From Tony Durkin
NO PIKING: Wiping the first hole in Saturday’s Single Stableford for Men did not undermine the confidence of Jack Pyke, and just as well. From then on, his worst score was a bogey as he scored 40 points, to win B Grade and record the equal best score of the day. And while pleased with the result – after a month when he says his golf has been ‘on holidays’ – Jack was disappointed with his handicap. “I joined Headland from Maroochy River in 2016 on a handicap of eight, and today I played off 13. It is the first time since I have been here that I have been in B Grade,” he said. But lying in bed before Saturday’s round, Jack concluded that when he drives the ball well, he usually plays well, and that is how things transpired on Saturday. With eight bogeys, seven pars and two birdies on his card, Jack is not totally convinced his game is ‘back’ and he won’t be satisfied it is, until he returns to A Grade. “I had 25 points on Wednesday, and was about to take up bowls, so this round has at least repressed those thoughts,” he jested. Steven Bell, also with 40 points, won A Grade, Wes Houk (39) saluted in C Grade and Anne Callanan (36) won a low-scoring Women’s competition.
FRONT GOLF: Not only can Colleen Sarquis not explain the reason for a sudden form change in the past week, but she is totally flummoxed by the composition of her winning round on Thursday. An Associate for Leadership Coaching Business BTS, Colleen scorched through the front nine in heavy rain in seven-over 43, to score a phenomenal 28 Stableford points. “I have no idea where that came from, nor the paltry effort on the back nine,” said Colleen, whose 60 shots coming home registered just 13 points. But it was enough to win Division Two, and record the best score of the day in the field of 70. To describe Colleen’s first nine as hot, would be an understatement. Her card read (in points) 3,4,4,3,3,3,3,3,2 and, quite obviously, was her best front nine score since she graduated from SWING in 2019. “There is certainly no rhyme nor reason for my surge in form,” she conceded after having scored 38 points two days earlier. Maria Hireme (34 points) continued her recent spate of good form to win Division One. NOTE: Because of Thursday’s heavy rain resulting many players not completing their rounds, the October Monthly Medal was cancelled, and will now be played on Thursday.
LION KING: With Brisbane Lions licence plates 99-BL on his Lexus SUV, Headland President Peter Raymond decided to pull something special out of his golfing artillery in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford. “I have been a long-time Lions supporter, and the registration plates were a birthday gift from my staff at the Beerwah Hotel when I was the licensee a few years ago,” he revealed. “So, after that sensational grand final win last weekend, I thought I just had to back it up with something special.” And back it up he did, scoring 41 points to win B Grade – his first individual victory since he became club President in 2022. Peter had 19 points on the front nine, but roared home with 22, a birdie, five pars, 10 bogeys and two doubles on his card. And while it has taken him a while to break his losing drought, it hasn’t been as long as his beloved Lions, who last won in 2003. “I was there that day, with my sons Casey and Taylor,” he said. “And while I couldn’t make it to Melbourne on Saturday, I’m really proud that both boys were again there to see that outstanding win.” A Grade winner on Wednesday was Quentin Poulsen (38 points), while Stu Ennever (42) won C Grade. NOTE: Only 99 Lions licence plates were available in the release when Peter’s staff gifted him his pride and joy.
