From Tony Durkin
WOMEN’S MATCHPLAY: Lisa Ramen has the chance to complete her first Headland Women’s ‘double’ when she meets Kate Wilkie in next Saturday’s 2025 Matchplay Championship final. Playing Saturday’s semi-final against the ever-competitive Josie Ryan, reigning singles Champion Lisa was two-down after six holes with Josie just one over par. But that was the biggest margin of the match, with Lisa gradually grabbing the ascendency and taking the lead for the first time at the par-three 14th. She then won the 16th, and parred the 17th to win 3&1. In the other semi-final, the score was a roller-coaster throughout. Kate Wilkie was five-up after seven holes, but Annabel Harris fought back to square the match at the 18th hole, sending the semi-final to a sudden-death play-off at the par-four first hole. Kate eventually won when Annabel conceded after she mishit her third shot over the green, with Kate putting for birdie. Another match to go to sudden-death was in B Grade, where a bogey from Gwen Nancarrow was enough to beat Kirsten Kaergaard at the 19th. In the other B Grade semi-final, Jenny Ingham continued her good form of late to beat Leeanne Ptak 4&3, while in C Grade next weekend’s finalists are Sue Briffa and Debbie Bennetts, after they prevailed over Wendy Burnie (4&3) and Sue Harris (2-up) respectively.
TERRY’S TRAUMA: Dolphins NRL tragic Terry Grogan missed Saturday’s presentations at Headland because he was resting in his ‘Home Recovery Centre’ (Turkish bath). Winner of the B Grade Single Stableford for Men after returning the best score of the day, Terry revealed the post-golf ritual was now a ‘must’. “If I don’t do it, my back simply seizes up. It is only about half an hour, but it certainly does the trick,” he said. Also ‘doing the trick’ in recent weeks to help right his game has been tips from some fellow players, including the suggestion of a new putting grip. “Darren Walters recommended I switch to the claw grip, and it is working a treat. And I have appointed Justin Walsh as my ‘thoughts’ coach,” Terry enthused after his 41 points on Saturday was his best score in his past 25 rounds. “I have not scored 30 points or better in the past six months.” Apart from his six three-pointers and a four-point birdie at the 17th, the highlight of the day was his back nine of three-over par 39, for 23 points. Brendan Duncan shot par to win A Grade with 38 points, while Phil Kornmann (37) was best in C Grade.
HANDICAP SLASHED: Louise Harriott won Thursday’s Division One Women’s Single Stableford with 39 points, playing from the red tees on a handicap of 11. That followed her return of the best gross in the July Monthly Medal five days earlier and, as a result, her new GA handicap is down 9.1, the third lowest in the club behind 2025 Women’s Champion, Lisa Ramen (8.1) and junior Charlotte Ridley (8.4). “I start to find some form, play well, and then don’t play for a while,” said Louise, who leaves shortly on a six-week overseas trip to meet up with her two daughters. “I love golf, but it is not the most important thing in my life.” Louise carded a birdie, nine pars, seven bogeys and a double on her Thursday card, and said she was disappointed she did not break 80, for the second time at Headland. “I had my chances, but made a couple of silly mistakes,” she revealed. Louise has enjoyed a great year, with her first Monthly Medal ‘double’ in May – the best gross and nett – and her best-ever round, 79, back in January. Wendy Burnie, also with 39 points, continued her good form of late to win Division Two, while Anne Hayward (33) won Division Three.
MATES AGAIN: It was not until three holes from the finish of Wednesday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford that John Halbert and Marco Di Nardo realised they were partners in the competition. “As we always do each Wednesday, the four guys in the group threw up the balls and the two closest teamed together,” revealed John. “Then, after we had played the 15th hole, another member of our group, David Werner, looked at MiScore and informed us Marco and I were actually partners in the Fourball competition.” And despite some friendly sledging between the pair throughout the round, they had – unbeknown to each other – teamed superbly, and went on to win the competition with 47 points. On the front nine they scored 27 points, with nine threes on their Fourball card, followed by 20 coming home. But John, who scored 40 points, was somewhat disappointed to be beaten by Mark Gersbach (41) for the individual honours. “Obviously we teamed very well, even though there had been some banter between us. Our only bad hole was the 16th, ironically the first after we realised we were partners, when we managed just one point.” John and Marco collected $130 each for their win, courtesy of generous sponsors Brenden Southey and Bevan Horsnell, of Prime Property.
