From Tony Durkin
PENNANT WIN: Despite a draw in the final round of the 2025 Sunshine Coast Junior Pennant competition, Headland’s No.2 team has won the Division Two Pennant. In Sunday’s match at home, Headlands’ No1 and No.2 teams fought out a thrilling 2-2 draw, with current Junior Champion Sam Fichera beating 11-year-old leftie Finn Darlison in the top-billed clash, 2&1. The second win for Headland No.1 came from David Groom, who downed Dom Manning in another thriller, also 2&1. Wins for Headland No.2 came from Mathew Bothma, 5&4 against Seth Riley, while Max Faulkner beat Lewis Matthewson 3&2. In a tight scoreboard finish, Headland No.2 finished on 12 points, Caloundra on 11, and Headland No.1 was third, with 10 points. Headland’s last Junior Pennant win was in 2016 when, ironically, two Headland teams contested the final. And that day, Headland No.2 also prevailed against their No.1 counterparts.
LISA LEADS: In search of her third Headland Women’s Championship, Lisa Ramen (267) holds a two-shot lead going into Thursday’s final round. But the club’s lowest handicapped female player has been making hard work of her quest, winning just one of the first three rounds, and on Saturday surrendering three shots of the five-stroke lead she held after two rounds. Annabel Harris (269) appears to be Lisa’s only serious challenger after returning the best scores in rounds one and three. Lisa, the popular pick to add to her titles in 2006 and 2007, shot 90 on Saturday, while Annabel scored 87 and Kate Wilkie carded 88. “My putter has deserted me,” lamented Lisa, who revealed she has averaged 38 putts per round during the Championships. “I love quick greens, and would be whingeing if they were slow. But it’s me, not the greens. Hopefully things will be better come Thursday.” In B Grade, leader Kathy Atkins (294) has thrown the Championship wide open to the chasing trio of Gwen Nancarrow, Wil Sprake and Kirsten Kaergaard. Despite her eight-shot lead, a previously-planned Sydney trip means Kathy will not play Thursday’s final round with Gwen, Wil and Kirsten – each sitting on 302 – to fight for the major spoils. In C Grade, Sue Briffa (328) leads from Sue Harris (331) and Wendy Burnie (339), with just three shots separating the next five. Kate Wilkie (nett 72) won Saturday’s A Grade Stroke round, with Lynn Deacon (70) prevailing in B Grade and Sue Harris (72) in C Grade.
JACK’S BACK: Former Pro Surfer Jack Reginato took up golf six years ago to enjoy relaxation time with his mates, but he never expected to be good enough at his new sport to win competitions. Yet despite playing just 11 comp rounds as a Headland member, Jack has now won twice, his second victory coming in Saturday’s Medley Single Stableford. The Caloundra State High teacher carded his best-ever round of 81, scoring 42 points from his 15 handicap to win B Grade, and street the field of 192 by three points. “I was really happy with my back nine,” said Jack, who started with a double bogey at 10 and a bogey at 12, then parred the next six holes. “It is my best round in a competition, and my three-over 39 on the back is my best-ever nine.” Jack’s previous victory was in February last year, when he scored 84 in the Monthly Medal for nett 65, and an easy win in C Grade. But while teacher Jack took top honours on Saturday, an 11-year-old student at Buderim Mountain State School was the toast of the club after he won A Grade, with 39 points. Finn Darlison scored 79 from his 10 handicap, with two birdies, seven pars and nine bogeys on his card. He played in the morning field, then turned around and won the afternoon Junior Fourball Best Ball Stableford with his Junior Pennant teammate, Max Faulkner. His 79 was Finn’s best round at Headland, but he has scored 78 at Mt Coolum. Wayne Harriott, back on the Sunshine Coast just three days after returning from a break at his North Queensland property, won C Grade with 39 points.
DUNCAN DOUBLE: He has shaved 17 shots from his handicap in nine years as a member and been a regular B Grade Pennant player since 2017, yet until Wednesday effervescent sparkie Brendan Duncan had never won a Monthly Medal. And not only did he win the A Grade Medal with a round of 75 for 72 nett, but he also returned the best gross score for a rare personal golfing double. “I have had a few wins over the years, but that is my first Medal,” said a chuffed Brendan, who started on a handicap of 19 when he joined Headland in 2016, having only played the game socially. “My GA handicap just before Christmas was seven, and after today’s round I am down to 2.8.” Brendan, whose ultimate goal is to play off scratch, puts his improved form down to a new Titleist GT2 driver, as well as a conscientious decision ‘not to put too much pressure on myself’. “That is my best score from the Championship tees since I scored par 72 last year in a Medal round, and was beaten on a countback,” he revealed, after carding two birdies, 11 pars and five bogeys on Wednesday. Brendan won A Grade on a countback from cash converter Terry Ward, Quentin Poulsen (72) won B Grade, and Michael Phillips (70) returned the best nett score of the day to win the C Grade Medal.
