From Tony Durkin
SUPERHACK COMING: One of Headland’s biggest three days of golf in recent memory is about to hit the course and the message to members is loud and clear – book early to avoid disappointment. The inaugural Super Hack Weekend kicks off on Friday December 15 with a qualifying round of the famed Holden Scramble – the first staged at Headland since 2007. On Saturday (December 16) the popular Super Golf event – played over 10 repositioned cross-country holes – will be contested and on Sunday (December 17) Headland’s official golf program for the year will end with an 18-hole stableford shootout, made somewhat more difficult with no flags on the greens. Passes for all three days of the Super Hack Weekend will be available for $129 per player, which includes a sit-down dinner on the Friday night and entry into earlier the$10,000 hole-in-one shootout. Bookings opened last Friday and will close at 5pm this coming Wednesday, while Super Golf bookings for the 7am and 10.30am timeslots will open on Saturday (December 9). The $10,000 shootout will follow the Holden Scramble, a $5000 putting prize is open to those in Super Golf, while musical entertainment in the clubhouse after each day’s play will complement the club’s first-ever Super Hack Weekend.
FAMILY AFFAIR: Sunday’s Medley Monthly Medal proved to be a breakthrough occasion for the Holt family, with dad Peter taking the top gong and his son Tom winning the Junior version. But while Peter may have registered the better score – a nett 66 to Tom’s 69 – the 17-year-old had the better story to tell. Not only was it his first 18-hole competition and just this third competitive round, he had just returned from a week at Schoolies. Peter has been a Headland member for 24 years and Tom is one of a host of new juniors joining the club. Further family success came in Saturday’s Mug/Medal round, with Justin Nicholson finishing second is A grade and his mum Lynn third in the Ladies’ medal.
RAINY DAYS: Members have been understandably inconvenienced and possibility even somewhat miffed by the recent spate of rain, but – excuse the pun – every cloud does have a silver lining. Earlier in the year Headland’s water supply was so low that fairway watering had ceased, and only the greens and tees were being nourished. Those members who have played recently will no doubt attest to the fact that as a result of the recent rain the course has rarely looked better. Interestingly, when full – which is now the case – Headland’s five dams hold 71.5 mega litres, which seems a lot. But with the general course maintenance program requiring three mega litres a week, without further significant rain Course Superintendent Ben Tilley says the current storage will last only until halfway through next year. The moral to this story? As golfers, we should never curse the rain – it is the lifeblood of our course.
ROUND OF THE WEEK: Six months ago, head professional Adam Norlander and fitness addict Mark Gersbach settled on an ‘arrangement’ – Adam to help Mark with his golf game and Mark to assist Adam with his fitness. And by winning Saturday’s C grade Monthly Mug, Mark has clearly displayed that the golfing component of the agreement is working a treat. Mark took up golf when he joined Headland three years ago and gradually made his way down to a handicap of 24, but said there was no consistency and little enjoyment in his game. But since taking lessons from the club pro his AGU handicap has shrunk to 17 and his 87 last Saturday is his second-best round, following an 86 two months ago when the course was set up easier than it was at the weekend. This was also his second Monthly Mug victory since he started taking lessons. And while obviously ecstatic with his progress, Mark says Adam has also benefited, describing him as ‘fitter, leaner and happier – a much different person’.
JUNIOR SIGN-ON: Just a reminder of the junior this coming Friday (December 8). An activities session, supervised by club pro Adam Norlander and his staff, will include lessons in driving, chipping, pitching and putting. The putting green in front of the clubhouse, as well as the 18th green, will be utilised, and a net for the youngsters to hit their drives will be set up on the area where the electric carts are usually parked. The aim of the clinic is, obviously, to attract more junior members, but also to showcase the Headland junior program, Headland’s excellent facilities and the overall benefits of becoming a Headland member. The sign-on day/clinic will be held between 5pm and 7pm with a sausage sizzle and drink provided for all kids attending. For those juniors interested in joining the club, a junior membership costs $99 and includes a free lesson with a professional as well as a Headland-branded pack which comprises a shirt, cap, water bottle and drawstring backpack, each sporting the Headland logo.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, Veteran’s Single Stableford, Men (56 players): A grade – George Rodman (37), Huki Matenga (36); B grade – Bruno Ciot 38, John Sims (38); C grade – Phil Martin (35), Steve Wikman (34). Ladies (39 players): A grade – Pam Vincent (35), Marg Smith (335); B grade – Rhonda Biggs (32), Leeanne Ptak (32).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Men (74 players) – Bruno Schiess (43 points), Phil Kornmann (42), Mark Garcia (39); Ladies (44 players) – Kathy Petrie (36), Irene Apel (35), Zelda Joseph (35).
Wednesday, Men’s 4BBB Stableford – competition abandoned because of inclement weather.
Thursday, Ladies, Single Stableford – competition abandoned because of inclement weather; Men, Single Par – competition abandoned because of inclement weather.
Saturday, Monthly Mug, Men (223 players): A grade – Mark Barlow (66 nett), Justin Nicholson (69), Mark Wittholz (70); B grade – Col Pledge (68), Peter Wark (69), Chris Klazema (7); C grade – Mark Gersbach (66), Graham Sargent (70), Geoff Montgomery (71). Ladies, Monthly Medal (23 players) – Pam Vincent (73), Fiona Munro (75), Lynn Nicholson (75).
Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal (30 players) – Peter Holt (66), Brendan Southey (69), Darryl Kong (69); Junior – Tom Holt (69).
