From Tony Durkin
KADE’S BEST: When Kade Johnstone walked to the second tee at Headland on Saturday with a double bogey on his card, he envisioned being in for a long day. But 17 holes later Kade, who is juggling university studies (Finance and Economics) with a carpentry apprenticeship, signed for an outstanding round of golf. The 24-year-old scored four-over 76 from his 13 handicap, penned 45 Stableford points to return the best Stableford score in the field of 219 by five points, and win B Grade. Joining Headland from Maroochy River four years ago to play with his mates, Kade went one better on Saturday. “Not only did I play with two of my mates, but also in the group was my boss, Nelson Valderrama, from Absolute Building Solutions,” he revealed. “They were all so supportive, and helped keep me on track after the poor start.” Kade’s score was not just his best since joining the club – beating his previous high mark of 43 points back in March last year – but his 76 gross is also his lowest round. His winning card showed two birdies, 11 pars, four bogeys and that that ‘not so memorable’ double at hole one. Grant Martyn (41 points) won A Grade and Ryan Notley (39) won C Grade.
LEEDING LADY: Yet another graduate from Headland’s highly-successful SWING program has spearheaded her team to victory in the Women’s Follies Foursomes on Thursday. Lee Heseltine scored 43 points in the event where the best three Stableford scores on each hole counted. And with two four-pointers, seven threes and five twos, Lee’s contribution to the winning score of 122 points was crucial to the victory. “I had a day out with the putter. In fact, it is the best I have ever putted,” said Lee, who also fired her best round since joining the club in 2019. Starting at the par-five tenth with partners Denise Hutchinson (34 points), Jenny Campbell (33) and Wendy Burnie (28), Lee’s first hole was her worst. “I was 3cm from the dam with my fourth shot, but hit my next in the drink. It was my biggest fail of the day, but thankfully things improved,” she quipped. “Overall, I was very proud of myself.” Someone else who left the course proud of their achievement was Kirsten Kaergaard, who amassed a fabulous 44 points, with five pars, 12 bogeys and just the one double on her card.
PRIME SCORE: Two-decade Headland member, and sponsor, Bevan Horsnell, returned one of his ‘champagne’ rounds to win Wednesday’s A Grade Mid-Week Medal. “My golf is usually either garbage or champagne, and this was mostly the latter,” the co-principal of Buderim’s Prime Property told HH. Bevan fired four-over 76 from the black tees for nett 68, returning the best score in the field and winning his first A Grade Medal. His card revealed three birdies – at tough holes one, ten and fifteen – eight pars and seven bogeys, with a consistent single ‘duff’ on each bogey hole the culprit. The former Police Officer, who joined Headland when he left the force in 2006, said his once-a-week round of golf on Wednesdays, with the same group of mates (Barry Newton, Tony Pattinson and Brad Reddan), was his ‘release’ from work. “My current handicap is seven, and ideally I’d like to be down to five, but that would mean practising, and I do not have that intent,” he admitted. “Golf, for me, is about enjoyment, and I had plenty of that on Wednesday.” Mick Rose (69) won the B Grade Medal, junior David Groom (71) took out C Grade and Brendan Duncan (74) returned the best gross.
STUMBLED START: Gwen Nancarrow started Saturday’s Single Stableford for Women in a less than impressive manner, with three double bogeys and a triple in her first four holes. But what she described as a lucky birdie at the par-three fifth, kick started her winning round. “The birdie gave me four points, and got me back on track,” said Gwen who is regularly pops up on the winner’s list at Headland. For the following 12 holes – from the sixth to the 17th – Gwen added 34 points, before finishing with another double. “It was a memorable round for quite a few reasons,” she quipped. “But enjoyable all the same, and good to score a win.” Her 40 points beat Annabel Harris by two.
DECADE DAVE: Affectionately known as Fluffy, Dave Whalley has played – for him, anyway – ‘one of those’ rounds of golf. Dave scored 41 points to win C Grade in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, and reminisced that it may have been just his second win in 10 years. “Winning at golf, and me, are not closely related,” jested the owner of promotional products company Davarni. “I love the game, but it doesn’t love me.” Now days averaging three games a month, and always on a Wednesday, the once 16 marker happily plays off 29 from which he scored eight three-pointers, eight twos, a single and a wipe, on Wednesday, with 22 of those points coming on the back nine. “And I wiped 15, but who doesn’t wipe 15,” he said. “But just like I always do, I instantly forgot about that as soon as I left the green.” A Headland member since the early 90s, Dave returned the best score in the field of 132 for the alternate event to the Mid-Week Medal, with visitor Nigel Edwards (37) winning A Grade, and Wayne Chugg (39) saluting in B Grade. NOTE: Many Headland members are of the misconception Dave is called ‘Fluffy’ because of his bushy moustache. “Back in the early days, I always seemed to find myself in the fluffy grass at the back of the Headland greens. “One day Mal Bradshaw heard me say ‘I’m sick of playing out of this fluffy grass’, and he dropped the nickname on me, and it stuck,” Dave revealed.
