From Tony Durkin
FLAWLESS GOLF: He may not have won the event, but Club Champion, Adam Rydwanski, turned in one of his most impressive rounds as a 14-year Headland member in Thursday’s Anzac Day Medley Single Stableford. The two-time Champion shot three-under 66 – his lowest score at the club – without a blemish on his card, for 38 points from a plus-one handicap. On his way to second placing in A Grade, Adam birdied the par-five eighth (seventh on the original course), then eagled the par-four 12th (11th). Although 66 is his best round at Headland – and his first without a blemish for ‘possibly eight years’ – Adam has previously shot five-under 67 when par was the standard 72. And for the ex-Kiwi, playing so well on Anzac Day was poignant. “My grandfather and great grandfather served with the ANZACS, and my great grandad survived Gallipoli,” he revealed. “And to make today even more special, my dad John is here on holiday, and we played together.” Adam was one of four players to shoot under par on Thursday. Adam Richards (plus 3), Sean McGill (plus one) and Josh Holbrook (plus three), each fired two-under 67, with 12 birdies between them.
PUTTER MAN: The golfing adage ‘drive for show, putt for dough’ was never better demonstrated than during Deon Breytenbach’s winning round in Saturday’s Single Stableford for Men. The self-employed Accountant and Tax Agent, who joined Headland in 2016 after arriving from his native South Africa at the beginning of that year, had a miserly 11 putts on the back nine on his way to 38 points, and victory in B Grade. “Even though I was happy with my round, I didn’t think that score would win anything,” quipped Deon, whose last victory was in July last year when he won the B Grade Monthly Medal. He jumped out of the blocks in style, chipping in on the 10th hole for birdie, then scoring three-pointers on the next two holes and finishing the nine with successive three-pointers. “The greens were quick, but true,” said Deon who managed just 16 points on the front after his impressive 22 points to open his account. Josh Vearing (38) won A Grade and Errol Greiner (37) C Grade on a low-scoring day.
ORDINARY WIN: ‘An ordinary player sometimes has a good day’ was how Vicki Maynard reacted to her 36 points, and a win in Saturday’s Single Stableford for Women. And with her putting ‘saving’ her on several occasions, Vicki produced a ‘Goldilocks’ quote when she said ‘the greens weren’t too fast, they weren’t too slow, they were just right’. Having not played as regularly lately as she usually does because of the spate of wet weather, the former Headland Women’s Captain said she still loved to play golf, even though she often struggled with her game. “Today it was okay. I am happy with the win,” she said, recalling her last victory was at least 12 months ago. Vicki’s consistent card revealed three three-point holes, 12 twos and three one-pointers and, pleasingly, no wipes.
DOC’S BEST: In three months, Doc Fleming had become totally disillusioned with golf as his GA handicap slipped from an all-time low of 11, to 15.8, where it was capped. And to make matters worse, the golfing disaster came after Doc (real name Zhivago, courtesy of a ‘romantic’ mother) had made the tough decision to retire from Rugby coaching following a 14-year stint with USC Barbarians Rugby Club. But during Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, the plumber/gasfitter blew away the demons as he recorded a PB at Headland. Playing off 15, he scorched around the course in 76 shots to return 44 points, win the B Grade event and smash the remainder of the field by six points. “It was pretty simple really,” said Doc, explaining the sudden change of fortune. “The previous Saturday I was 19 over after the first nine. I then decided to slow everything down, make a conscious effort not to hit the skin off the ball, and the plan worked.” And that same theory transitioned into Wednesday’s round when he carded two birdies, eight pars, seven bogeys and just the lone double. “Although this was totally out of the blue, hopefully I’m back,” quipped Doc, who was recently awarded Life Membership of the USC Barbarians Rugby Club. Barry Newton (A) and Kevin George (B) won their respective grades, both with 38 points.
