From Tony Durkin
MEDAL MASTERS: Headland’s Mid-Week Gold Medal winner, Mark Ludbrooke, turned back the clock to the mid-80s when he scored nett 63 in Wednesday’s finale. “That is the best round of golf I have played since my golfing heyday, back in the 80s at Dalby,” quipped the retired Woolies Store Manager after his gross score of 81 which, incredibly, included a quadruple nine at the par-five 13th. The Medal was contested by 29 of the 2023 winners – Mark claiming a two-shot win over Ivan Fortmann (65 nett), with Greens Director Gavin Rooney a further two strokes back. His quadruple bogey aside, Mark was extremely consistent on Wednesday with a birdie, seven pars and eight bogeys on his card. And the 18 handicapper, who joined Headland in October last year following a three-decade golfing break, has proved to be a genuine Medal master. His only two wins in those 13 months have been Medals – the Mid-Week Medal last month, and now the gold. On Saturday, George Stoufis won the Men’s Gold Medal for 2023, with his nett 67 from his 13 handicap also gaining him second placing in the B Grade Monthly Medal for November. His round of 80 included two birdies, eight pars, seven bogeys and two doubles, and could have been even more impressive had he been able to convert his birdie putt at the par-three 18th. Regrettably George – who beat 26 other finalists – was unavailable to discuss his victory with HH.
FRIENDLY WIN: Close friends and regular playing partners, Janette Ritchie and Sue Harris, celebrated a rare double at Headland on Thursday with wins in the Women’s Single Stableford event. Janette (41 points) returned the best score of day to win C Grade, while Sue (40) topped the leaderboard in B Grade. Seemingly, Janette has a habit of winning when she teams with mates – her last visit to the podium was in the Women’s Pink Day Ambrose on October 19, when she was partnered by another close friend and regular playing partner, Colleen Sarquis. And prior to that she won another Ambrose, again with Colleen in the foursome, in July last year. Playing from her 36 handicap on Thursday, Janette had two four-point holes and six three-pointers on her winning card. Sue (handicap 26), who conceded it had also been ‘quite a while’ since her last victory, penned two birdies in her impressive 40-point round. Fiona Munro, also with 40 points, won A Grade.
EUROPE BREAK: Recently-retired builder-developer and new Headland House Director, Phil Humzy, has returned from a four-month visit to Europe to break 80 for the first time in his 11 years as a member, and win Wednesday’s Mid-Week Medal in C Grade. And his nett 60 – the best score in the big field of 226 – came despite a quadruple bogey at the par-four 15th, his nemesis hole. “It was one of those rounds we all have occasionally, when things just fall together,” said Phil, whose notable card included three birdies and seven pars. Phil revealed he and his Pennant-playing wife Mouna had played just ‘a few’ rounds of golf in Europe, and two of his four rounds since returning have been disrupted by rain. “Maybe the spell freshened me,” suggested Phil, whose November Medal is his third. Paul Clarke (66 nett) won the A Grade Medal and Tony Vickers (61) medalled in B Grade.
BIRTHDAY BOY: So keen was Annabel Harris to have her husband and soulmate Noel join her as a Headland member, she signed him up as a birthday present – for her. “Annabel announced to our friends at her birthday dinner two years ago that she had bought me a membership,” revealed Noel after he won Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men, his first victory in ‘around three years’. “We were both members of Horton Park then Maroochy River, but when Annabel and a couple of her friends joined Headland, I had lost interest in golf and didn’t play for a few years.” But Noel has ‘plugged away’ on his 22 handicap since joining, and on Tuesday was very methodical – his 42 points coming from 42 shots and 21 points on both nines. The former Creative Director with advertising giants Mojo, Noel proudly revealed he also had no wipes on his card, and finished with the same ball for the second successive round.
TWO GOOD: Roz Brandt was simply ‘two’ good for the field in the Women’s Single Stableford on Tuesday, penning 15 two-pointers on her Tuesday winning card of 37 points. “My marker was surprised as I was at my consistency,” said 33-year member Roz, who scored 10 successive two points from holes 10 to one, followed by a three-point par and her lone one-point. “Despite some health issues of late, I have continued to play, but not very well. However, my last three rounds have been 34, 35 and now 37 points, and I put that down to not being in a bunker once, which is very rare for me,” she declared. Once a 19 handicapper – ‘when I was much younger’ – Roz played from 26 on Tuesday and described her round as ‘very steady’. NOTE: Her association with the number two continued post golf, when Roz backed two horses in the Melbourne Cup, but neither finished second. “One was scratched, and the other one finished last,” she lamented.
