From Tony Durkin
FOURBALL CHAMPIONS: Experience was king on Sunday when ‘oldies’ David W Smith and Bruce Reid won the final of Headland’s Fourball Best Ball Match Play Championship. After qualifying for the Honour Board event as an ‘emergency’ when a team withdrew, the seasoned pairing beat the more youthful Emmet Walsh and Kade Johnstone 3&1 over 18 holes. Emmet and Kade won the first hole, but David and Bruce replied immediately, winning the second and third, and were never headed. “They clawed their way back to one-down after winning holes 14 and 15, but we clinched the next two holes for the victory,” revealed David, who said the long-time mates had a lot of fun, and teamed well together over the four weeks of the competition. “When it came to experience, we certainly had the edge. We have been playing golf together since the mid-70s, when Bruce and my wife Marg taught together at Lourdes Hill College in Brisbane.” And when informing the vanquished that he and Bruce had been teaming together before the ’twentysomethings’ were born, David reassured them they would be playing long after the 2025 champions had left this earth. Michael Thomas, whose business Zenfind Accounting has sponsored the event since its inception eight years ago, said he had never witnessed a larger entourage support a club event at Headland. “And eight of the nine carts following the players were supporting the young blokes,” he quipped. “The atmosphere out there was terrific.”
ZAC’S PAY DAY: In Australia from the 1890s until decimal currency was introduced in 1966, a zac was the colloquial term for a sixpence – five cents in today’s money. But Zac Boland made mincemeat of the word on Saturday, pocketing a total of $150 for his exceptional round of golf. Not only did the Medical Rep win C Grade in the Single Stableford event for Men – for which he snared $105 from sponsors, and friends, Graeme and Jack Nicholas of Hometree – he collected an additional $15 for an eagle at the par-four 11th hole, plus another $30 for the NTP at hole 14, which he birdied. “It was very much a surreal experience,” he quipped after his 45 points gave him a second successive Saturday victory. A rookie golfer before he joined Headland in 2023, Zac started unceremoniously when he wiped the first hole, and returned a mediocre 18 points on the front nine. But he blasted his way home, penning 27 points on the back on a card that revealed one-over par 37, resulting in the best score of the day by six points, and a GA handicap reduction to 17. He did admit, however, that luck was on his side when scoring his first-ever competition eagle. “My drive hit the trees on the left, but rebounded to the middle of the fairway. I then hit a pitching wedge, which we thought was close, but did not actually see go in the hole,” he said. Other grade winners on Saturday were Anthony Fichera (A) with 37 points and Wayne Cassidy (B) with 39, while Kerry Longworth scored 35 points to win the Women’s competition. Darren Padgett also landed an eagle, at the par-four 17th hole.
WHITE-HOT DAY: After just on three years without a win, Emilia White seriously wondered if she would walk the victory dais again, or even whether her golf might improve. “My golf of late has been atrocious,” was Emilia’s frank reaction to her win in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women. “Honestly, I have had one score in the low 20s recently, but prior to that I have been constantly in the teens.” But that changed – and changed dramatically – when the ex-Victorian scored 39 points to win Division Three with the best score of the day. “I have no idea where that came from, and still wonder if I can do it again within the next three years. But it did feel great.” Emilia, who retired to the Sunshine Coast with husband Chris in 2019, joined the Headland SWING program the same year ostensibly to meet people, although she had been a member of a learner’s group in Melbourne before moving north. “I am not a sporting person, do not take golf seriously, and primarily play for the enjoyment, the camaraderie, the coffee and the lunch,” she confessed after penning two four pointers and eight three pointers on her winning card. “If I can get things to fall into place over the next three years, and win again, I will be more than happy.” Her first, and only previous win as a Headland member, was in September of 2022 when she scored a brilliant 45 points. Althea McLean (38 points) won Division One and Mary Dowling (39) won Division Two on a high-scoring day.
