From Tony Durkin
MEDAL MISS: An uncharacteristic missed putt – in the dark – at the final hole on Saturday has cost Headland’s popular Richards family a rare Monthly Medal double. Brian Richards, who turned 79 during the week and has been a member since 1987, was already in the clubhouse having sealed the B Grade Medal, when his son Adam teed off at the par-three 18th needing a par or better to seal an A Grade victory. But five-time Club Champion Adam, who was five-under the card after 13 holes, bogeyed the last, which relegated him to second spot on a countback. “He was very disappointed,” said Brian, who returned the best score of the day – 67 nett – to win just his third Medal in 37 years. “I won my first Monthly Medal in June of 2007, and then won the Medal of Medals later that year.” Brian’s only calamity came at the par-five 13th, when he hit his second out of bounds, and took triple. “I drove the ball really well, and missed just one fairway,” revealed Brian, who played from a 17-handicap on Saturday, his highest mark as a Headland member. He carded 84, with a birdie, seven pars, seven bogeys and two doubles alongside the triple. Barry Newton (69) won the A Grade Medal, Ross Itzstein (68) won C Grade and Adam Richards, who uncharacteristically finished with four bogeys in his final five holes, returned the best gross, one-under 70.
SECOND MEDAL: ‘Absolutely thrilled’ to capture the C Grade nett in the 2024 Women’s Club Championships, Ellen Bloxsome has now added her second Monthly Medal in what has been her best year of golf. And she was even more delighted to return the best score of the day in a ‘bigger’ field. “When I won in March, it was a very wet day and the field was only small,” she reflected. “I feel this was a prouder moment.” Ellen, who had her first taste of golf with lessons in Dalby back in the mid-80s, played only socially until moving from Sydney to the Sunshine Coast six years ago and joining Headland, scored 70 nett to win the C Grade Medal on a countback from Penny Cooper. “I didn’t think too much about my round, and how I was scoring, and I felt more relaxed,” she said, announcing that she ‘loved’ golf and generally played three times a week. The consistent Kate Wilkie (71 nett) won A Grade, Bev Barnes (73) won B Grade and Denise Hutchinson (38 points) won the associated Single Stableford event.
TOBY’S TURN: Playing in the same group, at the same time early each Wednesday morning with work colleagues from the same industry, Toby Zaremba penned his best round in six months last week, but still did not feel it was enough to win. “I thought I might get a spot in the top three in my grade,” admitted the self-employed Project Manager. “But with the terrific scores that have been winning lately, I didn’t think it would be the best of the day.” And not only did Toby’s 40 points in the Medley Single Stableford field of 226 players win B Grade, it followed recent wins by his regular playing partners – Ian Farrington, Anthony Larchin and Quentin Poulsen – who tee-off in the first group from the first tee every Wednesday morning, and have done for three years. “I reckon it was my turn,” said Toby, who scored six three-pointers and 10 twos on his card. Mark Bown (A Grade) and Andrew Hempsall (C Grade), both with 39 points, were also winners, as were Andrew Hempsall and Bruce Reid with 47 points in the associated Fourball. The event was sponsored by long-time supporters, The Happy Doctors.
WHAT BUNKERS: After finding bunker trouble and disqualifying herself from Thursday’s Monthly Medal round, Liz Dunford elected to ‘plot’ her way around the Headland course when backing up on Saturday. “My plan was to stay as far away from bunkers as I possibly could,” quipped Liz, who won Saturday’s Medal with 69 nett. “And, thankfully, I achieved that aim.” On Thursday, playing the par-five second – her 11th hole of the round – Liz found the top left corner of left-side bunker and, after her seventh attempt to ‘dig’ herself out of the sand, declared ‘I’m out of here’. “It was really painful, and I did not want a repeat of that on Saturday,” she said. The winner of last year’s Medal of Medal for Women, Liz carded 89 from her 20 handicap, with five pars and 11 bogeys. It was one of her rare rounds this year following a break from golf when she and husband Tony enjoyed a long-awaited an overseas trip, and also helped out with a family illness. Vicky Sheridan (87) won the gross.
DRAGON SPIRIT: Bolstered by the record-winning NRL victory by his beloved Dragons in Melbourne the night before, on Sunday eight-maker Michael Thomas scored his first win of 2024. “I was almost as nervous as I was watching the boys beat the Storm,” said Michael, as his superb round threatened to unravel with three bogeys in his final five holes. But his one-under front nine, which included two of his four birdies, gave him the impetus to return his second-best best round – 74 – as a 21-year Headland member. Having recently bought a home in Mace Drive, adjacent to Headland’s 17th fairway, Michael and his wife Sharon have not been playing as frequently as usual, with renovations taking up much of their spare time. “But it felt good to finally find some form,” said Michael, who reckons it is at least 12 months since he last tasted victory. NOTE: Michael’s company, Zenfind Accounting, is once again sponsoring Headland’s Fourball Best Ball Handicap Match Play Championship, which tees off this coming Saturday (August 10).
FELT RIGHT: She did not dare think it might be a hole-in-one, but from the moment Diane Molineaux struck her tee shot at the 14th hole during Thursday’s Monthly Medal for Women, she said it ‘felt right’. And the greatest moment in the game for the Scottish-born ex-Kiwi did eventuate, with the 2015 SWING graduate watching on with her playing group and the following four as her ball disappeared in the hole. “It landed on the green and kept running,” said an excited Diane. “Just to be sure, I asked the girls ‘did that go in, and they chorused yes’.” The ace was a first for Diane, who usually plays one competition round a week but keeps her eye in with a couple of social games. “It was never an ambition, but I always thought it would be nice to score a hole-in-one,” she explained. “I know plenty of people who have had one, and now I know how they feel.”