CHIPPING AWAY: A long stretch of poor chipping forced Andrew Nairne to ‘fall out of love’ with golf, a game that he had mastered to the tune of a four handicap. But, out to a 16-year high handicap of 11, Andrew managed to play 18 holes at Headland on Saturday without once having to chip the ball, and scored 65 nett to return the lowest score in November’s Monthly Medal, and win A Grade. “I haven’t been playing well, and haven’t been enjoying the game, so in my spare time I have been riding my motorbike in preference to golf,” revealed Andrew, whose last Medal win was nine years ago. His ‘no-chipping’ edict certainly worked, with a lone double bogey offset by three birdies, seven pars and seven bogeys, for 76 off the bat. Dean Jones (66) won the B Grade Medal, Tony Waddington (67) saluted in C Grade and five-marker Will Milroy (74) returned the best gross.
WINNING JOY: Retired farmer Joy Murray labelled joining Headland’s SWING program at 70 years of age ‘the best thing that ever happened to me’, and results over the past few weeks have underlined some motives for the passion she has for her new pastime. Joy won Saturday’s Single Stroke for Women with 68 nett, relegating the legendary Josie Ryan to second place. “But don’t expect that to ever happen again,” jested Joy, who also won a Tuesday Single Stableford (38 points) two weeks earlier, and finished third in the October C Grade Monthly Medal. “I needed something to do when I retired from the farm (at Landsborough), so I decided to join SWING in 2018, and it has been a wonderful experience.” Joy now plays golf three days a week, and a birdie at the par-three 14th was the highlight of her winning Saturday round.
CAPTAIN LEADS: The man who suggested the Vets’ annual Presidents’ Trophy be renamed in honour of long-standing President Tony Coad, is the leader after the first round. Despite a disastrous start Bruce Reid – Headland Vets’ Captain – scored 37 points in Monday’s Single Stableford event and was the only player on the day to break their handicap as a heavy downpour hit the course. Bruce double-bogeyed the first hole and wiped the second before hitting his stride with five three-pointers and 10 twos, to win Men’s A Grade. In its second year, the Tony Coad Perpetual Trophy is played over two rounds, with the player scoring the most aggregate Stableford points the overall winner. The second round will be played on Monday week, November 20. On a low-scoring day, Haenga Pirini (34) won Men’s B Grade and Phil Martin (33) prevailed in C Grade, while Joy Bullock (35) won Women’s A Grade and Sue Hadenham (31) won B Grade. NOTE: Tony Coad intended to be back from a Bali holiday for the event, but was delayed when flights were cancelled.
ANOTHER TITLE: Adam Richards has continued his outstanding year, winning the 2023 Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse District Upper Mid-Amateur gross (45-54 years) at Beerwah Golf Club on Sunday. Adam shot two-over 74 to beat former Queensland Bulls and Australian fast bowler Ash Noffke by two strokes. Two weeks ago the five-time Headland Club Champion had the round of his life at Headland, scoring nine birdies in a blemish-free 60 to win the November Monthly Medal. Prior to that he won Headland’s Match Play Championship for the sixth time, the Men’s Foursomes title and went back-to-back to win the Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse District Open and Closed Championships, at Mount Coolum. Eight Headland members – Adam, Aaron Shaw, Ash Reck, Wayne West, Ian Moore, Terry Grogan, Chris Klazema and Darren Macleod -played in the Beerwah event, with Darren Macleod winning the Senior gross (55 years and above) with a six-over 78.
BUNKERS JUDGED: Retired District Court Judge, John Robertson, has saluted Headland’s Bunker Refurbishment Committee and all staff involved for what he describes as an ‘incredible job’ on the course during the past 12 months. “To continue with this work, while we are all still playing the course, is an outstanding feat,” said the 22-year member. “And believe me, I have tested a few of the new bunkers.” John was in a buoyant mood when HH spoke to him on Friday, having just played Peregian Springs after coming off his first win at Headland in two years– 40 points in Thursday’s Single Stableford. His game has gained much greater consistency in the past few years since making his backswing ‘further, and slower’, as exemplified by seven three-point holes, a four-point par and six two-pointers on Thursday’s winning card.
EAGLES SWOOP: Most Headland members concur that the vista from the tee, looking towards the 11th green, has been greatly enhanced by the new bunkers. And it seems some members obviously feel the hole has also become more inviting, particularly after Saturday’s November Monthly Medal round. Three players – former Assistant Pro McKenzie Wright, Lang Pryor and Matt Fisher – each eagled the 261-metre par-four, from the black tees. Bizarrely too, good mates McKenzie and Lang were playing in the same group, and both drove the green and converted their eagle putts. “Both putts were uphill and on the same line, Lang’s about three metres and mine two metres. He generously showed me the line,” quipped McKenzie. Matt Fisher chipped in for his eagle, while Tony Waddington, who won the C Grade Monthly Medal, aced the par-three fifth hole for the fourth eagle of the day. And on Sunday, another eagle landed when Kirsten Kaergaard aced the par-three 18th.
