From Tony Durkin
HEADLAND OUT: For the second successive year Headland has been beaten by Caboolture in the semi-final of the Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Men’s A Grade Pennant competition. Backing up after Caboolture thrashed them 5½-1½ a week earlier, Headland lost 4-3 at Woodford on Sunday after No.1 player, Adam Richards, was beaten in a nailbiter, going down by a shot after the scores were locked at 3-all and his squared match went to the 19th hole. Victors for Headland were Jack Hourn (2-up), Brenton Liaropoulos (2&1) and Brad Butler (1-up), while Sean McGill (2&1), Glenn Walker (2&1), Shane Muller (6&4) and Adam Richards (1-down) were on the wrong side on the ledger. But captain Sean McGill said that despite the defeat, Headland members can be proud of their team. “After the previous week’s big loss, this was a tough, close-fought result which could have gone either way,” he said. “I was very happy with our team this season. We played the game in good spirit, and had fun.” Sean paid special tribute to Club Patron Simon Whittle and member Michael Rutledge, who attended every match.
JUST ONE LEAK: A Headland member who specialises in finding – and stopping – leaks, had just the one ‘seepage’ on his winning card during Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford round. Don Harris, who owns the Australian Leak Detection franchise for the Sunshine Coast, broke 80 for the first time in a decade to score 41 points, and win A Grade. “It’s been a while between drinks,” said Don, who reckoned the victory could well be his first for a couple of years. “But for me golf is not about winning. I play to relax, have fun, a few beers and enjoy the company of my mates.” But apart from his ‘leak’ at the par-five tenth where, ironically, he did find water, Don’s card was impressive. His other scores were two birdies, eight pars and seven bogeys, the kind of recent consistency that has resulted in his GA handicap dropping from 15 to 11 in the past four months. “I haven’t won anything, but I have obviously been playing okay,” he told HH. A Richmond AFL supporter, Don moved from Melbourne 22 years ago and joined Headland in 2007. With 40 points, Brett Beaumont won B Grade, and NRL Sharks tragic John Logan (38) broke through in C Grade for a long-awaited win.
HARRIS DOUBLE: Annabel Harris and Sue Harris (no relation) have flown the flag at Headland on Thursday for a family name which dates back to the beginnings of the Norman culture in Britain (1066). Annabel (73 nett) won the A Grade Monthly Medal for August, her fourth for the year, and Sue (71) penned the best score in the field to win C Grade, her second medal as a four-year member. And, along with B Grade Medalist Robyn Muir (74), all three women also returned the best gross scores in their respective grades. Annabel’s win – with three birdies in her final five holes to beat close friend Josie Ryan on a countback – is an added highlight to what has been an excellent year. Two weeks earlier she won the Queensland Senior Amateur nett in her 65-69 year age group, played at Hervey Bay Golf Club, which followed her second placing in the two-day Maryborough Senior Classic earlier in the year. And apart from her four Monthly Medals, Annabel finished runner-up to Lisa Ramen in the Club Championship and was beaten in the semi-final of the Matchplay. As well as winning the B Grade Medal and the best gross, Robyn Muir added to her pay day by snaring the Division One Pro Pin at the third hole, for an overall collect of $110.50. In the optional Single Stableford event, Barb Marrington (38 points) won Division One, and Cheryl Kitson (36) won Division Two.
DIVINE GOLF: A ‘true believer’ in respect of his Catholic faith, Tim Nunan found it difficult coming to terms with his outstanding golf round on Tuesday. A former priest who also had working stints as a parole officer and mediator before retiring in 2017, Tim scored 43 points to win the Men’s Single Stableford, and even penned a wipe on his otherwise impressive card. “I have been playing okay of late, but did not expect a score like that today,” he said after winning the competition by four points. Tim (46 points) recently returned the best men’s score in the Headland Seniors Eclectic and reckoned that result triggered his improvement. “I won a pair of golf shoes from the Pro Shop, which I didn’t need,” he revealed. “I asked Adam (Norlander) if I could swap the shoes for new grips on my clubs, and he generously agreed. They have made a real difference.” Tim, playing from a 21 handicap, scored two four pointers – one when he chipped in at the tough par-four 15th – and seven threes on his winning card, won the event by four points, and earned $100 for his effort. “That’s more than we would collect on the plate on Sundays when I was parish priest at Charleville all those years ago,” he joked.
