From Tony Durkin
POOR CHOICES: Even though she won Saturday’s Monthly Medal for Women, Annabel Harris scolded herself for ‘bad course management, and some poor club choices’. The only player in the field to match their handicap, Annabel scored 84 playing from 11, for nett 73, but was far from happy. “Standing on the ninth tee, I was par with the course and then hit a good drive which just wandered slightly off the fairway, and finished between two clumps of grass,” she reflected. “But instead of laying up, I went for the green and took double bogey.” That seemingly flummoxed the winner of three Medals in the past four months, and she turned her two-over 38 in to an 11-over 46 on the back nine, which included an uncharacteristic three additional doubles. “I must admit, my game has been somewhat erratic of late, yet I still managed to win the Medal,” she quipped. A major recent distraction has been moving house, with Annabel and her husband Noel this week relocating from Bli Bli to Buderim, to be closer to Headland.
CLEAN MEDAL: A retired Automotive Machinist who moved to the Sunshine Coast for a sea change two years ago, cleaned up in the Men’s March Monthly Medal on Wednesday. Now working as a cleaner, South African born Brian Balocca scored 84 from his 16 handicap for nett 68, the best score of the day and the B Grade Medal. “I just love this course,” enthused Brian, who has been a member for 18 months and did not play golf until moving to Australia, and Melbourne, 15 years ago. “In fact, I recently told my wife that if we have another child, I will name him Headland. But that is highly unlikely – I’m 61.” He revealed that when he moved to the Sunshine Coast, he was told Headland was a good club, and from the moment he walked on to the deck and saw the view, Brian was smitten. “The club, and the members, are just so inviting, and the course is in brilliant condition. And I’m not saying that because I won today. The previous Saturday I had a miserable 22 points,” he revealed. Brian penned a birdie at the 17th to seal the side-bet for his team, with five pars, 11 bogeys and a double also on his card. It was his second win as a member. Wayne Taylor (71 nett) won the A Grade Medal, John Jamieson won C Grade, also with 71, and Club Champion Ben Duncombe returned the best gross, a three-over 75. And in the Medley Single Stableford played in conjunction, C Grader Douwe Hoeksema (41 points) was best in a field of 76.
IRISH EYES: Jan Langdon is currently awaiting the results of a DNA assessment to check her heritage, but is 99.9 percent certain she is of Irish descent. And that is why her excellent round in Thursday’s Irish Foursomes for Women is ironic. “As seems to be rather common these days, people are wanting to check their heritage, and my DNA is currently being processed,” Jan revealed when asked by HH if she was of Irish ancestry after she had led her team of four – suitably dressed in Irish attire – to win the event with 89 points. Jan, who graduated from SWING in 2020, penned eight three pointers and a four-pointer in her individual score of 40, to return the best individual tally among the field of 114. In an event where only two of the four scores on each hole counted, Jan ‘picked up’ twice when she could not contribute, but was still ‘very pleased’ with her round. “It is the best I have played this year, and my first win,” she revealed. But she was disappointed the rules of the competition will not contribute to her score helping to reduce her handicap. “I played off 26 on Thursday, but am keen to get back to my lowest mark, which was 21.3 earlier this year,” she lamented. Jan was joined in the winning team by Janette Ritchie – whose contribution included two four-pointers and three three-pointers – along with Colleen Sarquis and Tracey O’Connor. FIFO miner, Matt Potter, scored 39 points to win Thursday’s Men’s Single Stableford.
TWIN WINS: Electing to play the alternate Single Stableford rather than the Monthly Medal on Wednesday, Glen Teakle was somewhat embarrassed that his meagre 33 points topped A Grade. But the retired banker made amends on Saturday, shooting his best-ever Headland round of 77 for 42 points, another victory in A Grade and a winning bonus of $120. “I found myself in strife a couple of times, but mostly miraculously escaped. It was one of those days we rarely have on the golf course,” he said. Four birdies and eight pars were interspersed with three bogeys and three doubles, with his two nines vastly different. Starting on the back, the two-year member shot 42 for 17 points, but roared home on the front with one-under 35, a miserly 10 putts and 25 points. It was his best round since a three-over 73 at Wantima, where he played before retiring to the Sunshine Coast in 2022. In a big field of 235, Bruce Robson won B Grade with 40 points and the competition-returning Doug Meecham (39) saluted in C Grade.
PURPLE PATCH: Recently retired Mine Manager Tony Briffa is currently in a purple patch, and that is not a reference to his colourful – sometimes garish -selection of golf attire. In the space of a week, Tony has won two Headland events and finished runner-up, collecting a total of $250 in prizemoney. After a second last Tuesday week (39 Stableford points), Tony has won Thursday’s Men’s competition with 38 points, then backed up on Tuesday to win again, this time with 42 points. Apart from a wipe at the par-four 17th – sandwiched between two pars – Tony’s round was one of his best in recent times. He scored eight pars, eight bogeys and a double, with 22 points garnered on the front nine. “I have been hitting it reasonably well of late, but not getting the wins,” he said. “I had a lesson with Adam (Head Pro Norlander) last year, and it has taken a while for the advice to sink in.” Tony and his wife Sue are both fervent golfers, and enjoy golfing trips. Last year they were away up north for two months, and plan a similar trip later in 2025. NOTE: Tony is without doubt Headland’s most colourfully-dressed golfer, and Sue urgers members not to blame her. “I always tell him his dress sense is poor, but he likes to be different,” she clarified.