BUNKER SAVVY: Despite the fact she has played golf for more than two decades, has been a member of four different clubs in that time and Women’s Captain at one of them, Denise Hutchinson concedes she has never been able to master the art of bunker play. “I have had heaps of lessons, but still struggle,” confessed the former Brisbane teacher. But when she avoids the sand traps – as she did with one exception at Headland on Tuesday – the frustration abates, and her love of the game returns. Denise landed in just one bunker during her round, and wiped that hole, but was able to finish with 37 points after an extremely consistent round, and record her first win in the Women’s Single Stableford event since October last year. She carded four three-point holes and 12 two-pointers in her round, and came to the healthy realisation that ‘I can still hit the ball okay’. “When you play good golf, it seems easy,” quipped Denise. “But staying out of those bunkers is obviously the answer.”
TRUE GREENS: With just 22 putts in his round of 73 for 43 points in Thursday’s Anzac Day Medley Single Stableford, Dave Mayes described the greens as ‘the Headland of old’. “They were terrific. True like they used to be,” enthused Dave, who said his golf of late had been very average. “On Masters Monday I scored 23 points, and almost doubled that today,” he quipped after signing for a birdie, 12 pars and five bogeys. With the best score of the day, the Sunshine Coast Manager for U Blinds Australia was presented with the Diggers Cup, an award with a personal touch. “My son George has been in the Navy for 12 years, and he marched today. Maybe he was an inspiration,” Dave hinted. So ‘up-and down’ has been Dave’s golf of late that his GA handicap before Thursday’s round was 13.3, his highest mark since he joined Headland 18 years ago. His winning round reduced that to 11.3. Dave’s playing partner, Ian Scobie (39 points) won A Grade, Barry Potter (40) won B Grade while Sue Jones (33) and John Atkins (34) will have their names again inscribed on the Diggers Perpetual Trophy.
SENIOR MASTER: Geoff Walker has been a Headland member for just on 12 months, but in that time he has put the club on the national golfing map. The 60-year-old, who joined Headland from Young (NSW) in May last year, finished tied 13th in the National Senior Masters at National Golf Club in Victoria two weeks ago. Playing off a handicap of 1.8, Geoff shot rounds of 72, 79 and 78 for a three-round total of 229, 12 strokes behind the winner. The Masters was played over the three courses at National – Moonah, Old and Gunnamatta – and 154 golfers from all parts of Australia contested the prestigious event. Geoff is a 22-time Champion of Young Golf Club, and his name appears on the club’s Honour Board 37 times. He was also Club Champion at nearby Junee Golf Club five times, from 1991 to 1995, won the NSW Senior Amateur Foursomes in 2021 and 2022 and was a member of the Australian Men’s Senior team in 2020 and 2022. Geoff is currently ranked 11th on the Australian Senior Men’s Order of Merit.
WINNING SURGE: Following four months of ‘hit and miss’ golf, Sergio Nogarotto decided to get back to basics and the change worked, with the former Headland Finance Director scoring his first win since August last year. Sergio scored 39 points to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men and, despite ‘a mixed bag’ of scores, he said ‘a lot of good things happened’. “Before Tuesday I had not had more than 33 points in a round this year, so I decided to go back to basics,” he revealed. “I was becoming lazy, was not rotating my shoulders, and not getting through the ball. And I was not concentrating.” Sergio joined Headland in 2018 after moving from Sydney to retire, and within five months the former Financial Controller of a major food company decided to take on the onerous role of Finance Director. “It was during a time the club went through quite a few crisis issues, and obviously had its ups and downs. But it was a great way to meet people and appreciate the culture of Headland,” he said. Sergio (handicap 24) had a birdie and four pars in his winning round.