LUCKY LUCY: The recent birth of a granddaughter, named Lucy, has prompted Vicky Oxley to thank her for two recent golf successes. Vicki finished runner-up in last week’s July Monthly Medal and then turned around three days later to win Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Women. “And Queensland won the State of Origin on Wednesday night, so we are calling her Lucky Lucy,” said a chuffed Vicki. With more run on the course – ‘which helps us high handicappers’ – Vicki penned four three-point holes, one four pointer, nine twos and two singles, with her only blemish a pick-up at the par-five second. “I was fortunate to find only one bunker on the day, so that was another slice of luck,” she quipped following her victorious 38 points.
MINOR DISASTER: A double bogey at the par-three fifth hole on Tuesday was the only catastrophe in the winning round of John Prosser in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men. John, who is employed by Disaster Relief Australia, scored 39 points from his 13 handicap, with nine pars and eight bogeys sitting beside the bungle at the fifth, where he ‘chunked’ his tee shot. “I am pretty happy with that score,” said John, who joined Headland five years ago as a 50th birthday gift to himself. And his 81 off the bat is his best score on the par-72 course, although he did shoot 76 on the adjusted par-68 during course renovations two years ago, for 40 points and his first Headland win. A member at Sydney’s Riverside Oaks before having 12 months at Peregian Springs en-route to Headland, John said he was continually excited by the tougher challenge of his new golfing home. “I am looking forward to the two-day Senior Eclectic next week,” he said.
HANDICAP STOPPER: While excited – and pleased – with two wins within four days, Bev Kelly is delighted she has stopped her handicap from a further blow out. “I think it has expanded from 19 to 27 in the past two years,” said Bev after winning Monday’s Vets’ event with a great score of 40 points. And that came on the back of the B Grade Monthly Medal four days earlier, with nett 75. Bev conceded the past 12 months have not been the best, for her golf or her mobility. “I had a hip replacement, and we travelled a lot, so golf was very much on the back burner. And when I did play, it was not that great,” she mused. Bev admitted she had not actually realised she was scoring that well on Monday, possibly because she was concentrating so intently. And it certainly was a good score for the 24-year member, who registered four three pointers and 14 twos on her winning card. Not only did Bev win the Women’s event, but her score was the best of the day. David Drinnen won Men’s Division One with 37 points, while Graham Pitt (35) won Division Two.
MOORE MONEY: Like many of the ‘senior’ members at Headland, Ian Moore finds golf these days ‘a lot different’. Once a single marker playing off two, the popular ‘Moorie’ was Club Captain for eight years and played Pennant golf for the club for more than two decades during his 30-year membership. But now, winning a competition ‘every couple of years’, as he did on Thursday with 39 points, brings a smile to his face. “Age wearies us all, and that’s a fact we have to accept,” he said after penning 11 pars, five bogeys and two doubles from his handicap of 12. And while he failed to break 80, as was common when in his prime, Ian still enjoys the thrill of winning, and having $125 added to his House Account. And it was his second ‘collect’ in two days; on Wednesday he snared the Pro Pin at the sixth, and collected another $65. As a three-decade member and former Board member, Ian obviously has an opinion of the ‘new’ Headland course. “It’s good. I like it,” he said. “But, as is the case on any golf course, there are places to avoid. Do that and you should not find too much trouble.”
CHILDS’ PLAY: Another junior golfer won Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford at Headland, but it was Childs’ play that stole the show among the field of 51. Playing just his sixth competition round, 17-year-old Matthew Flinders Year 12 student Zach Williams scored his second win for July when he scored 40 points from his handicap of 20. His card revealed two birdies and four pars, but an eight, a seven and a wipe vetoed a more impressive outing. However, Accountant Jason Childs grabbed the headlines when, for the first time in an impressive golfing career, he snared three of the four NTPs on offer. “I have never done that before,” said an amazed Jason, who finished runner-up to Zach with 39 points, his second runner-up placing on successive Sundays. But the seven-handicapper was annoyed with his triple-bogey seven at the par-four 17th hole. “I played 98 percent good golf, but found a bunker on the second-last hole that has almost certainly cost me my Headland PB.” He shot 76.