CAPTAIN’S CALL: Little did Valerie O’Brien realise when she wrote last week’s Women’s Captain Newsletter that a passing comment about scoring was actually a prophecy. “It really has been a wonderful time to be out on our beautiful course, with quite a few women returning some of their best results for quite some time,” penned Valerie. The same day the newsletter was dispatched to members, 13 women in Tuesday’s Single Stableford either played to, or bettered their handicap. And Valerie the prophet, became Valerie the victor, scoring a superb 41 points to win Division One. Three others – Catherine Peterson, Sharon Thomas and Marg Howard – scored 40, Gwen Nancarrow scored 39 and the quartet of Lesley Wilson, Suzanne Pledge, Vicki Oxley and Rhonda Biggs carded 38 points. “It was a magnificent day, the conditions were perfect and there was plenty of run,” Valerie offered as reason for the greatly-improved scores. As for her own enhanced form, the six-year Headland member said she felt her game had been steadily improving. “I hit the ball crisper today, and the putts dropped,” she said. Lesley Wilson was winner of Division Two.
FIVE ACES: While former Police Officer Col Pledge was naturally excited about his hole in one at the fifth on Thursday, he was just as pleased that he held his game together. Col’s ace had him on 15 points in the Men’s Single Stableford at that point of the competition, and he went on to score 42 points and easily win the event. “Two groups were on the tee at the time, so there was plenty of high-fiving and yahooing,” he said. “But the fact I didn’t let that moment get inside my head was really pleasing. And I put that down to having played pennants for three years, which has helped me think more about my game, and concentrate.” Despite the ace – Col’s fifth at Headland – he added nine pars and seven bogeys to his card, with his only blemish a double at the par-five tenth. And his best round (79) in at least 12 months, was extremely rewarding, financially. As well as collecting $115 for the win, plus $30 for his ace and $12 for the NTP, Col also won the internal Fraser Follies competition, for the bonus of an additional $70. And this followed a collect of $78.50 the previous Saturday, for the Pro Pin at the sixth.
BUNKER FREE: Former Women’s Captain, Vicki Maynard, has a theory about playing Headland that worked a treat for her on Monday. “Stay right away from the bunkers, and the score will take care of itself,” she quipped after two successive Monday victories. Vicki won at Bribie Island with 40 Stableford points last Monday week, and backed up to win the Vets’ Single Stableford for Women on Monday, with 39 points. “Now, as best I can, I purposefully play away from the bunkers,” she admitted. “And I know a lot of players, and not just the women, who do the same. On Monday I was not in one single bunker.” But there was another string to Vicki’s winning bow – she dropped quite a few longish putts. “When the putts go in, the score always looks much better,” she conceded. A 22-year Headland member, Vicki says her past 12 months on the course have been very lean. “My handicap was 22 at the start of the year. On Monday I played off 28,” she said. No bunkers meant no wipes, and her winning card showed five three-point holes, 11 twos and two singles. Des McNee, also with 39 points, was the best of the men.
NOT BARRED: He rarely plays competition golf, but Adrian Barr says that is solely his decision. “My priority at the moment is work, and my kids’ weekend sport,” confessed the electrical sales rep after winning Saturday’s Single Stableford for Men. “I have been a member for seven years and have won just once before, but I’m happy to get in nine holes with mates on a Friday afternoon.” An eight handicapper, Adrian scored 36 points in wet and windy conditions on Saturday, with 10 pars and eight bogeys on his solid card. And when quizzed by HH if he was happy with his round, Adrian quipped ‘absolutely’. “But I reckon I’m lucky the bad weather kept two-thirds of the regular-sized Saturday field at home,” he joked.
