From Tony Durkin
WOOD DUCKS: A visitor with a dual vested interest, a junior, a prince, and a gold medallist were among the 16 golfers who shared the prizemoney in Saturday’s Wood Duck Challenge. With the 18th hole out of play and the tenth playing as a par four-par three, par on the day was reduced to 71, which meant those who broke their handicap – shooting nett 70 or less – each won $74 courtesy of joint sponsors Greg Edgar and Nelson Valderrama, of Rapid Hire Equipment and Absolute Building Solutions, respectively. And one of those winners was Jake Edgar, son of sponsor Greg, who smashed the course from his 36 handicap to return the best score of the day, 63 nett. Hot on his heels was 15-year-old Flynn Lambalk (handicap 28), with nett 64, and his best round since he joined the club three years ago. And among the others to share in the spoils were Bruce Prince and 2025 Mid-Week Gold Medal winner Neven Daniel, both with nett 70. But the story of the day was 24-year-old chippy Jake, playing in his first competition round after securing his official GA handicap during the week so he could play in the event, jointing sponsored by his dad, and his boss. “Jake is my son, but works for Nelson,” revealed Greg Edgar whose company is a regular Headland event sponsor. “Jake has just started playing, is on the Headland waitlist, but secured his handicap by joining Future Golf. He played in the same group as Adam Richards, and shot the lights out for 99, from his handicap of 36.”
LUCKY SEVEN: Nicola Whitmore says that although seven is not her lucky number, it may have some future significance after her round in Saturday’s Monthly Medal. “I had six sevens on my card, but nothing bigger,” she quipped after winning her first Monthly Medal. “I usually have a pick-up or two, which of course can’t happen in a stroke event. So, I was pretty pleased about that.” A third-year Headland member who ‘for years’ had been encouraged by her husband, fellow member and unofficial coach Andy, to play golf, Nicola now loves the game which she describes as ‘very difficult’. “We recently moved to live near the course, so I am able to practise and play a few social holes quite often, which has certainly helped my game,” she said. Winner of the best nett in the Women’s Foursomes Championships last year alongside Laura Mason-Baierl, Nicola described her nett 71 on Saturday as ‘nothing special on the fairways’, but said she putted very well. Nicola beat the evergreen Gwen Nancarrow on a countback.
COSTLY DOUBLE: Steve Blampied was on course to score his second Headland round in the 70s until he ‘blew’ the par-three 14th hole on Wednesday. “It took me four shots to reach the putting surface,” confessed 12-marker Steve who shot 80, scored 40 points and returned the best score in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford. Just entering his fourth year as a Headland member following a three-decade break from golf, Steve has recently scaled back his competition involvement because of a busy working and family life. “But I still try to play Wednesdays and Saturdays,” revealed Steve, who was also a 12 handicapper as a junior back in Victoria. Apart from his double bogey on Wednesday, Steve’s card was impressive – a birdie, nine pars and seven bogeys. He penned 40 shots on both nines, and scored 20 points on each. His score won A Grade, while Tony Coad (38) continued his recent good form to win B Grade, and Headland House Director, Phil Humzy, won C Grade will 39 points. In a much smaller than usual Thursday field, Penny Cooper won the Women’s Single Par Plus with a score of plus three. NOTE: Steve’s business, Lifestyle Buyers Agency, is a former Headland sponsor, and can assist with any transaction involving buying or selling real estate.
THE BOMBER: “He bombs his driver as far as Adam,” claimed Brian Richards after he and Tony Larkin scored a majestic 52 points to win Thursday’s Fourball Best Ball Stableford for Men. The octogenarian, who is in the 39th year of his Headland membership, could not believe his luck when he teamed with the semi-retired plumber who, after a slow start, ‘shot the lights out’. “I don’t usually play Thursdays, but put my name on the timesheet and Tony joined me,” said Brian. “He hits a long ball, some drives were as far as Adam (Brian’s son, who is a six-time Headland Club Champion) hits it. He played off 24, and took full advantage of his two-shot holes.” Tony contributed 28 points to the winning tally, penning three four-point holes and four three-pointers. Brian was no slacker either, with a four-point birdie at the par-four third, and five three-pointers. “Not only have I not previously played with Tony, but we had never met prior to our round. He is a really nice fella.” In fact, so enamoured was Brian by the company, and the success, his name is down to play again next Thursday. Tony has been a Headland member for three years, joining when he arrived on the Sunshine Coast from Mollymook, where he played just social golf. His only Headland comp game is on Thursdays.