MARY’S JOY: Mary Dowling was naturally excited about scoring her first Headland win in ‘a few years, at least’, but was more ecstatic about the recent feat of her grandson, Sam Howse. A member of The Brisbane Golf Club, where he plays off plus two, Sam has just won the Queensland Sand Greens Championship for the third successive year. Born and raised on the family property at St George, Sam shot 15-under par at Alpha to win the two-round, par 140 event. And although Mary is adamant Sam did not acquire his golfing skills from her, she continues to love her regular golfing days at Headland, even if the wins are few and far between. “It’s just nice to be able to hit a decent shot every now and again,” she said after her 36 points won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. “Recently my handicap has been coming down and I have been playing okay, but not winning. So, this is a rare occasion.” Mary, who has been a Headland member with husband Russell since 2005, said she has never seen the course in better condition. “It looks absolutely beautiful,” she praised.
TREE BREAK: Unable to take part in a school tree-planting excursion to Kawana Forest on Tuesday because of a dental appointment, Dom Manning made the most of his ‘day off’. The 11-year-old, who is a member of Headland’s victorious 2025 Junior Pennant team, scored 38 points to win the Men’s Single Stableford event. “Dom had an early appointment with the dentist, and when he saw a vacant spot on the timesheet later in the day he asked if he could play,” explained his mum, Amber. “He had a lesson with his coach, Leon (Faulkner) later in the afternoon, so I thought ‘why not’.” And it was a round to remember for the Grade Six student at Pacific Lutheran College, with his 83 gross rewarding him with his lowest GA handicap, of 13.9. He penned a birdie – at the tough par-four fourth hole – nine pars, four bogeys, two doubles and a triple, for just his second victory in ‘open’ company. But it was not his best round. That came in April when he beat Headland’s very first junior member and now Club Patron, Simon Whittle, to win B Grade, shooting 81 from the blue tees, and scoring 40 Stableford points.
MASON MAGIC: Despite playing from a handicap of 31, Kym Mason enjoys the challenge of competing against better golfers. And the class of 11-marker Heidi Falconer, a visitor from Maroochy River, obviously rubbed off on Kym during Thursday’s June Monthly Medal round, with the former Townsville teacher winning her first Medal. “And Heidi and I both won the Pro Pins, another first for me, so it was a great day,” beamed Kym following her score of 72 nett. “Rather than feel intimidated by low handicapped players, I seem to accept the challenge, and usually play better in their company. And Heidi was very encouraging.” After playing hockey and volleyball when younger, Kym answered a Headland advert for the 2015 SWING program shortly after she moved to Maroochydore, and has not looked back. “We’ve been travelling lately and I haven’t been playing as often, but I am keen to get back to my regular Tuesday and Thursday golf routine,” she said. Kym won the C Grade Medal, Lisa Ramen (77 nett) won A Grade and Gwen Nancarrow (also 72 nett) saluted in B Grade.
STELLER DELLER: So keen has Alan Deller been to improve his golf, during the recent spate of wet weather he hired Headland’s simulator to help hone his game. And, finally, his enthusiasm has paid dividends, with victory in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford. “I think my last win was at Pelican Waters, possibly as long as five years ago,” Alan confessed, confirming it had been ‘a very long time between drinks’. “My handicap has blown out from 20 to 27 in the past 12 months, and I’ve found the recent conditions at Headland really tough to handle. Alan’s elixir on Wednesday was three-fold – accurate driving, five one-putt greens and more run on the course. He scored 38 points to win C Grade, penning six three-pointers on his card but, more importantly, no wipes. A very keen golfer, Alan is a member of QSOOM – Queensland Senior Order of Merit – and, with friends, regularly plays on the circuit north of Brisbane, for ‘something different’. “And while it is good to experience other courses, this has certainly helped contribute to my expanding handicap,” he admitted. Mark Bown won A Grade, also with 38 points, and Wayne Chugg (35) won B Grade.