VICKI RORS: While she concedes any relevance between her golf and that of 2026 Masters Champion Rory McIlroy is totally ridiculous, Vicki Oxley has done a ‘Rors’. The six-year Headland member, like Rory, has gone back-to-back for the first time, adding Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women to her first Monthly Medal victory three days earlier. “And, believe me, I am surprised as anyone,” she said after breaking 100 for the first time while penning 96, which included an eight at the par-five 15th. But she overcame that blot of her card, coming home with nine points over three holes to score 39 points, and beat Julie Halliday on a countback. And she credits a new Cobra three wood, recently purchased from the Pro Shop, for her improved form. “I’m getting to the green a little sooner,” she enthused following her round which netted one four-point hole, five threes and nine twos.
THIRD BEST: Tim Nunan, and his Headland House Account, have just enjoyed a rather odd, but stellar golfing week. In two separate Single Stableford events the former Catholic Priest turned Parole Officer (now retired) scored 38 points, for a third placing (Tuesday) and a victory (Thursday). And although Thursday’s win garnered him $120, as against $40 on Tuesday, he rated the earlier win the better of his two rounds. “Both rounds were from the white tees, but on Tuesday I had 91 with no wipes, and did not lose a ball. On Thursday I went out of bounds at the 13th, which resulted in both a lost ball and a wipe, and I had 92 off the bat,” he deduced. “Lately, because I’m getting older, I’m starting to work on my game and I’m swinging a little slower.” The 2022 Mid-Week Gold Medal winner quipped that his once-a-year win had come early. “Maybe there might be another down the track,” he joked.
HEADLAND SUCCESS: Despite being a provisional member, Barb Birks is gaining a reputation as ‘something special’ at Headland. Barb joined five other Headland women at Noosa during the week to contest the club’s Open Fourball Best Stableford, and she and playing partner Dinah Latreille won the event with a smashing 50 points. “It was a team event, and a team effort,” stressed Barb, who recently revived her golfing career following a 25-year hiatus and graduated from Headland’s SWING program last year. It was her second eye-catching round of the year after she scored 45 points during the opening week of 2026 competition. Barb and Dinah each collected $125 for their victory, with Dinah also winning the Pro Shop team event for nearest the pin, giving both players another $70. Further Headland success came on Friday, when two teams contested the Maroochy River Rose Bowl. Fiona Munro, Naomi Doyle and Debbie Proud were joined by Maroochy member Teresa Rojas and finished second in the Rose Bowl with 140 points, while Women’s Captain Valerie O’Brien led Robyn Boreham, Di Stark and Bron Davis (138 points) into third place. And with a majestic 40 points, Bron Davis won the individual event in C Grade.
CRAFTY WIN: Known for his enjoyment of craft beers, retired teacher Errol Greiner created a long-awaited winning score in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men. But he said the eagerness to enjoy a schooner of his favourite tipple, Stone and Wood, had no correlation with his ‘miraculous’ finish of five three-pointers in his final six holes. “Usually, I don’t finish well, so that was a real bonus for me,” confessed Errol, who never played serious golf until he joined Headland eight years ago. A teacher in regional Queensland for four decades, with 25 of those in Maryborough, Errol said his victory, with 39 points from the white tees, had been a long time coming. “I seriously can’t remember my last win it was that long ago. And I can’t recall having four pars in a round for a while either,” he admitted, with his winning card devoid of a wipe. Errol followed his win with a nett 72 in Wednesday’s Mid-Week Medal, this time from the black tees.
WELCOME MATT: Despite a ‘long’ night on the Gold Coast on Saturday celebrating a mate’s birthday, the next day Matt Hetherington felt as comfortable on the Headland greens as he has ever been. “It was a surprise birthday party for my mate, and I was surprised how well I played after a big night out,” said the chippy, who has played limited golf of late. “For some strange reason, I felt in the groove.” And in the groove the nine handicapper certainly was. Matt was in great touch with 12 pars and six bogeys for 39 points, and win in the Medley Single Stableford. “I bogeyed the last, which was disappointing, and missed a short putt on the first for birdie. But otherwise, I was really pleased with the way I played.” With his young sons Nate and Max now heavily involved in sport, Matt’s golf appointments have been limited to around two rounds a month. “I haven’t played much at all since last year’s Pennant season, so I was a bit rusty today,” he said. “But it was good out there. I don’t recommend a game of golf after just two hours sleep, but it worked for me today.”
MASTERS’ MIGHT: Such was the thrill of winning Masters Monday, and the accompanying green jacket, Alex Beaumont has decided to rejoin Headland Golf Club. “I returned the jacket to the club the following day and put my name of the waitlist,” said the ex-Immanuel Lutheran College student who had been a member for seven years from 2013. Alex, who linked with the team of sponsor and former classmate, Alex Dwyer, for the tournament, scored 39 points from the black tees to beat Jock McLaughlin on a countback. He is the first non-member to win the annual event since its initiation in 2015. On what he labelled ‘a very tough day on a very tough course’, Alex shot 93 from his handicap of 24, with three pars, nine bogeys and six doubles. “I played well and was happy with that score. My past half dozen rounds have been much improved on recent form,” quipped the Keperra Country Club member. National Sales Manager for a vodka company, Alex suspended his Headland membership in 2019 when relocating to the UK, and moved to Brisbane on his return. He and had his partner intend moving back to the Sunshine Coast in the next few years when he hopes – by then – Headland membership may be available. In a field of 144 on Masters Monday – once again very generously sponsored by James Kidd of EKO Financial – John Harris (38 points) won Division One, while Jock McLaughlin won Division Two.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland has had an unhappy start to the 2026 Sunshine Coast Burnett and District Women’s Golf Pennant competition played on Sunday, going down to Gympie at Gympie. In Weekend Division Two, which has six teams and the competition will be played over a two-month period, Headland lost 4-2. Cathy Roberts won her match. Robyn Muir and Tracey O’Connor halved theirs, and Karen Wilson, Jan Langdon and Odette day were beaten.
