From Tony Durkin
FIRST WIN: Not only did two-year member Lincoln Harris breakthrough for his first Monthly Medal on Saturday, but the victory was his first piece of major golfing glory. “I have had a few seconds previously, but that is my first-ever win,” revealed a jubilant Lincoln, who has been somewhat of a journeyman golfer. A Victorian, he did not play as a junior but enjoyed the odd social game as an adult. When the family moved to Brisbane in 1996 Lincoln joined Wynnum Golf Club, then transferred to Pacific in 2005, where he played for five years and reduced his handicap to 14. He then took a 13-year sabbatical before moving to the Sunshine Coast, and joining Headland in 2023. “I love it here. The course is awesome,” said the Youi Insurance IT Specialist, who scored nett 69 on Saturday, to win C Grade and return the best score of the day. But he will no longer be in C Grade, with his round reducing his GA handicap to 16 on the eve of an upcoming away trip to Bonville, with his fellow members of the Headland Hustlers. “My putter saved me a few times,” revealed Lincoln, who penned six pars, nine bogeys and three doubles on his winning card. Mark Henricks (71) won the A Grade Medal, Matt Macaulay (70) won B Grade and Adam Richards (75) returned the best gross.
HUNDRED CLUB: Although not a cricket buff as such, Kerry Longworth understands the game enough to comprehend the significance of scoring a century. And despite her absolute embarrassment at achieving that feat on the golf course on Saturday, Kerry was delighted with her first Monthly Medal victory. Scoring 104 for a nett 80, Kerry was stunned that she had won, but did not feel as mortified when she realised perennial champion Josie Ryan returned the best gross in the field, with 94. “It was really tough going out there today,” she said. “I was surprised how well the course has handled the recent deluge, but the rough was long and we spent a lot of time looking for balls.” Kerry has played little golf for the past two months, and the 27-year member was jubilant with her milestone achievement. “It’s my biggest golfing thrill since my first hole-in-one, back in 2018,” she said.
SMART DECISION: New member Mike Williams made a shrewd call before teeing off at Headland on Saturday – he elected to play the Stableford event, rather than contest the Monthly Medal. “I have never played a stroke round previously, and playing from the black tees seemed somewhat daunting,” quipped Mike, who won the Men’s Single Stableford with 40 points from his 16 handicap. “And when we arrived at the first tee, I couldn’t believe how far the black and white tees were apart.” With a nine and two sevens on his card Mike – who became a member in October last year – obviously made a smart decision. Apart from his ‘big’ scores, the English-born recent retiree had a birdie, eight pars and six bogeys on his card. For Mike, Headland is the first club of which he has been a member and like Lincoln (above), this was his first-ever win. “I lived in Singapore for 20 years, and played socially there,” he explained.
TAYLOR MADE: One of the very few Headland members who has appreciated the recent spate of wet weather is ex-Victorian Wayne Taylor, who shot two-under 70 from the blue tees on Wednesday’s sodden course. Playing off three, his lowest-ever handicap, the 55-year-old had five birdies, 10 pars and three bogeys, scored 41 points and won his first event as an 18-month member. “I really enjoy the course, but have not been able to come to terms with the firmer greens up here,” he revealed after his outstanding round in the wet conditions. “But because of the rain, the greens were much more receptive today.” Wayne played his junior golf at Trafalgar Golf Club in Gippsland, but fell out of love with the game and did not take it up again until a decade ago. And while he and his wife moved to Kawana Island two years ago, they kept their house in Melbourne and returned for an extended period over Christmas. “That’s when my GA handicap dropped by three strokes. I played some good rounds on the softer greens down there, and then had difficulty playing to three when I came back here,” he said. But despite his impressive score, Wayne – who ironically plays with TaylorMade clubs – has booked a lesson with Head Pro Adam Norlander for help with his short game. “I know there are some good scores to be had around here,” he said, reflecting on a recent round by one of his regular playing partners. “If Trevor Gourlay can score 46 points, anyone can,” he joked. Wayne certainly had a day out. Apart from his winning bonus of $85, he collected $23 for a Pro Pin and another $9 for the NTP at the fifth, where he scored the second of his four successive birdies in a three-under front nine of 33. NOTE: Because of the lack of players, the Daniel Lane Memorial Day, sponsored by the Happy Doctors, was cancelled, and will be played later in the year.
MUDLARK JOSIE: “I am obviously a mudlark,” quipped Josie Ryan after her meagre score of 34 points won Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women. But despite the score being one of the lowest to win a competition in her brilliant career – and hitting just one of the 18 greens in regulation – the holder of 56 Headland Honour Board events was still quite buoyant. “I am not hitting the ball anywhere near as far as I once did, and the very soggy conditions today did not help in that area. But I had only 24 putts, so my short game was good,” she said. Despite the recent deluge, Josie was in awe of the condition of the greens. “The greens are beautiful, and are running perfectly. They are as good as I have ever seen them,” she said. And she was also buoyed by the fact that of the 70 nominations the previous day, eight of the 16 starters in the competition were members of Headland’s 2025 Pennant teams. “As Pennant players, we should practise in all weather conditions, which we did today,” she opined.
