From Tony Durkin
BACK SWINGING: Twelve months ago, Chris Klazema feared he may never be competitive on the golf course again, and maybe not even playing the sport he loved. But that anxiety was well and truly put to bed on Wednesday when the part-time Headland Course Marshall shot five-over 77 from his 11 handicap to win the A Grade Medley Stableford, with 42 points. “I had spinal-fusion surgery on my lower back in November last year, and although the surgeon was confident I would still be able to swing a club, he also cautioned me the opposite could be the case,” revealed Chris, who took up the game in 2013 to support his son Keita, who had found the golfing bug. The winning round – two birdies, nine pars and seven bogeys – was his best as a nine-year Headland member, and is just his second win in A Grade. “I was involved in a serious car accident in 2007, and had been able to maintain the back injury until the pain became almost unbearable. The relief since surgery has been incredible,” he said. A tiler/builder by trade, Chris has temporarily closed his business, MOD Bathrooms, and is grateful to Headland for offering him casual marshalling work. Steve Blampied (also 42 points) won B Grade and new member, Peter Dixon, scored 44 points to win C Grade.
HUMBLE JAN: When contacted by HH about her 32-point contribution to Thursday’s winning Women’s Fourball, Jan Langdon constantly reiterated ‘it’s a team event’. Despite that being the case, Jan was the leading light in her partnership with Colleen Berger, whom she met for the first time when they arrived on the tenth tee. “Colleen had her name down, and I joined the group,” 2020 SWING graduate Jan revealed. “And although we had never met, I knew she was a very good player and I was quite nervous for the first few holes.” But after failing to get on the card for four holes, Jan fired, scoring on 12 of the next 13 holes. She penned six three-pointers plus a four-point birdie at the par-five seventh, and conceded she was rather chuffed. “Apart from Vets, it has been a fair while since I have won, but I have been playing okay of late,” she said. “But, as is the case in fourballs, Colleen could have been on the card more times had she putted first.” Recently returned from a three-week trip to China and Japan with husband and fellow member John, Jan said she was impressed with the new-look Headland course.
NOT BUNKERED: Former Headland Men’s Director of Golf, Tony Kelleher, loves the aesthetics of the new-look course. And, as a 25-year member, he understands that the proliferation of bunkers following the recent upgrade requires a more strategic approach to playing the course. “I’m having trouble – big trouble – getting out of them,” admitted the retired teacher after he won Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men. And, ironically, he played his winning round in the company of Head Pro Adam Norlander, with whom he has recently been receiving bunker lessons. But the lessons proved futile on Thursday as Tony (aka TK) scored 40 points from his 15 handicap, because he did not find one bunker in his 18 holes, which garnered a birdie, seven pars, eight bogeys and two doubles. “It is my best round in ages. I think it’s been at least 12 months since I have won,” he disclosed. “Thursday was my third round of the week, and the only time I have not found a bunker. On Tuesday I had 37 points with two bunker-wipes, and on Wednesday, 33 points with four bunker-wipes.”
TWO GOOD: In her third week as Headland Women’s Captain, Valerie O’Brien has returned her best score in four years. Six-year member Valerie was one of 50 players in the Women’s Single Stableford on Tuesday, and scored 41 points from her daily handicap of 29, to win Division One by three points. And to add to the glory, she also collected the NTP at the par-three eighth. “I’m thrilled, and surprised. It is the best I have played for so long,” she said after tabling 12 two-point holes on her extremely consistent card. “I fractured my arm 20 months ago, and have been struggling since returning to golf. But today there were some glimpses of my form returning, but I’m not getting too over confident.” While her string of two-point holes was her strength, Valerie added four three-pointers and a four-point par at the 11th to her impressive card. “It is great to win, but also good to enjoy the brilliant conditions of the course at the moment,” she added. Susan Wake (39 points) won Division Two.
SECOND WIN: Retired Kingaroy peanut farmer George Lewis first joined Headland six decades ago, and on Tuesday won just his second event with an excellent score of 42 Stableford points. “I was teenager back then, and our family joined as Country members so we could play while we were down here on holidays,” explained the 77-year-old. While he remained a Country member for 15 years, the arrival of his own family triggered a change in priorities and it wasn’t until George and his wife Pip retired to Buderim two years ago that he rejoined the club. Starting on the back nine, George (handicap 26) penned 18 points before settling into stride and adding 24 on the front nine. “I had some luck, but played okay,” quipped George, who thinks his handicap might be ‘a little generous’. His first win, with a meagre 37 points in 2022, came in his second round as a second-time member. NOTE: As well as peanuts, George and his family also grew macadamia nuts on numerous Queensland properties.