COL’S PLEDGE: When he recently returned from a six-week overseas holiday, Col Pledge – a self-confessed golf devotee – set himself a goal of playing more consistently during his three rounds each week. And, armed with his new set of Callaway Paradym Smoke clubs, he has done exactly that – well, almost. In nine rounds since returning, Col has scored 36 points or better in seven of them, with victory in Monday’s Vets event his third in the space of two weeks. And, in that time, his GA handicap has dropped from 14.8 to 13.2. But there is still room for improvement, as Col’s bizarre round of 38 points on Monday exposed. “It was a shotgun start, and my group teed off on the third hole. I went par, birdie, wipe, birdie, double bogey, bogey, birdie on my first seven holes,” he lamented. “Thankfully, my putter saved me. Putts went in from everywhere.” Col’s winning 38 points was garnered from three birdies, five pars and seven bogeys, and he won Division One by two points. Robert Pixley (35 points) won Division Two, and Peter Birt (36) Division Three. NOTE: Col continued his superb run of form with second place in A Grade during Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, scoring 38 points.
TOO NEGATIVE: Since she was runner-up in the March Monthly Medal, Helen Fraser has stood on the podium at Headland nine times. Yet the two-time B Grade Champion (2021 and 2022) still thinks her current game ‘stinks’. “Maybe I am being too negative, and concentrating too much on the bad, rather than the good,” she reflected when her recent record was mentioned. “But I have been mixing it up.” Runner-up in the B Grade Match Play Championship and winner of the B Grade gross in the first round of the Club Champs in April, Helen added to her tally of dais appearances when she won Women’s Division One Vets Single Stableford on Monday, with 37 points. The 34-year Headland member penned six three-pointers and a four-pointer of her winning card, but her ‘big thrill’ was parring holes nine and 16. “I haven’t done that for ages,” she quipped. Di Stark (35) won Division Two.
SENIOR OPEN: Headland A Grade Pennant team members, Geoff Walker and Annabel Harris, have finished sixth and ninth respectively in the 2024 Queensland Senior Golf Open, played at Hervey Bay on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. In conditions described as ‘very difficult, with cold and windy early mornings and treacherous fast greens as the days warmed’, Geoff (77,74,75) and Annabel (88,88,90), were the best performed of the nine Headland members who participated in the event. And Headland’s reigning Women’s Champion, Josie Ryan, claimed the Over 70s title, despite what she described as two horrendous opening rounds.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland has been eliminated from the 2024 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse A Grade Pennant competition, beaten 5-2 by Caboolture at Mt Coolum on Sunday. After finishing top of the ladder, Headland’s crack team was expected to account for the opposition, which it beat 4-3 back in June. But on Sunday the close results went to Caboolture, with Ben Duncombe and Geoff Walker both beaten 1-down. Adam Richards won 4&3 and Adam Rydwanski prevailed 3&2, but Sean McGill (5&4), Steven Hudson (3&1) and Shane Muller (2&1) were beaten. The final, between Caboolture and Bribie Island, will be played at Noosa Springs this Sunday.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (37 players) – Division One, Helen Fraser (37 points), Leeanne Ptak (34), Anne Callanan (34); Division Two, Di Stark (35), Pam Andrews (35), Margaret Moran (34).
Men (78 players) – Division One, Col Pledge (38 points), Nick Cox (36), Peter O’Brien (36); Division Two, Robert Pixley (35), Ken Wales (35), John Logan (32); Division Three, Peter Birt (36), Peter Keane (32), Ezio Allemano (31).
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, (120 players) – Peter Wood and Don Caldwell (45 points), Marg Howard and Gay David (45), Althea McLean and Carolyn Schwarz (45).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford and – Fourball Best Ball Stableford sponsor, The Happy Doctors – (226 players) – A Grade, Mark Bown (39 points), Col Pledge (38), Nathan Osborn (36); B Grade, Toby Zaremba (40), Tony Coad (38), Paul Anderson (38); C Grade, Andrew Hempsall (39), Steven Makin (37), Haenga Pirini (36). Fourball – Andrew Hempsall and Bruce Reid (47 points).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal – sponsor, Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth (65 players) – A Grade, Kate Wilkie (71 nett), Colleen Berger (71), Fiona Munro (74), gross – Fiona Munro (84); B Grade, Bev Barnes (73), Helen Fraser (73), Linda Cannon (73), gross – Helen Fraser (94); C Grade, Ellen Bloxsome (70), Penny Cooper (70), Wendy Burnie (72), gross – Kaye Simmons (102).
Single Stableford (37 players) – Denise Hutchinson (38 points), Christine Hall (34), Vicky Maynard (33).
Men, Single Stableford (83 players) – Mal Galletly (38 points), Josh Poole (37), Lance Milne (36).
Saturday, Monthly Medal, Women – sponsor, Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth – (27 players) – Liz Dunford (69 nett), Gail Young (72), Vicky Sheridan (75), gross – Vicky Sheridan (87).
Men – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (212 players) – A Grade, Barry Newton (69 nett), Adam Richards (69), Darren McLeod (70); B Grade, Brian Richards (67), Tony Coad (68), George Stoufis (69); C Grade, Ross Itzstein (68), Ian Harper (68), Jam Saunderson (70). Best gross – sponsor, Brian Kesby – Adam Richards (70).
Juniors, Nine-hole Stroke, Matthew Bothma (37), Finn Darlison (37), Keaton Fox (43), Dominic Manning (44), Oliver Brown (44).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (58 players) – Michael Thomas (41 points), Wendy Burnie (38), Dave Sims (36).