KINGAROY KING: He is not considering retiring from his directorship of McGrath Real Estate at Buderim, Mooloolaba and Coolum, but Headland member and sponsor, Chris Pace, has been earning some serious bonuses on the golf course of late. A recent visit to Kingaroy, with fellow Headland members Mark and Paul Henricks, Bryan Haggarty and Peter Dunn, resulted in the five-handicapper coming home in the black, with just on $2000 in prizes. The Headland lads were invited to play in an event sponsored by former member Scott McLennan, who owns South Burnett Radiology, and who sponsored the day. And even though Chris shot his best-ever round – one over 72 – his 40 points gained him only fifth spot in the field. Yet, when it came time to ‘select’ his prize, Chris discovered a Scotty Cameron putter, worth $750, still on the table. And, as he had won more than $200 in side bets with his mates, he generously opened his wallet to support the charity raffle – and again scored big time. Chris added another Scotty Cameron Putter, as well as a pair of Footjoy shoes, to his booty for the day. “I still can’t believe it. I played well, scored well, and fared well,” he said from New Zealand, where he is currently attending a McGrath leadership conference.
ACTION MAN: It may not have been his best score as a decade-long member, but Peter Perrett reckons Thursday’s round was definitely one of his most eventful. The English-born Pro Shop Assistant, who spent 14 years in Dubai in the logistics industry and also as Operation Manager at Jumeirah Golf Estates, scored 38 points in the Men’s Single Stableford from his seven handicap. And while he did not win the event – that honour went to Craig Firns (39 points) – Peter had a story to reiterate on his way to an even-par 36 on the back nine, which started in spectacular fashion. “I was sharing a cart with Chris Klazema, and after I found the water with my second at the tenth, Chris, who was already on the green, waited greenside while I hit my fourth shot,” he relayed. “I took a gap wedge, and knew straight away that it was good. Chris also liked it, and mouthed a couple of times that it was close. Unbelievably, the ball slam-dunked into the hole and then, for some strange reason, jumped out and finished 5cm from the pin.” But that remarkable par was not the only freakish incident of the round. Peter and Chris both hit their second shots at the par-four 17th to within 18cm, for tap-in birdies. While pleased with his game in the heavy course conditions, Peter’s 78 was nowhere near his best round at Headland. That was a one-under 71 back in 2017.
ANOTHER FIRST: A Personal Trainer at Club Lime Mooloolaba, Reece Howell, has joined a throng of Headland members scoring their first wins during the past week. Reece, who is 31 and grew up in Buderim but never played golf as a youngster, shot 86 from his 19 handicap to score nett 67, and win Sunday’s Medley Single Stroke. His only major error was at the par-four ninth where he took triple bogey after a poor tee shot, but otherwise fared well with a birdie, eight pars, four bogeys and four doubles. “I only started playing golf, socially, about three years ago,” he said. “Recently I worked for X-Golf, and was in the simulator a lot, but I don’t think that improved my game. So, I decided to join Headland, and scored my membership six months ago.” Despite his first win, Reece says he still has much to work on.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Despite having a match in hand, Headland’s Weekend Women’s No.1 Pennant team has qualified for the final of its division in the 2025 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Women’s Pennant competition. Spearheaded by Wil Sprake’s 5&4 dominant victory, Headland beat Mt Coolum 4½ -1½ at Mt Coolum yesterday (Sunday). Other winners were Kate Wilkie (3&2), Robyn Muir (3&1) and Angela Pearson (2&1), while Vicky Sheridan squared her match and Cathy Roberts (4&3) was beaten. The win puts Headland on seven points, and with Mt Coolum and Maroochy River sitting on six points and with no further matches to play, Headland needs a win over either Caloundra or Twin Waters over the next two weekends to finish atop the ladder. On Tuesday, Headland’s Mid-Week Two team drew 3-all with Mt Coolum, at Coolum, with Debbie Bennetts again impressive, thrashing her opponent 8&6, with Laura Mason-Baierl (4&3) and Kath Barford (2-up) also in the winner’s circle. Jenny Stokes, however, was beaten 6&5, as were Wendy Mosley (2&1) and Carol Sinclair (4&2). And because of the worsening weather conditions during the week, Headland’s Mid-Week One had its match against Maroochy River cancelled. The rescheduled encounter is planned for Tuesday week (April 15).
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women and Men (cancelled because of weather conditions).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (64 players) – Wayne Taylor (41 points), Jim Aspinwall (40), Andy Whitmore (35).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (16 players) – Josie Ryan (34 points), Kathy Petrie (30), Narelle Hollowood (30).
Men (42 players) – Craig Firns (39), Richard Mallinder (39), Peter Perrett (38).
Saturday, Monthly Medal – sponsor Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – Women (14 players) – Kerry Longworth (80 nett), Liz Dunford (81), Josie Ryan (81); best gross, Josie Ryan (94).
Men (151 players) – A Grade, Mark Henricks (71 nett), Simon Groom (71), Glenn Walker (71); B Grade, Matt Macaulay (70), Todd Petrie (70), Mark Swift (72); C Grade, Lincoln Harris (69), Ben Faith (69), Mark Ludbrooke (73); best gross – Adam Richards (75).
Single Stableford (53 players), Mike Williams (40 points), Clint Adams (38), Brian Faith (36).
Juniors – Eight-hole Parent-Child Stroke – Dominic and Daniel Manning (30 nett), Charlotte and Adam Rydwanski (31), Finn and Chris Darlison (32), Max and Leon Faulkner (33).
Sunday, Medley Single Stroke (51players) – Reece Howell (67 nett), Darryl Kong (71), Lincoln Harris (71).