CATHY SCORES: When Headland members watch the Australian Open on their TV screens this coming week (Thursday to Sunday), one of our fellow members will be front and centre in the scorer’s HQ at Royal Melbourne. Cathy Roberts, three years retired as CEO and Director of Nursing at Sunshine Coast Day Surgery, has spent the past four years as part of the scoring team at two major Australian golf events. For three years she has tabled scores at the Australian PGA in Queensland, and this will be her second visit to the Open. “The scoring system is a little different this year,” she noted. “The walking scorers – those with the various groups – will have iPads for the first time. When their scores are sent through to us in the Media Centre, we input all relevant information, which is what is seen immediately on the TV screens at home and on the various screens throughout the course.” Through a friend, Cathy originally volunteered five years ago, and says the ‘job’ is an absolute buzz. “It is obviously fairly onerous, so no mistakes are tolerated. But being so closely associated with one of the most prestigious Australian sporting events feels very special,” Cathy said.
OPEN WORKERS: Through his long association and close relationship with Richard Forsyth, Royal Melbourne’s Director of Courses, Headland Course Superintendent Ben Tilley has arranged for two Headland apprentices to attend the Australian Open. Brenton Liaropoulos and Kayden Thorne left yesterday (Sunday) and will spend eight days in Melbourne, primarily helping with the preparation and maintenance of the prestigious Sandbelt course for the big event. Only 20 spots were available among the volunteer course maintenance crew, and Ben said the experience will be invaluable for Brenton and Kayden, with the knowledge they gain a significant boost in their development. But Ben has also arranged for the pair to visit five other highly-rated Melbourne courses – Commonwealth, Kingston Heath, Metropolitan, Woodlands and Peninsula-Kingswood. And, as keen golfers, they will both play Kingston Heath Woodlands and Peninsula-Kingswood, as well as Portsea, during their Melbourne visit.
BRETT’S RANKING: Headland members who thought the name Brett Rankin rang a bell, are in tune with the club’s recent history. Brett, who led the Australian PGA at Royal Queensland after round one and eventually finished tied 41st, holds the Headland course record. The Queenslander shot nine-under 63 in the Headland Pro Am in March of 2010, breaking the previous low mark of 65 set by current Club Champion Adam Richards in 2005, during the first round of the Sunshine Coast Open. A Brisbane Lions tragic, Brett’s other claim to fame is that he won the World Sand Green Championship at Binalong (NSW) last year. He turned Pro the year after his stunning round at Headland and prior to his performance at Royal Queensland over the weekend was 981 in the World Golf rankings (OWGR).
HEADLINES BREAK: Like Cathy Roberts and Headland’s apprenticed greenkeepers, HH management will also be heading to Melbourne for the Australian Open, which means no edition of this column will appear next week. However, we will be back on Monday, December 15, with all relevant news, and snippets of continued Headland golfing greatness, in the lead up to the upcoming Christmas break.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (38 players) – Denise Hutchinson (36 points), Mouna Humzy (34), Gay David (34).
Men (63 players) – Kane Livingstone (40 points), David Carmichael (38), John Prosser (37).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – sponsor, Bevan Horsnell and Brenden Southey, Prime Property – (198 players) – A Grade, Steve Blampied (40 points), Bevan Horsnell (39), Brenton Liaropoulos (39); B Grade, Tony Coad (38), Peter O’Brien (36), Warren Selvage (36); C Grade, Phil Humzy (39), John Miller (39), Ben Kennedy (38).
Thursday, Women, Single Par Plus – sponsors, Trish Arden, Trish Murphy, Lesley Wilson and Debbie Bennetts – (49 players) – Penny Cooper (plus 3), Trish Arden (+1), Bev Barnes (square), Mary Dowling (square).
Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (64 players) – Tony Larkin and Brian Richards (52 points), Matt Doyle and Wayne Hutcheson (43), Marty Dix and Mark Garcia (43).
Saturday, Women, Monthly Medal (19 players) – Nicola Whitmore (nett 71), Gwen Nancarrow (71), Laura Mason-Baierl (73).
Men, Single Stroke, Wood Duck Challenge – sponsor, Greg Edgar, Rapid Hire Equipment, and Nelson Valderrama, Absolute Building Solutions – (207 players) – Jake Edgar (63 nett), Flynn Lambalk (64), Glen Brooker (66), David W Smith (68), Dave Wickham (69), Michael Zeckomske (69), Ross Itzstein (70), Bruce Prince (70), Mark Garcia (70), Craig Firns (70), Neven Daniel (70), Andrew Hempsall (70), David Parker (70), Peter Dunn (70), Jai Straney (70), Darren Walters (70).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (34 players) – Liam Dutton (42 points), Brad Downs (39), Steve Ridley (38).
Monday, Vets, Closing Day, Medley Four-Person Ambrose (126 players) – Valerie O’Brien, Debbie Bennetts, Peter O’Brien and John Halbert (55.625 nett), Peter Blackford, John Logan, Brett Beaumont and Jack Williams (56), Sue Jones, Kathy Atkins, Leeanne Ptak and Bev Kelly (56.5).
