From Tony Durkin
‘RICHO’S’ SIXTH: After securing his sixth Headland Club Championship in the most dramatic of finishes, Adam Richards immediately turned his attention to the triple crown. “I have never won the three men’s Championships in the one year,” revealed the winner of 24 Honour Board events. “That is what I am now chasing.” On this coming Saturday the Men’s Match Play tees off, and Adam aims to add that title to the 2025 Men’s Foursomes, as well as the Club Championship, which finally ended on Sunday after eight play-off holes. “Over the years, in many different events, I have been involved in some close results, but that was full-on,” he said after he and defending Champion Ben Duncombe played the par-three 18th nine times on the day, before a result. Tied on 304 after 72 holes, the pair went back and forth in front of a packed gallery and in fading light, before Adam taped-in for par, eliminating Ben who failed to get up and down from the back of the green. And while the tied Championship score was 16 over par, Adam said the victory is one of his most memorable. “I can’t recall if that was my highest score to win the champs, but it was certainly my most turbulent,” he said of his rounds of 77,79,71 and 77. “I was six shots behind after 36 holes, but knew if I had a good round on Saturday, I was still a chance.” And that is exactly what he did, with his one-under 71 setting the tone for a stirring Sunday finish, which eventuated. The Champion of 1994, 2002, 2014, 2021 and 2022 was one behind 2023 Champion Adam Rydwanski and defending Champion Ben Duncombe, going into the final round, and despite a five-over 77 on Sunday, he was able to level with Ben and provide fellow members with an unforgettable play-off. “Strangely, while I was a little nervous going into the final round, I was surprisingly relaxed as we went back and forth during the play-off.” Adam thanked – and praised – his dad Brian, who he described as ‘a great, steadying influence’ on his bag over the final 18 holes, and then the play-off. “He helped keep me focused and calm, but I lost it when we finished,” he revealed. “It was an extremely emotional day, and even though someone had to lose, I felt sorry for Ben.” Garry Marr (339) led all the way to win the B Grade Championship by seven strokes, while Jack Lambalk (374) held on to beat John Cleary for the C Grade title and, in his first year eligible, Wayne West (314) was crowned Senior Men’s Champion.
STARK REALITY: Like so many club golfers, Di Stark is totally mystified why a good round – or in her case, a great round – suddenly materialises from nowhere. “The round is a pure blur,” quipped the 2015 SWING graduate who was the absolute star on Women’s Invitation Charity Day on Thursday. Not only did Di return her best-ever score – 44 Stableford points – but she broke 100 on her home course for the very first time. “I am chuffed, and I am excited,” she declared, after conceding she had ‘absolutely no idea’ from where the exceptional round had come. “The only real difference between today and a usual round, was that I had some luck, and I putted well. I had 31 putts.” Di’s card was, obviously, impressive. She carded one four-pointer, seven threes, nine twos and a single, to beat the remainder of the field of 121 by four points, and easily win Division Two. Cathy Roberts (37 points) led in the Division One field, and Jenny Hartwig (38) won Division Three. The associated Fourball Stroke was won by Narelle Hollowood and Debbie Hansen, a Maleny visitor. In the Men’s Single Stableford on Thursday, John Christmas won with 37 points. NOTE: Di and Robyn Boreham recently returned the best nett in the 2025 Women’s Foursomes Championships.
THE LIONHEART: An inexplicable miscalculation of dates cost Warren Selvage the opportunity to watch his beloved Lions in the first half of Saturday’s AFL grand final. “Quite a while ago I agreed to play in the Club Championships, and an afternoon timeslot was already locked in,” lamented the AFL Queensland Hall of Famer who is a Lions member and a rusted-on three-decade fan. And while his third round of the champs (93/76) was not spectacular, his beloved Lions made it back-to-back premierships, topping off a memorable week for the Lions tragic. Warren returned the best score in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford when he penned 83 from his 15 handicap for 40 points, and victory in B Grade, on a countback. He scored 18 points on the front nine and despite a double bogey at the par-five tenth, he exploded on the way home – just like the Lions at the MCG on Saturday – with five three-pointers and three twos, for 22 points. Warren beat Paul Anderson on a countback to win B Grade, Lindsay Blair (also 40 points) won A Grade and Denis McGrath (39) won C Grade.
SPARSE WINS: Dennis Schloss acknowledges his wins as a 36-year Headland member have been few and far between, but he thinks becoming a member of the Vets may prove to be a step in the right direction. Since recently joining Headland Vets – primarily to play other courses – Dennis has been on the dais three times from just five appearances, with a first, a second and a third. And his win, last Monday, was noteworthy, with 42 points to snare first place in Division Two for Men. “It is my best score for a long time, and my best back nine at Headland since I became a member all those years ago,” he announced, after coming home with 25 points. His victorious card revealed a five-point birdie at the tenth, plus five three-pointers, two twos and one single pointer. It was his first win since January three years ago, with his prior most recent victory a Monthly Mug ‘back in the 90s’. Graham Myers (40 points) took Division One, while Jo McDougall (39 points) pipped Josie Ryan on a countback for the Women’s prize. NOTE: Dennis’ son Blaine, a teacher at Mountain Creek State High, is about to enter his ninth season as captain of Maroochydore First Division cricket team.