JUNIOR PENNANT: Headland’s Junior Pennant teams scored two big wins, plus a loss, on Sunday. Division One recorded an impressive 3-1 victory over Caloundra, with top seed Sam Fichera squaring his match, as did Matthew Bothma, while Finn Darlison (2&1) and Dom Manning (1-up) both won their matches. Division Two suffered a 3-1 loss to Gunabul – Keaton Fox won 5&4, Max Faulkner lost 6&5 and Lewis Matthewson and Paige Prosser were both narrow 2&1 losers. And Division Three clean swept Caboolture 4-nil, on the back of Luca Rodrigues (4&3), Nash Hoger (4&2), Peter Hall (7&6) and Blake Rydwanski (walkover).
SIMPLY THE BEST: Ben Duncombe has absolutely smashed Headland’s tough back nine on his way to being named the STB golfer of last week. The 2024 Club Champion scored 39 points from his handicap of plus two in Saturday’s Single Stableford after penning five-under 67 from the blue tees. His card revealed seven birdies, nine pars and two bogeys, with five of his birdies on a ‘clean-sheet’ back nine for five under 31. Ben’s lowest score at Headland was 64 in November 2023, while he also penned the same score in the final round of the 2024 Club Championships, but because of course renovations, the par that day was 69. Each week in 2026, HH will name our ‘Simply the Best’ golfer, an ‘award’ introduced specifically to recognise the club’s low-handicap members.
HEADING OFF: Headland Headlines will not be published next week. Editorial staff will mirror the 2026 NRL season form of the once-mighty St George Dragons, and sign off from duty. But, unlike the Dragons, HH will return, in top form, the following week (Monday May 4), refuelled and ready to drive back into top form.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Masters Monday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, James Kidd, EKO Financial – (136 players) – Green Jacket, Alex Beaumont, Keperra Country Club (39 points); Division One, John Harris (38), Brian Kesby (38), Sam Schefe (36), Brendan Duncan (36), Frankie Robinson (34); Division Two, Jock McLaughlin (39), Thomas Harrison (38), David Ayrey (37), Rob Douglass (37), Jack Fisher (37).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (39 players) – Vicki Oxley (39 points), Julie Halliday (39), Denise Hutchinson (38).
Men (73 players) – Errol Greiner (39), Josh Poole (38), Tim Nunan (38).
Wednesday, Men’s Monthly Medal, Single Stroke – sponsor, Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – (87 players) – A Grade, Bevan Horsnell (68 nett), Jarred Roker (68), Chris Wilson (71): B Grade, Mick Rose (71), Steve Norbury (69), John Halbert (71); C Grade, David Groom (71), Errol Greiner (72), Ashleigh Matheson (72; best gross, Brendan Duncan (74).
Medley Single Stableford –– (132 players) – A Grade, Nigel Edwards (37 points), Burgess Stephenson (36), Ash Noffke (35); B Grade, Wayne Chugg (39), Wayne Dauer (38), Annabel Harris (37); Dave Whalley (41), Andrew Hempsall (40), Natalie Pace (36).
Thursday, Women’s Follies Foursomes – sponsors, Eighties Ladies, Monica Knowles, Margaret White, Pam Vincent, Lesley Johnstone, Linda Cannon, Barb Marrington, Margaret Moran, Penny Cooper, Coralie Snowball, Jackie Thinee, Kay Campbell and Pam Andrews – (100 players) – Denise Hutchinson, Jenny Campbell, Lee Heseltine and Wendy Burnie (122 points), Margot Easton, Jill McAndrew, Sue Condos and Leigh Derigo (120), Jacky O’Gorman, Vicki Lawrence, Belinda Watman and Cathy Morrison (119).
Men – Single Stableford – (87 players) – Tim Nunan (38 points), Tony Larkin (38), Luke Fluerty (37).
Saturday, Single Stableford – Women (21 players) – Gwen Nancarrow (40 points), Annabel Harris (38), Kathy Atkins (39).
Men (219 players) – A Grade, Grant Martyn (41 points), Andrew Fisher (40), Shane Muller (39): B Grade, Kade Johnstone (45), John Halbert (39), Lincoln Harris (39); C Grade, Ryan Notley (39), Richard Ryan (39), Bruce Prince (38).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (59 players) – Matt Hetherington (39 points), Alex See Sue (39), Matt Pyman (38).