ACE SPONSOR: Event sponsor of Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, Brenden Southey of Prime Property, recouped a small percentage of his donation when he aced the par-three 15th hole (the original 14th). Logically, Brenden also snared the NTP, which gave him a total of $64 for the shot, a ‘knocked-down’ six-iron. “Because there was a shadow on the green, we didn’t actually see the ball roll in to the hole, but it was certainly on line from the moment it left the club,” said Brenden, who has previously aced the par-three eighth. Also in the money on Wednesday was John Hall, a 35-year member, who celebrated his fourth hole in one in front of a gallery at the 18th. “The crew on the verandah cheered, but one of our group was less enthusiastic, saying I hadn’t even made the green,” John conveyed. Also the recipient of $63, John has previously aced the 18th, as well as the eighth and 14th. And, as is the case when any Headland members scores a hole-in-one, both Brenden and John will receive a ball-mounting trophy, courtesy of the club.
KELLYS AMBUSHED: Bev and Ross Kelly have been Headland members for 23 years, and have been regular sponsors for 22 years. In that time – as a couple – they have never won their own competition. And while that did not change on Sunday when – with Sandra and Terry Murphy – they sponsored the Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford event, they went as close as they have ever been. “We missed a couple of putts on the back line,” revealed Ross after he and his wife had scored 44 points, but were beaten on a countback by Chris McArdle and Tristan Scott. “Bev has sponsored the annual Women’s Rabbits Cup since her second year as a member, and together we have sponsored the medley event for the past few years”. Tristan, who penned 24 of the 44 points on the winning Fourball card, backed up his 36 individual points from the previous day. Ross and Bev will sponsor again in July
JUNIOR PENNANT: Headland’s Division Three Junior Pennant team, with three of the four members playing off a 26 handicap, have beaten Maroochy River’s Division Two team 3&1 at Noosa on Sunday (yesterday). All four are students of Leon Faulkner’s Golf Rocks Kids Academy – which operates out of Headland – the coach described the victory as ‘an outstanding effort by our juniors, who wore the Headland brand with pride all day’. Dominic Manning (handicap 26) won 5&3, Max Faulkner (26) won 1-up and Peter Hall (26), saluted 3&1, while Paige Prosser, playing in her first Pennant match, lost 4&2.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford – Women (36 players) – Denise Hutchinson (37 points), Jan Langdon (33), Annabel Harris (33).
Men (49 players) – Sergio Nogarotto (39), Darren Padgett (37), Brian Balocca (35).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsors, Brenden Southey and Bevan Horsnell, Prime Property – (218 players) – A Grade, Barry Newton (38 points), Josh Holbrook (38), Ty Pilcher (38); B Grade, Doc Fleming (44), John Langdon (37), Scott Lindsay (36); C Grade, Kevin George (38), David Parker 35), Simon Lowing (34).
Thursday, Anzac Day, Diggers Cup, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, the Edwards Family – (122 players) – Diggers Cup, David Mayes (43 points); A Grade, Ian Scobie (39), Adam Rydwanski (38), Jamie Holbrook (37); B Grade, Barry Potter (40), Steve Nash (36), Jill Nixey (34). Servicemen’s Shield – Navy, Ted Banaszcyk (33); Air Force, Neven Daniel (33); Army, Peter Keane (30); Diggers Perpetual Trophy – Women, Sue Jones (33); Men, John Atkins (34).
Saturday, Single Stableford – sponsor, Alex Dwyer, Dwyer Homes – Women (25 players) – Vicky Maynard (36 points), Patrice Jenkins (35), Naomi Doyle (33).
Men (217 players) – A Grade, Josh Vearing (38), Neven Daniel (38), Andrew Hay (37); B Grade, Leon Breytenbach (38), Todd Petrie (37), Tristan Scott (36); C Grade, Errol Greiner (37), Jon Welch (36), Mark Glassop (36).
Juniors, Parent-Child nine-hole stroke – Alex and Nick Duncan (26), Max and Leon Faulkner (27), Benjamin and Steven Cox (27), Dominic and Amber Manning (28).
Sunday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford – sponsors, Bev and Ross Kelly and Sandra and Terry Murphy – (60 players) – Chris McArdle and Tristan Scott (44 points), Bev and Ross Kelly (44), Kirsten Kaergaard and Tracey O’Connor (42).