MIRACLE GOLF: Suzanne Pledge modestly concedes she is an F Grade golfer, but revealed a number of A Grade bounces helped her win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. “I played in the same group as Tony Briffa (who won the Men’s event) and he commented positively on a few of my lucky breaks,” she said after her best-ever round of 110 earned her 39 points. A SWING graduate from 2019 Sue, whose handicap is 40, is one of countless women golfers at Headland who play for the enjoyment, the camaraderie, and the exercise. “I just love being out there, enjoying the sunshine, the company and the relaxation. If a good result comes, it’s a bonus,” she confessed. Describing her round as a miracle, Sue had just one wipe which was accompanied by three four-point holes and five three pointers. But her twice-weekly Headland enjoyment will be put on hold for the next two months as Suzanne and her husband Col, a fellow member, embark on their ‘bucket list’ European holiday.
BEST ROUND: When Pelican Waters Golf Club closed for a major makeover just on five years ago, Lake Kawana GP John Matson and a group of golfing mates decided to join Headland. And John, who can play only on Sundays because of his professional commitments, could not be happier, particularly following his fourth win on Sunday as a member. “It was good. The putter worked well and I was really happy with the way I played, although it was patchy as the start,” said John, who scored 39 points from his 16 handicap to win the Medley Single Stableford event. But even better, his 85 off the bat – seven pars, nine bogeys and two doubles – is his best round in 4½ years as a member. And while he enjoyed his time at Pelican, John says Headland presents a much tougher challenge. “I love the course. And it is in wonderful condition, with the greens running well,” he said.
HELP JOSIE: Headland members – and friends – can salute the club’s greatest golfer this coming Sunday (March 30) as Josie Ryan continues her two-year battle with Multiple Myeloma cancer. Josie, whose name appears on the Headland Honour Board a staggering 56 times, is participating in a fund-raising walk for Myeloma Australia, and plans to complete the 3.5km lap around Brightwater Park – with no golf buggy in sight. To be covered for liability, walkers must register with Myeloma Australia, and the link (below) will take you to registration, at a cost of $20. The walk starts from Brightwater Park playground on Freshwater Street, Mountain Creek (opposite Aldi or just west of the Lakehouse) at 7.45am. Josie has asked that if people cannot walk, they can still register, and donate. https://events.humanitix.com/my-greatest-walk-2025/tickets#group2
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s Weekend Women’s No 1 Pennant team has scored another impressive victory in the 2025 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Women’s Pennant season, beating the strong Maroochy River side 4-2 at Maroochy River on Sunday. The result, in round four, is the reverse of the first round, when Maroochy River won 3½-2½, at Headland. Captain Karen Wilson repeated her strong win of the first round (5&4), to down her opponent 5&3, while Vicky Sheridan (4&2) and Kate Wilkie (3&2) both won again, as did Angela Pearson (5&4) in her first appearance of the season. Narelle Hollowood (4&3) and Cathy Roberts (4&3) were beaten. On Tuesday, Mid-Week One was beaten 3½- 2½ by Peregian at Peregian. After winning her eighth Mixed Foursomes Championship two days earlier, Josie Ryan backed up to win her match (3&1), Helen Venter was victorious 1-up and Leanne Ptak earned a squared result. However, team captain Kirsten Kaergaard, following two successive wins, was beaten 6&4 by Di Porter, the mum of 2025 LPGA debutant Cassie Porter, while Gwen Nancarrow was beaten 2-up and Sue Briffa lost 4&2. Mid-Week Two, had the bye last week.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (46 players) – Suzanne Pledge (39 points), Vicky Sheridan (36), Sharon Thomas (36).
Men (66 players) – Tony Briffa (42), Geoff Sawyer (41), Marty Dix (38).
Wednesday, Single Stroke, Men’s Mid-Week Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (148 players) – A Grade, Wayne Taylor (71 nett), Dan Diachkoff (72), Mark Selig (72); B Grade, Brian Balocca (68), Ian Scobie (69), Rory Hanley (70); C Grade, John Jamieson (71), Peter Raymond (73), Jim Saunderson (73). Best gross – Ben Duncombe (75).
Medley Single Stableford (76 players) – A Grade, Glen Teakle (33 points), Peter Francis (32); B Grade, Bruce Reid (40), David Bone (40); C Grade, Douwe Hoeksema (41), Roscoe King (40).
Thursday, Women, Irish Foursomes – sponsors, Mary Young, Colleen Berger, Josie Ryan and Gay David – (114 players) – Jan Langdon, Tracey O’Connor, Colleen Sarquis and Janette Ritchie (89 points), Libby Hall, Gail Young, Robyn Boreham and Shirley Eggleton (85), Allison Bradshaw, Debbie Proud, Nicola Whitmore and Laura Mason-Baierl (84).
Men (79 players) – Matt Potter (39 points), Marty Dix (39), Patrick Carroll (37).
Saturday, Women, Monthly Medal – sponsor Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth – (17 players) – Annabel Harris (73 nett), Janelle Heaney (75), Vicky Maynard (79); gross – Annabel Harris (84).
Men, Single Stableford – sponsor Rob Chaplin, Chaplin Cranes and Excavators – (235 players) – A Grade, Glen Teakle (42 points), Graham Smith (40), Dave Sims (40); B Grade, Bruce Robson (40), Mike McQuarrie (39), Mark Swift (39); C Grade, Doug Meecham (39), Graham Clarke (37), Brad Bacon (36).
Juniors – Nine-hole stroke, Matthew Bothma (37 nett), Finn Darlison (42), Max Faulkner (43), Keaton Fox (45), Nash Hoger (48).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (60 players) – John Matson (39 points), Mal McDougall (38), Jay Gourlay (38).