RACE WINNER: Kirsten Kaergaard has become the second Headland member in successive years to win the Sunshine Coast and Burnett District Women’s Race to the Coast competition. Kirsten scored 36 points on Monday to beat fellow member Kate Wilkie (34) in the final of the annual event, which is designed to encourage women to play in lead-up competitions at small clubs in the SCB district. To qualify for the final, members must play at least two events in each of the three designated groups in the district. These clubs are Caboolture, Beerwah and Woodford in group A, Nambour, Coorey and Gympie in group B, and Nanango, Murgon and Kingaroy (group C). And Headland women threw their combined support behind the ‘race’, with Robyn Boreham, Marg Smith and Kate Wilkie the top three qualifiers for Monday’s ‘coast’ final at Headland, for which only 31 players qualified. But it was Kirsten who prevailed in the final, much to her surprise, and collected a $200 Pro Shop voucher for her victory. “I have had an injury which kept me sidelined for three weeks, and have not been playing well,” revealed the teacher, who is currently on long service leave. “I wasn’t expecting to win with my score, but I was satisfied how I played in the final.” Despite a triple-bogey start, Kirsten recovered and her winning card revealed five three-pointers and a four-point birdie at the par-four 12th. Tracey O’Connor was the 2023 Race to the Coast winner
AGE KILLER: When he turned up for golf on Tuesday, 83-year-old John Marrington flippantly suggested he wanted to shoot his age. And although he tried his best, a seven at the par-four 11th ‘killed’ his rather ambitious goal. “I started on the 10th, and found the water on my first three holes,” revealed John, who recovered to score a magnificent 45 points in the Men’s Single Stableford, but in doing so had 85 shots. It is his best Stableford score since joining Headland – for the second time – in 2014. “I was a member for five years from 1974, when I sold real estate on the coast,” he divulged. A 22-handicapper, John scored three birdies in his round for the very first time, and penned four four-pointers – including a rare par at the tough 15th – and six three-pointers. “I’m not quite sure how I managed that score today, but my putter did work after finally finding a favourite from the four I have tried lately,” he said.
CATHY BELIEVIES: After watching the Brisbane Lions win the AFL flag at the weekend, and learning their 2024 motto was ‘believe’, Cathy Haimes decided to adopt a similar slogan for her round of golf on Tuesday. “I thought it was at least worth a try,” quipped Cathy, who scored 41 points to win Division Two in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. And the 2016 SWING graduate meticulously converted her thoughts to deeds, with a string of brilliant holes in her second-best round as an eight-year Headland member. Apart from a generous five-point birdie at the par-three 18th, Cathy recorded two four-pointers and three three-pointers on her card, to beat impressed playing partner Leeanne Ptak (39), who won Division One. “The only difference between this round and many recent average scores, is that I thought the Lions’ slogan was a good one to adopt,” she said. It was the third win at Headland for the 36 handicapper, accompanying her best round of 43 points in 2021, and the C Grade Monthly Medal last year.
HEART STARTER: Four years ago, Garth Seymour underwent surgery to correct a heart issue and while the operation was successful, the ex-banker does not play as often as he once did when his handicap was an impressive 12. “But it is not just because of my health issue,” says Garth, who scored 40 points to win Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men. “I’m helping a mate run his pest management business, so that takes up some of my golfing time.” And when he does find the time, Garth only plays on Thursdays, joining his mates in the Fraser Follies. Despite five three putts, he was well satisfied by his win last week which featured twin nines of 20 points, with four pars, nine bogeys and five doubles on the card of the 23 marker. “I have only played about 20 rounds in the past 12 months, so I consider that a pretty good effort,” he said. His previous win was in January last year, with an impressive 42-point card. NOTE: Garth’s medical procedure was a Cardiac Ablation, which is the precursor to having a pacemaker.
RECORD RETURN: Fourteen years after setting Headland’s course record, Brett Rankin has returned to ‘check out’ the newly-upgraded facility. But despite being crowned World Sand Green Champion four days earlier, on Wednesday the Brisbane Golf Club member could not repeat his record-breaking feat at the Sunshine Coast Amateur Championship in April, 2010. Back then Brett carded nine-under 63 – on Wednesday in the Medley Single Stableford, playing off plus seven, he could manage just one-under 71, with four birdies – at holes 11, 12, 13 and 16 – and three bogeys – 5, 9, and 14. The weekend earlier Brett won the inaugural World Sand Greens Championship at regional NSW course Binalong. A Brisbane Lions tragic, he played the final round in a Lions jersey and rammed home a seven-metre birdie putt on the third play-off hole to collect the $25,000 first prize.