SURPRISE VICTORY: When Graham Cartledge left the course on Sunday, he remarked to his wife Maureen that his 37 points might win him $5 in the rundown. But to his surprise, his six three-pointers, seven two-pointers and five one-pointers actually won Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. “I just plodded along, without too many mistakes,” said 18 handicapper Graham, who reckons his last win could well have been as far back as his C Grade Championship victory in 2018. “I have been playing awfully for a long time, but still look forward to my two rounds each week,” said the owner of Concept Pools. NOTE: Graham and Maureen joined Headland 18 years ago, and in 2018 created a probable club first when the married couple won the Men’s and Women’s C Grade Championship, respectively.
MATCH PLAY FINAL: The final of Headland’s 2023 Fourball Handicap Match Play Championship will be played next Sunday, with a father-and-son combination against two Maroochydore Rugby Union teammates. Both semi-finals went down to the wire on Sunday, with Neven Daniel and his son James beating Simon Richardson and Peter Richardson (2&1), and Rugby mates Lachie Moffat and Alex Dwyer taken to 17th hole before beating Headland executives Tim Gahan and Ian Hepburn, also 2&1. The Honour Board event, sponsored by Michael Thomas of Zenfind Accounting, is in its fifth year, and the final will tee off just after noon on Sunday.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, first round of Tony Coad Perpetual Trophy – sponsor Perry & Oster – Women (36 players) – A Grade, Joy Bullock (35 points), Lisa Ramen (35), Jenny Pirini (34); B Grade, Sue Hadenham (31), Jane Boaler (29), Suzanne Pledge (27).
Men (62 players) – A Grade, Bruce Reid (37), Col Pledge (36), Peter O’Brien (35): B Grade, Haenga Pirini (34), Brian Hills (34), Robert Pixley (33); C Grade, Phil Martin (33), Sergio Nogarotto (32), Steve Nash (31).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (35 players) – Roz Brandt (37 points), Kym Mason (36), Vicky Sheridan (36).
Men (61 players) – Noel Harris (42), Paul Andrews (40), Nev Kenzler (39).
Wednesday, Medley Mid-Week Medal, and Men’s Gold Medal (226 players) – sponsor Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – A Grade, Paul Clarke (66 nett), Jay Gourlay (67), John Harris (68); B Grade, Tony Vickers (61), Mark Barlow (62), Bruce Reid (65); C Grade, Phil Humzy (60), Tony Larkin (61), Ross K Thompson (63). Best nett – sponsor Roger Van Ginkel, Thomassen Australia – Geoff Walker (74). Mid-Week Gold Medal Winner – Mark Ludbrooke (63).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (105 players) – A Grade, Fiona Munro (40 points), Jill Nixey (38), Cathy Roberts (37); B Grade, Sue Harris (40), Tracey O’Connor (39), Valerie O’Brien (38); C Grade, Janette Ritchie (41), Marion Dennis (39), Helen Mulholland (35).
Men (91 players) – John Robertson (40 points), Richard Senior (39), Gary Martin (39).
Saturday, Single Stroke, Men’s Monthly Medal and Gold Medal – sponsor, sponsor Ryan Tomlinson, Century 21 on Duporth – Women (23 players) – Joy Murray (68 nett), Josie Ryan (72), Bev Kelly (73).
Men (223 players) – A Grade, Andrew Nairne (65 nett), Graham Smith (66), Chris Pace (67); B Grade, Dean Jones (66), George Stoufis (67), Nelson Valderrama (67); C Grade, Tony Waddington (67), Kevin Howe (68), William Hegarty (69). Best nett – sponsor Brian Kesby – Will Millroy (74). Saturday Gold Medal Winner – George Stoufis (67).
Juniors – Two-Ball Best Ball Stroke – Blake Rydwanski and Matthew Bothma (orange line, 43), Max Faulkner and Gurmantar Gill (green, 49), Benjamin Cox and Liam Kelly (green, 47), Dominic Manning and Dylan Manning (orange and pink, 47).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (53 players) – Graham Cartledge (37 points), Greg Patrick (37), Kirsten Kaergaard (36).
Fourball Best Ball Match Play Championship – sponsor Michael Thomas, Zenfind Accounting, semi-finals – Alex Dwyer and Lachie Moffat beat Tim Gahan and Ian Hepburn (2&1); Neven Daniel and James Daniel beat Simon Richardson and Peter Richardson (2&1).