LIONHEART WARREN: Many Headland members were thrilled with the brilliant display by the Brisbane Lions in Saturday’s AFL grand final, but none more so than Warren Selvage. The former Masters Pennant captain displayed outstanding dedication this past week to the two sports he loves – AFL and golf. As a member of one of three Headland teams competing in a Sunshine Coast Vets’ District teams competition at Gympie on Thursday, the AFL Queensland Hall of Famer felt committed to that duty when he discovered he had been allocated tickets to the MCG blockbuster. Warren drove to Gympie, played golf and then – with a friend to keep him company – embarked on the two-day road trip to Melbourne. And it was a lose-win weekend – Headland lost the golf, but the Lions won their first flag since 2003.
MATTHEW WINS: Headland Junior and Golf Rocks Academy member, Matthew Bothma, has won the Boys 11-year (B11) Division of the US Kids Golf Australian Open at Links Hope Island. Matthew was one of seven Headland juniors competing in the two-round event, and shot rounds of 74, 73 to finish three over the card, and three shots clear of second place. Eight boys from Australia and New Zealand competed in the 11 years division, with the tournament attracting players from the Philippines, New Zealand, Samoa, China, South Africa, Canada, Singapore, South Korea, Cambodia, the USA and Australia. Matthew’s win scores him an automatic invite to play in the World Championships at Pinehurst, North Carolina, in August next year. This is the largest Junior Championship event in the world, with 1600 of the best five to 12-year-old golfers competing over three rounds of tournament golf. Another notable result from Links Hope Island last week was from Headland Junior Champion, Sam Fichera, who finished tied for sixth in the B12 Division.
DRENCHED PETE: Even though he rarely plays in the rain, keen fisherman Peter Gablonski braved the adverse elements to win Saturday’s Medley Single Stableford. “The rain hammered down. One of the guys in our group left us, but – for some reason – we then decided to finish, despite the conditions,” said 12-marker Peter, who was beaten on a countback for the Mid-Week Medal 10 days earlier after shooting five under his handicap. Considering the conditions, a big field of 102 teed off on Saturday, but only 22 finished, with Peter’s 37 points enough for victory. Because of an argument with a grinder in the first year of an apprenticeship, the retired pipeline mechanical specialist lost the tops of three fingers on his left hand and obviously finds gripping his clubs difficult in the wet. “But I used wet weather gloves, and they helped,” he quipped, revealing he had eight three-point holes on his card. And the win triggered a double celebration – on Thursday, Pete and his wife Di celebrated their 54th wedding anniversary. NOTE: Coralie Walsh, playing in the same group as her husband Justin and sons Emmett and Patrick, was the only woman to finish her round.
RED TEE LEIGH: Still struggling with a back injury suffered when he fell from a ladder 3½ years ago, Leigh Mansfield says the fact he can now play from the red tees makes golf more enjoyable. “I can’t turn properly, so my distance has suffered dramatically,” confessed Leigh after he scored plus one to win Sunday’s Single Par on a three-way countback. “I have really been struggling of late, and my golf is nowhere near where it was when I played off 14 in Tasmania before the accident.” But his 99 off the bat from his 27 handicap has been like a breath of fresh air, and Leigh believes ‘things might be starting to come together’. The Tasmanian real estate agent retired to the Sunshine Coast just on four years ago with his wife Lyn, and both are loving their Headland experience. “The members are like family, and it’s a terrific social environment,” he said.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Medley Two-Person Ambrose (92 players) – Trish Marsden and Ted Banaszczyk (64.5 nett), Marg Smith and David W Smith (65.25), Dave Sims and Barry Mapes (65.5), Jeff Jones and Brian Richards (65.75), Jo McDougall and Mal McDougall (67.5), Bruce Reid and Andrew Hempsall (67.75).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (50 players) – Division One, Valerie O’Brien (41), Narelle Hollowood (38 points), Lynn Deacon (37); Division Two, Susan Wake (39), Louise Armstrong (36), Julie Lewis (35).
Men (66 players) – George Lewis (42 points), Robert Pixley (41), Michael Moore (39).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Justin Scattini, Ord Minnett Private Wealth – (226 players) – A Grade, Chris Klazema (42 points), Gary Clarke (42), Gary Marr (40); B Grade, Steve Blampied (42), Mark Ludbrooke (39), Joe Stotschek (38); C Grade, Peter Dixon (44), Lyle Robbie (41), Trevor Gourlay (41).
Thursday, Women, Fourball Best Ball Stableford – sponsors, Robyn Boreham, Di Stark, Gail Young, Marg Moran – (93 players) – Jan Langdon and Colleen Berger (48 points), Leeanne Ptak and Dee Davidson (47), Judy Farmer and Marg White (46).
Men, Single Stableford (94 players) – Tony Kelleher (40 points), Peter Wood (40), Adrian Coyne (39).
Saturday, Medley Single Stableford (102 players) – Peter Gablonski (37 points), Mark Wittholz (36), Mitchell McFarland (35).
Sunday, Medley Single Par (61 players) – Leigh Mansfield (plus 1), Mick Morris (+1), Ian Harris (+1).