MESSY START: Despite an inglorious eight at the first hole on Sunday – and the resultant wipe – Marcus Mesic rebounded superbly to win the Medley Single Stableford with 40 points. The 23-year-old rookie, who joined Headland three years ago with his dad Anthony and younger brother Aiden, roared home with 23 points on the back nine. And that score featured one of the highlights of his brief golfing career, with a five-point birdie at the par-four 17th. “I hit a brilliant drive past the bunkers, then a 50-degree wedge to about four metres, and sank the putt,” he critiqued. The 27-marker also penned a four-point par at the 13th hole, and added five three-pointers to his winning card. And, just to enhance the pleasurable victory, Marcus left his playing partner, six-marker dad Anthony (27 points), well and truly in his wake. The win was the second for Marcus this year – he won the C Grade Monthly Medal in June.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (32 players), Division One, Vicky Maynard (39 points), Leeanne Ptak (37), Liz Dunford (37); Division Two, Di Stark (38), Janette Ritchie (37), Ree Condon (36).
Men (83 players), Division One, Stewart Clover (37 points), Nick Cox (37), Dennis Taylor (36); Division Two, Kevin George (36), Kevin Howe (36), Denis Clifford (35); Division Three, Des McNee (39), Peter Hayman (37), Richard Ryan (36).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (52 players), Division One, Valerie O’Brien (41 points), Catherine Peterson (40), Sharon Thomas (40); Division Two, Lesley Wilson (38), Suzanne Pledge (38), Rhonda Biggs (38).
Men (72 players) – Tim Nunan (43), Bob Trevor (39), Bill McKinstrey (39).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Malcolm McColm, MM Law – (227 players) – A Grade, Don Harris (41 points), Ben Duncombe (39), Peter Perrett (38); B Grade, Brett Beaumont (40), Greg Wareham (40), Peter Raymond (40); C Grade, John Logan (38), John Jamieson (38), Douwe Hoeksema (38).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal – sponsor, Jodie McDonnel, Century 21 on Duporth – (61 players) – A Grade, Annabel Harris (73 nett), Josie Ryan (73), Pik Chong (74), gross, Annabel Harris (86); B Grade, Robyn Muir (72), Jill Nixey (72), Kirsten Kaergaard (74), gross, Robyn Muir (92); C Grade, Sue Harris (71), Ali Lamond (71), Ree Condon (72), gross, Sue Harris (103).
Single Stableford (47 players) – Division One, Barb Marrington (38), Sue Wake (36), Roz Brandt (36); Division Two, Cheryl Kitson (36), Helen Siddons (34), Joy Logan (33).
Men, Single Stableford (84 players) – Col Pledge (42), Lyndon Hoger (40), Graeme Warne (38).
Saturday, Men’s Single Stableford – sponsor, Chris Pace, McGrath Estate Agents Buderim – (53 players) – Adrian Barr (36 points), Matt Hetherington (34), Paul Henricks (34).
Juniors, Twoball Best Ball Stroke, Finn Darlison and Nash Hoger (41), Ziggy Williams and Jenson Bannister (46), Jenson Bannister and William Albury (58).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (45 players) – Marcus Mesic (40 points), Anthony Fichera (40), Karra Hoger (36).
Fourball Best Ball Matchplay, sponsor Michael Thomas, Zenfind Accounting – quarter-finals, Laura Mason-Baierl and Nicola Whitmore beat Lincoln Harris and Mick Prince (19th); Darcy Brown and Andy Whitmore beat Neven Daniel and James Daniel (4&2); David W Smith and Bruce Reid beat Chris Byrnes and Terry Lawlor (3&1); Matt Fisher and Greg Stray beat Dan Diachkoff and Chris Goundrey (walkover); Robyn Muir and Cathy Roberts beat Bernie Duncan and Michael Zeckomske (3&2); Quentin Poulsen and Anthony Larchin beat Wayne Cassidy and Graeme Nicholas (6&4).Denis Orr and Steve Walters beat Gary Martin and Fred Muller (5&4); Emmet Walsh and Kade Johnstone beat Barry Mapes and Steve Rose (2&1).