MAROOCHY SWAP: Saturday’s ‘swap’ of time slots between Headland Maroochy River has been deemed a success, and may become an annual event. Forty players from each club were given the opportunity to play on the neighbouring courses, and feedback from both visitors was most positive. And on the day, the only visiting winner came from Headland, with groundsman Kaden Thorne winning the Maroochy B Grade Single Stableford with 41 points. John Halbert, who won at Headland on Wednesday (see above) finished third in C Grade at Maroochy, with 37 points.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland has held on for a draw against the strong Caloundra team in round two of the 2025 Men’s A Grade Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Pennant competition. Played at Mt Coolum on Sunday, the match was squared at 3½ points each with Adam Rydwanksi (6&5), team captain Sean McGill (4&3) and Glen Walker (1-up) winning their matches, while Adam Richards managed a half against his No.1 ranked opponent. Brenton Liaropoulos (3&2) and Shane Muller ((2&1) were beaten, while Junior Champion Sam Fichera was given a tough initiation to the senior ranks, beaten 5&4, but showing plenty of fighting spirit. B Grade also scored a draw, that result coming against Noosa Springs at Gympie. Headland’s three points came from wins by captain Steve Bell (2&1), Spencer Ives (2&1) and a 3&2 Fourball victory to James Daniel and Matt Hetherington. The other Fourball team of Brad Williams and Ryan Tomlinson was beaten 1-down, as was No.1 player Brendan Duncan, while Tony Mesic lost his match 4&3. Meanwhile, Masters was thumped 5-1, also by Noosa Springs, at Gympie. Wayne Taylor (2-up) was the only victor, with skipper Mark Henricks (3&1), Chris Pace (5&4), Peter Perrett (1-down) and Fourball pairings Andy Whitmore and Col Pledge (3&1) and Peter Dunn and Wayne Cassidy (1-down) all on the wrong side of the ledger.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford – sponsor, Perry and Oster Funerals – Women (25 players), Bev Kelly (40 points), Jill Nixey (36), Helen Martyn (35).
Men (68 players) – Division One, David Drinnen (37), Andrew Hempsall (37), Bruce Robson (35); Division Two, Graham Pitt (35), John Logan (35), Erik Larsen (34).
Tuesday, Single Stableford – Women (44 players – Vicki Oxley (38 points), Ali Lamond (36), Ruth Broderick (35).
Men (77 players) – John Prosser (39 points), David Talbot (37), Mackenzie Wright (36).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball – sponsors, Brenden Southey and Bevan Horsnell, Prime Property – (229 players) – Marco Di Nardo and John Halbert (47 points), Peter Hayman and Wyndham Tibbits (46), Ian Michel and Peter O’Brien (46), Brian Balocca and Quentin Mungomery (46), Brad Reed and Nick Reed (45).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women – sponsors, Jill Nixey, Bev Barnes, Marg Howard and Gay David – (99 players) – Division One, Louise Harriott (39 points), Jenny Ingham (38), Lisa Ramen (37); Division Two, Wendy Burnie (39), Odette Day (37), Joy Murray (36); Division Three, Anne Hayward (33), Joy Logan (33), Ellen Bloxsome (32).
Men (95 players) – Ian Moore (39 points), Brad Reddan (38), Lindsay Blair (37).
Saturday, Single Stableford – sponsor, Lachlan and John Moffat, Moffat Family Pharmacies – Women (11 players) – Naomi Doyle (34 points), Robyn Boreham (33), Di Stark (33).
Men (221 players) – A Grade, Brendan Duncan (38 points), Lincoln Harris (37), Graham Smith (37); B Grade, Terry Grogan (41), Adam Montgomery (40), Matt Hetherington (38); C Grade, Phil Kornmann (37), Fred Muller (36), Mark Ludbrooke (36).
Women’s 2025 Match Play Championship, semi-finals – A Grade, Lisa Ramen beat Josie Ryan (3&1), Kate Wilkie beat Annabel Harris (19th hole); B Grade, Jenny Ingham beat Leeanne Ptak (4&3), Gwen Nancarrow beat Kirsten Kaergaard (19th); C Grade, Sue Briffa beat Wendy Burnie (4&3), Debbie Bennetts beat Sue Harris (2-up).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (51 players) – Zach Williams (40 points), Jason Childs (39), Kyle Ormiston (38).