ERRATIC WIN: Former Headland Men’s Captain, Tony Kelleher, has scored his third win for the year, but still rates his golf as erratic. “I had one hosel rocket (a shank), two bunker episodes, two doubles and two wipes in my round,” Tony clarified after scoring 37 points to head the field in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men. “That is what I call erratic.” But, as Tony emphasised, lower-than-normal scores are winning Headland competitions of late and his two birdies, four pars and eight bogeys were enough to win yet another Thursday event. And he realises he is not the only member struggling with the tough conditions, after noting his handicap had ballooned from 11 to 16 since March. “It is interesting that 37 points, quite often, is winning comps these days. Twelve months ago, that might have won $5 in the rundown,” he assumed. A member of the Fraser Follies, Tony headed fellow members Shane Muller and Ian Moore on to the dais, with both scoring 36 points.
JUDDY’S ACE: Popular Headland member and magnanimous sponsor, Justin Walsh, experienced an intriguing interaction with two of Headland’s par threes last week. Juddy, as Managing Director of Walsh Consulting Engineers, has sponsored the Sunshine Coast Amateur Open at Headland for the past 26 years, had his own moment of glory on Saturday, after just missing a special moment three days earlier. The 32-year member aced the par-three eighth on Saturday after his tee shot – which he said ‘never left the pin’ – landed short of the hole and rolled in for his third ace at Headland. “And I was desperately unlucky on Wednesday. My tee shot lipped out, and finished 40cms from the hole,” he bemoaned. For these two efforts he collected a total of $88, not exactly a return on his 26 years of sponsorship, but enough to cover a ‘shout’ at the bar.
PERFECT DAY: Nick Reed’s reaction to his first win in ‘more than 12 months, at least’ was the word perfection. “My golf wasn’t, but the day, the course, and the weather certainly was,” enthused Nick, who scored plus six to beat the previous Sunday’s victor, Jarvis Washington, on a countback in Sunday’s Medley Par Plus. “I haven’t been playing much lately and when I have, it has been very average. Today was another mixed bag, but that’s my golf.” The 30-year-old ‘baby’ of the five-member Reed family, Nick penned nine pars, six bogeys, a double and two wipes, and said the brilliant conditions were conducive to good golf. “It was perfect out there today,” he said. But while Nick was happy with this win, he was ecstatic that he played in the same group as eight-marker Jason Childs, who eagled two successive holes. After a double bogey at the par-five tenth, Jason drove just through the green at 11, and dropped a 12-metre putt coming back. On the next hole, the par-four 12th, he struck a perfect nine-iron that landed short of the pin, and rolled in. The recently-qualified Accountant said it was one of his best golfing days, despite what he says was some otherwise average golf. However, with $30 for each of his eagles, $38 for the Pro Pin at 12 and $5 in the rundown, he collected more spoils than winner Nick.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland has announced teams for the 2025 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Competition, to start next Sunday, June 22, for B Grade and Masters, and the following Sunday (July 6) for A Grade. The teams are:A Grade – Adam Richards, Adam Rydwanski, Sean McGill, Shane Muller, Jack Hourn, Brad Butler, Brenton Liaropoulos and Glenn Walker, with James Brownsworth non-playing captain; B Grade – Steven Bell (captain), Brendan Duncan, Damian Moelands, Todd Petrie, Sam Schefe, Tony Mesic, Ryan Tomlinson, Brad Williams, Matt Hetherington, Spencer Ives, Michael Thomas and James Daniel; Masters – Mark Henricks (captain), Wayne Taylor, Chris Pace, Peter Perrett, Andy Whitmore, Colin Pledge, Peter Dunn, Wayne Cassidy and Rob Van Delft. On Sunday (yesterday) Headland warmed up with the annual ‘Kings of the Coast’ Challenge against Maroochy River, at Maroochy River, and recorded a 7½-4½ victory. Four players from A Grade, B Grade and Masters teams played handicap match play, and Headland’s best performers were Sam Schefe (B Grade) who won 8&6, Peter Dunn (Masters) 6&5 and Adam Rydwanski (A Grade) 4&3.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (49 players) – Mary Dowling (36 points), Bev Barnes (36), Lynn Deacon (35).
Men (66 players) – Dom Manning (38), Robert Pixley (37), John Jamieson (36).