WORK RELEASE: Following 4½ hours serving morning coffees and snacks from the garden bar, Kyle Ormiston spent the rest of Wednesday traversing the golf course – but not in the drinks cart, as is often his role. On one of the rare occasions since he became a Headland member 18 months ago, Kyle played a competition round – and he won, returning the best score of the day in the big field of 226. In his second year as an engineering student at SCU, Kyle works behind both the clubhouse and garden bars, as well as on the drinks cart, while also managing an internship with Shadforths. “My life is fairly busy, so I don’t get many opportunities to play in the comps,” revealed Kyle, who won C Grade with 41 points from his 23 handicap. A former Nudgee College student, the 19-year-old started golf only when he began his casual job at Headland and estimates he has played only a dozen comp rounds, which belies his winning round that included one four-point hole (the 16th), six three-pointers and nine twos. And to wind up a long day – he started work at 6am – Kyle won $100, a considerable amount more than for his 4½ hours behind the bar. Jai Straney (36 points) won A Grade and Fred Muller (38) won B Grade in the Medley Single Stableford event.
DEBBIE’S BEST: “I haven’t scored 40 points for years,” said a jubilant Deb Bennetts after her 43 points won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. “My handicap has been steadily going out lately, so I was amazed at that score.” A member since she moved from Pelican Waters in October two years ago, Deb has impressed at Headland with a B Grade Monthly Medal in July last year and as a member of the club’s Division Two winning Pennant team in June. “I love Headland. I love the people, the course and the camaraderie, but have struggled recently with my game,” she said following her best-ever round of golf. “It feels good to have suddenly turned things around.” Deb had a superb front nine – the second nine played on Tuesdays – when she came home with five three pointers and four twos, for 23 points. A relative newcomer to golf, she joined Pelican Waters in 2019 when she and partner John Halbert – also now a Headland member – decided to conclude their lifestyle living on a boat, and bought a home adjacent to the 13th fairway at Pelican.
CASUAL MEMBER: Jack Reginato, who won Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford with an outstanding score of 44 points, describes himself as a ‘casual golfer’. “I rarely play in competitions, and only played this time because I received a late call up,” disclosed the Caloundra State High Maths and HPE teacher. And what a call up – courtesy of mate Todd Petrie – it was. Playing from a handicap of 13, Jack burned up the front nine in one-over 37 for 24 points, with his birdie at the par-five seventh followed by a disappointing bogey at the next hole. In his best-ever round at Headland since joining the club, Jack listed a birdie, 12 pars, four bogeys and a double on his card, for his third win since 2019. “I am never quite sure what I’m doing on the weekends, so I never book to play. But I try to get in two or three nine-hole social rounds a week, after school,” he said. His gross score of 77 beat his previous best round by four shots.
TWO-YEAR WAIT: Scotsman Colin Williamson started playing golf as a 10-year-old at North Berwick Golf Club 64 years ago, and he still finds the vagaries of the game impossible to understand. “Golf has to be the strangest sport, and one of the most difficult to conquer for we mere mortals,” he said after scoring 42 points to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men. “The previous day I played in a Vets’ event at Mount Coolum, scored 27 points, had seven wipes and lost five balls.” But the retired Sea Captain hit back on Tuesday with three four-pointers – each on par fives – and five three-pointers on his card, to win the event by three points. Colin described his golf over the past two years as ‘mostly horrific’. “I was the Vets’ Player of the Year in 2023, and since then my handicap has gone from 18 to 28,” he bemoaned. But the proud Scot, who is still reeling from the collapse of fellow countryman Robert McIntyre in the BMW Championship two weeks ago, is hoping his poor form is behind him. “More rounds like Tuesday, rather than Monday, are on my mind,” he quipped.
PRESIDENTIAL EAGLE: What do former US President Jo Biden and Headland boss Peter Raymond have in common? They both love eagles. In December 2024, before leaving office, Joe Biden signed legislation officially making the bald eagle the national bird of the United States. And although Headland President Peter Raymond is not about to lobby for replacing the kangaroo with an eagle as the club’s logo, he is rather jubilant about one aspect of the powerful bird of prey. On Tuesday, after 43 years as a member, Peter has finally landed an eagle – at the par four 11th hole on Tuesday. But, as is the case for most who achieve the feat at the ‘uphill’ hole, he did not witness his historic event, and neither did any of his playing partners. “I hit a great drive straight up the middle, and then a sand wedge,” revealed the retired Sunshine Coast hospitality identity. “But when we couldn’t see the ball on the green, we started looking over the back before finding it in the hole. It was a pretty good feeling.” It is Peter’s third eagle, his others coming at Caloundra and Horton Park.
