Headland Champion Adam Richards stepped into the breech, but was beaten 5&3 by Maleny’s No.1 and former five-time Beerwah Club Champion, Garth Bailo. Justin Nicholson (2&1) was also beaten, but Shane Muller (2&1) and Glenn Walker (2&1) brought Headland home in an imposing victory. The two final matches for Headland are Woodford at Caboolture, and Caloundra at Maroochy River. Sadly though, the Masters’ chase for a Pennant is over, with Headland going down 5-2 to Twin Waters, at Twin Waters. Rob Van Delft (2-up) and Peter Dunn (3&2) were Headland victors, but Wayne West (5&4), Neven Daniel (2&1), Chris Pace (1-down), Wayne Cassidy (4&2) and captain Mark Henricks (2&1) were beaten by the very strong Twin Waters team.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, competition cancelled because of weather/course conditions.
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (10 players) – Jill Nixey (35 points), Joy Murray (35), Sheree Logan (32).
Men (34 players) – Tim Nunan (34 points), Ted Banaszczyk (33), Don Caldwell (33).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Malcolm McColm, MM Law – (191 players) – A Grade, Brian Kesby (40 points), Peter Perrett (38), Jarrod Roker (38); B Grade, Burgess Stephenson (45), Tony Waddington (41), Peter O’Brien (40); C Grade, Chris Byrnes (39), Jack Williams (39), Mark Beswick (39).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal (61 players) – A Grade, Julie Halliday (70 nett), Kathy Atkins (72), Lisa Ramen (72), gross – Lisa Ramen (80); B Grade, Deborah Bennetts (71), Odette Day (75), Wil Sprake (75), gross – Wil Sprake (94); C Grade, Sue Bolton (72), Lyn Forbes (75), Kath Barford (75), gross – Lyn Forbes (105).
Single Stableford (37 players) – Liz Halliday (37 points), Denise Hutchinson (31), Helen Sedgman (30).
Men, Single Stableford (72 players) – Stewart Clover (39 points), Neil Oxley (39), Stephen Blampied (38).
Saturday, Single Stableford – sponsor, Drew Grant, Safe T Electrical – Women (25 players) – Janelle Heaney (36 points), Naomi Doyle (36), Helen Fraser (35).
Men (212 players) A Grade, Brian Callaghan (37 points), Brett Adamson (37), Chris Weier (37); B Grade, Tristan Scott (38), Dennis Taylor (37), Neil Oxley (37); C Grade, Rod Habgood (40), Mick Morris (38), John Mannix (38).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (58 players) – Lindsay Parchert (41 points), Ben Pearson (40), Gavin Tuck (40).