NO PROMISE: Although she would like nothing more than to reduce her handicap – markedly – Suzanne Pledge is not concerning herself about that one aspect of her game. And nor she should after scoring 42 points to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. It was Suzanne’s best round of golf since she joined Headland as a beginner six years ago, following her retirement from a career in banking with NAB. “I could see how much my husband Colin had become obsessed with golf since he retired, and I thought there must be something special about the game,” she explained. “I started on a handicap of 45, reduced that to 35 over the years, but it has blown out somewhat since a recent shoulder injury. My target is to get back down to 36.” Playing at least twice a week, Suzanne has started to become a little more adventurous, and is now planning to play Open Days at other courses. The highlight of Tuesday’s win was a birdie at the par-three 14th hole, which garnered her five points. Suzanne won Division Two with her super score, while Catherine Peterson (36 points) won Division One.
IT IS COAD 26: Life Member, Tony Coad, has been elected to his 26th consecutive term as a Headland Golf Club executive. Tony was re-elected as President for his 17th successive year at the Vets’ AGM last Monday, after initially being voted into the chair in 2009. Prior to that he had served as Vets’ Vice-Captain in 2000 and 2006, and Captain in 2007 and 2008, before taking on the top job. Prior to joining the Vets’ committee, the club stalwart served as Club Vice-President for four years (2000 to 2003), and Club Captain in 2004 and 2005. Other board members appointed at Monday’s AGM were: Bruce Reid (Captain), Steve Nash (Vice-Captain), Jill McAndrew (Treasurer), Ken Maynard (Secretary), Vicky Maynard (Ladies Rep), Carmel Visser (Providore), each re-elected.
HIT AND MISS: “Even when I’m hitting the ball well, I rarely seem to put 18 good holes together,” confessed Steve Walters following his third podium finish in the past five weeks. After an almost-perfect start to Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men – a four-point par at the tenth – Steve penned 21 points on the back nine, added 19 more on the front, for his best score (40 points) in months. “It was a steady round, with a couple of ‘flash’ moments, but nothing too poor,” he said after his five pars, nine bogeys and four doubles, from a round of 89. “In all honesty, I’m not very good at golf, but some days when I manage to put two nines together, it works out okay.” Steve joined Headland in 2015 as a rookie golfer, lowered his GA handicap to 16 within two years but has gradually drifted out to the 21 mark, from which he played on Tuesday.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (34 players) – Jo McDougall (39 points), Josie Ryan (39), Joy Logan (37).
Men (58 players) – Division One, Graham Myers (40 points), David W Smith (39), Steve Nash (38); Division Two, Dennis Schloss (42), Peter Hayman (42), Chris Byrnes (35).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (44 players) – Division One, Catherine Peterson (36 points), Ali Lamond (36), Wendy Burnie (36); Division Two, Suzanne Pledge (42), Trudi Russell (39), Roz Brandt (35).
Men (73 players) – Steve Walters (40 points), Tony Kelleher (38), David Groom (38).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford– sponsor Greg Edgar, Rapid Equipment Hire – (214 players) – A Grade, Lindsay Blair (40 points), Brendan Southey (36), Matt Fisher (35); B Grade, Warren Selvage (40), Paul Anderson (40), Michael Phillips (39); C Grade, Denis McGrath (39), Brian Garnett (38), John Logan (37).
Thursday, Women’s Invitation Charity Day – sponsor, Sunny Kids– (121 players) – Division One, Cathy Roberts (37 points), Mary Young (36), Narelle Hollowood (36); Division Two, Di Stark (44), Laura Mason-Baierl (40), Linda Cannon (39); Division Three, Jenny Hartwig (38), Ellen Bloxsome (37), Carol Sinclair (37).
Fourball Best Ball Stroke – Narelle Hollowood and Debbie Hanson (71 nett).
Men, Single Stableford (78 players) – John Christmas (37), Barry Newton (36), Todd Petrie (36).
Saturday, Men’s Club Championship – sponsor Tim Reed, NeuBau Group –
Round three (116 players) – A Grade, gross, Adam Richards (71), Ben Duncombe (74); nett, Steve Bell (70), Ash Reck (70); B Grade, gross, Gary Marr (82), Druce Fielding (83); nett, Stephen Blampied (72), Bob Trevor (74); C Grade, gross, Mick Prince (92), Paul Anderson (93); nett, Gary Jamieson (72), Ross Itzstein (74).
Championship standing after 54 holes – A Grade, Ben Duncombe (77,75,74 -226), Adam Rydwanski (74,76,76 – 226), Adam Richards (77,79,71 – 227); B Grade, Gary Marr (249), Druce Fielding (258), Matt Hetherington (260); C Grade, Mick Prince (277), Jack Lambalk (279), Casey Kennedy (279).
Overflow, Medley Single Stableford (83 players) – Mike Radmill (36 points), Dora Habgood (35), Les McClymont (35).
Sunday, Men’s Club Championship – sponsor Tim Reed, NeuBau Group – Round four (106 players) – A Grade, gross, Shane Muller (75), nett, Glenn Walker (73); B Grade, gross, Darren Walters (81), nett, Braden Anderson (74); C Grade, gross, Dean Jones (87), nett, John Burnie (72).
Medley Single Stableford (21 players) – Stephen Notley (34 points), Ryan Notley (32), Ryan Jones (32).
2025 Men’s Championship results: Club Champion – Adam Richards (77,79,71,77 – 304), runner-up; Ben Duncombe (77,75,74,78 – 304); nett, Wayne West (294), Glenn Walker (296); B Grade, Champion, Gary Marr (339), runner-up, Darren Walters (346); nett, Gary Marr (287), Paul Clarke (293); C Grade, Champion, Jack Lambalk (375), runner-up, John Cleary (375); nett, Gary Jamieson (300), John Burnie (301); Senior Champion, Wayne West (314).