ATTACK PTAK: Leeanne Ptak has won a new fan at Headland, but ‘he’ is a fan she would rather not have. “There is a magpie which, for some reason, does not like me,” explained Leeanne, who religiously plays three times a week. “It appears to have a nest in the trees between the fourth and eighth holes, and seems to have singled me out for its bombing raids,” she explained. “It can swoop on those holes, and also the seventh, and is starting to really scare me.” So spooked by the bird, Leeanne now carries a bike helmet with protruding cable ties, and keeps it close by, nervously expecting an attack. “The only thing I can think that attracts the magpie is my motorised single-person skater, which has an umbrella attached,” she surmised. “This started around the same time last year, and has now been happening for the past two weeks.” Leeanne said she was not aware of other members experiencing the magpie attacks.
BIZARRE GOLF: “I have never previously had a round of golf like that. It was quite bizarre actually,” remarked retired GP Richard Senior following his win in Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. Born in Yorkshire and moving to Hervey Bay where he practised for almost three decades, Richard penned four birdies -for the first time – in his winning round. “It was very weird, but I couldn’t seem to do a thing wrong. I actually putted from off the green at 18, to finish a memorable day with another birdie,” he revealed. Richard’s 40 points – 20 on each nine – resulted from his four birdies, three pars, nine bogeys and two doubles – and came after a spate of what he described as ‘hot and cold’ recent form. “I can put the improvement down to putting, thanks to Head Pro Adam Norlander who recently extended the length on my putter,” he explained. Richard beat the unlucky Kate Wilkie by a point. Kate played in four competitions at Headland this past week, finishing second three times and fourth once. NOTE: Richard officially retired to the Sunshine Coast in 2018, but returned to practise for 20 months during the Covid epidemic.
ACE SPONSOR: Bryan Haggarty celebrated his final round of golf as a decade-long Headland game-day sponsor in glory, with hole-in-one at the par-three 14th on Saturday. “But it was my one and only reason to celebrate,” confessed Bryan, who described himself on the golf course currently as a ‘human sprinkler’. “I’m hitting it everywhere at the moment.” Playing off a handicap of six, he could manage just 27 points on Saturday. The ace was his third at Headland, and his second, on the same hole, this year. And because of a change in his business – R2G Communications – his 10-year relationship with the club has come to an end.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Women, SCBDWG Race to the Coast (31 players) – Kirsten Kaergaard (36 points), Kate Wilkie (34), Lea Doyle (34).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (52 players) – Division One, Leeanne Ptak (39 points), Lynn Deacon (36), Jenny Stokes (34); Division Two, Cathy Haimes (41), Colleen Squires (38), Denise Carmichael (37).
Men (69 players) – John Marrington (45), Trevor Simpson (39), Ray Dempsey (39).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Brenden Southey, Prime Property – (233 players) – A Grade, Quentin Poulsen (38 points), Kate Wilkie (37), Ian Farrington (37); B Grade, Peter Raymond (41), Brett Beaumont (37), Greg Smith (37); C Grade, Stu Ennever (42), Clive Glover (40), John Siddons (39).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (78 players) – Division One, Maria Hireme (34 points), Karen Wilson (34), Mary Dowling (33); Division Two, Colleen Sarquis (41), Wendy Burnie (37), Marion Dennis (33).
Men (68 players) – Garth Seymour (40 points), Roger Bryce (37), Tony Kelleher (37).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsor, Headland Senior Women (28 players) – Anne Callanan (36 points), Diane Gilmour (35), Marg Smith (34).
Men, sponsor, Brian Haggarty, R2G Communications (219 players) – A Grade, Steven Bell (40), Will Millroy (37), Jai Straney (36); B Grade, Jack Pyke (40), Jack Lambalk (39), Mal Bradshaw (38); C Grade, Wes Houk (39), Denis Clifford (38), Grey Jamieson (36).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (60 players) – Richard Senior (40 points), Kate Wilkie (39), Dave Wickham (38).