Wednesday, Men, Mid-Week Medal – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (125 players) A Grade, Brendan Duncan (72 nett), Terry Ward (72), David Werner (73); B Grade, Quentin Poulsen (72), Brendan Southey (72), Ryan Tomlinson (73); C Grade, Mike Phillips (70), Dylan Fennell (71), Robert Chaplain (73); Best gross, Brendan Duncan (75).
Medley Single Stableford (90 players) – A Grade, Mark Bown (38 points), Ross Roberts (36), Justin Walsh (35); B Grade, Wayne Chugg (35), Graham Meyers (32), Lex Lane (31); C Grade, Alan Dellar (38), Peter McMillan (35), Duncan Watts (34).
Thursday, Women, 2025 Club Championships – sponsor, Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth, round two (43 players) – A Grade, gross – Lisa Ramen (85), Annabel Harris (92), Pik Chong (95); nett – Lisa Ramen (77), Annabel Harris (78), Pik Chong (79); B Grade, gross – Gwen Nancarrow (96), Jenny Ingham (97), Kirsten Kaergaard (98); nett – Gwen Nancarrow (72), Kirsten Kaergaard (77), Wil Sprake (78); C Grade, gross – Sue Bolton (104), Odette Day (107), Wendy Burnie (108); nett – Sue Bolton (74), Wendy Burnie (75), Odette Day (77).
Progressive scores: A Grade, gross, Lisa Ramen (177), Annabel Harris (182), Pik Chong (188), Vicky Sheridan (188); nett, Annabel Harris (152), Pik Chong (156), Vicky Sheridan (156); B Grade, gross, Kathy Atkins (198), Kirsten Kaergaard (199), Sandy Whittle (199); nett, Gail Young (153), Sue Bolton (156), Kirsten Kaergaard (157); C Grade, gross, Sue Briffa (216), Debbie Bennetts (219), Wendy Burnie (223); nett, Wendy Burnie (155), Trish Arden (155), Sue Briffa (156).
Monthly Medal (61 players) – A Grade, Lisa Ramen (77 nett), Heidi Falconer (77), Annabel Harris (78); B Grade, Gwen Nancarrow (72), Kirsten Kaergaard (77), Robyn Muir (78); C Grade, Kym Mason (72), Sue Bolton (74), Wendy Burnie (76).
Single Stableford (28 players) – Barb Marrington (34 points), Joy Logan (32), Suzanne Pledge (31).
Men (79 players) – Tony Kelleher (37 points), Shane Muller (36), Ian Moore (36).
Saturday, Women, 2025 Club Championships – sponsor, Jodie McDonell, Century 21 on Duporth, round three (40 players) – A Grade, gross – Annabel Harris (87), Kate Wilkie (88), Lisa Ramen (90); nett – Kate Wilkie (72), Annabel Harris (73), Vicky Sheridan (75); B Grade, gross – Lynn Deacon (94), Kathy Atkins (96), Gwen Nancarrow (97); nett – Lynn Deacon (70), Kerry Longworth (71), Gail Young (73); C Grade, gross –Sue Harris (104), Marg White (106), Kath Barford (106); nett – Sue Harris (72), Marg White (74), Kath Barford (76).
Progressive scores: A Grade, gross, Lisa Ramen (267), Annabel Harris (269), Vicky Sheridan (279); nett, Annabel Harris (227), Vicky Sheridan (231), Pik Chong (236); B Grade, gross, Kathy Atkins (294), Gwen Nancarrow (302), Wil Sprake (302), Kirsten Kaergaard (302); nett, Gail Young (226), Kerry Longworth (230), Gwen Nancarrow (233); C Grade, gross, Sue Briffa (328), Sue Harris (331), Wendy Burnie (339); nett, Wendy Burnie (237), Sue Harris (238), Sue Briffa (238).
Medley Single Stableford (192 players) – A Grade, Finn Darlison (39 points), Scott Bromfield (38), Sam Fichera (37); B Grade, Jack Reginato (42), Jack Lambalk (39), Tony Vickers (38); C Grade, Wayne Harriott (39), Jarvis Wellington 38), Daniel Crabtree (37).
Juniors, Six-hole Fourball Best Ball Stableford – Finn Darlison and Max Faulkner (25 points), Matthew Bothma and Dom Manning (28), Peter Hall and Noah Sergeant (30), Keaton Fox and Ziggy Williams (32).
Sunday, Medley Par Plus (42 players) – Nick Reed (plus 6), Jarvis Washington (+6), Dave Sims (+5).