PERFECT PRACTISE: In rehab following a stroke last October, golf nut Chris Klazema was advised to do what he loves best – play, and practise, golf. And the advice worked a treat, with Chris reducing his GA handicap from 11 to 6.3. “I practised most days, for around 90 minutes, for three months,” he divulged after winning Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men, with 38 points. “I suppose you could say that result was one of the rare plusses from having a stroke.” The negative was that Chris, a tradie, has since moved into semi-retirement ‘for the time being’ and now, when called upon, is a course marshall at Headland. And although his handicap has since drifted out to 9.8, his winning round on Thursday included a two-over 38 on the back nine for 21 points, which he played first. “It should have been better, because I missed a couple of short putts,” he said, while conceding his round unravelled when he hit his drive out of bounds at the first, his 10th hole of the round. “I have been in a little purple patch at the moment, so I hope that continues,” he said.
MEN’S FOURSOMES: Reigning champions Sean McGill and Adam Rydwanski will be seeking their third Headland Men’s Foursomes Championship on Saturday but, on paper, face some stern opposition. The good mates, who first met at Headland and were groomsman at each other’s wedding, previously won back in 2014 before saluting again last year. However, both have won the title with different partners – Adam alongside Chris Weir in 2012, and Sean with Aaron Shaw (2010). Their toughest opposition over the 36-hole championship appears – on paper – to be Adam Richards and Shane Muller, who were runners-up last year, and Club Champion Ben Duncombe who will be partnered by Brendan Duncan. But the experienced pairing of Wayne West and Ash Reck, who have won four times, should never be counted out. The most prolific Foursomes Champion in the field will be Adam Richards, who has won seven titles with three different partners – Brian Kesby, Scott Walker and David Rattray.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (48 players) – Debbie Bennetts (43 points), Vicki Oxley (39), Catherine Peterson (38).
Men (66 players) – Colin Williamson (42 points), Geoff Sawyer (39), Bob Hayward (38).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Rob Chaplin, Chaplin Cranes and Excavators) – (226 players) A Grade, Jai Straney (36 points), Wayne Taylor (36), Chris Klazema (36); B Grade, Fred Muller (38), Peter O’Brien (37), Christopher Swan (36); C Grade, Kyle Ormiston (41), Karra Hoger (40), Peter Barbour (37).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Carmel Visser, Maria Hireme, Tove Larsen, Jenny Pirini, Chrissy Eggins, Margie White, Kath Kingston and Maggie Fitzpatrick – (105 players) – Division One, Althea McLean (38 points), Liz Dunford (38), Anne Callanan (38); Division Two, Mary Dowling (39), Sue Bolton (39), Sue Harris (36); Division Three, Emilia White (39), Margot Easton (38), Deb Prince (36).
Men (75 players) – Chris Klazema (38 points), Gary Holmes (38), Ben Mallinder (35).
Saturday, Single Par, Women – sponsor, Headland Senior Women – (23 players) – Kerry Longworth (35 points), Kate Wilkie (34), Leeanne Ptak (34).
Men, sponsors, Graeme and Jack Nicholas, Hometree – (227 players) – A Grade, Anthony Fichera (37 points), Wayne West (37), Tom Burnett (36); B Grade, Wayne Cassidy (39), Keaton Fox (35), Danny Shaw (35); C Grade, Zac Boland (45), Graham Myers (39), Bruce Heseltine (39).
Juniors, Parent-Child Twoball Ambrose – Jasper and Dan Harding (41), Isaac and Richard Stone (47), Leo and Julie Stone (50), Isla and Joanne Talbot (69).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (60 players) – Jack Reginato (44 points), Dave Ashwin (42), Jack Williams (39).
Fourball Best Ball Match Play, sponsor Michael Thomas, Zenfind Accounting –final, David W Smith and Bruce Reid beat Emmet Walsh and Kade Johnstone (3&1).
