From Tony Durkin

 BRAGGING RIGHTS: It may have taken almost 12 months, but Dennis Mikolic has finally won bragging rights over his wife, Kim Williams, a member at Caloundra. Early last year, in her first competitive outing at her new club, Kim snared the C grade Monthly Medal with a nett 70. And because Dennis had never achieved the same feat, he became the target of some playful banter. But that changed on Wednesday when Dennis returned his best-ever score at Headland – 80 – to win the A grade Monthly Medal with a nett 67, which accompanied his nett 69 the previous Saturday in the January Monthly Mug. A member of the Military, Dennis and his family moved to the Sunshine Coast from Townsville just on two years ago and although he often spends time away from home and is generally restricted to one round a week, a lengthy break over the Christmas period and plenty of time on the golf course has paid dividends.

BUFFALO GROUNDED: Much-loved club professional Adam Norlander has had a less-than-ideal start to 2018, but has assured club members that things are on the improve. Adam – or Buffalo as he is affectionately known – is currently a patient in Buderim Private Hospital where he was admitted on the second day of the year with a serious infection in his left foot. As a result, his little toe has been amputated. Although in good spirits and on the mend, it could be some time before Adam is 100 per cent health-wise, and back to work in the pro shop. However, in his absence the excellent staff of new dad Matt Douglass, Nate Smyth and Dominique Paice will continue the great service to which Headland members have become accustomed.

AGE BARRIER: Age may not be an issue for Ken Anderson, who turns 77 at the end of the month, but Saturday’s oppressive heat certainly was. A distressed Ken double bogied the 16th but still managed to shoot less than his age for what he estimates is the ‘10th or 11th time’ since he joined Headland almost two decades ago. His 74 – for 41 stableford points – also included four bogeys and two birdies along with his 11 pars. Ken’s lowest handicap at Headland has been one, and his best round a five-under 67 five years ago.

 CHINA BOUND: After initially accepting a position as Golf Instructor with Performance Golf in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Headland’s Shane Miley is now heading to China as head professional of the Junior Academy at Yi Shan Golf Club in Wuhan City, Hubei Province. Shane initially applied for both positions but when issues with visas arose in respect of Abu Dhabi, the position in China was simultaneously offered, and was too tempting to reject. The personable Miley joined the Headland pro shop staff in October last year, completed his traineeship in December and departed on Friday with the best wishes of fellow staff and members.

 FIGHTBACK: Disappointed and even embarrassed that he had allowed his handicap to creep out to 17, former club President Jon Welch came good on his new year resolution with a first-up win in the January Monthly Mug. A nett 68 – 85 off the stick – gave him a one-shot victory in B grade last Saturday week and a conviction that successful golf was all about practice, and application. Although he was pleased with his seven pars, the most satisfying aspect of his round was having only two double-bogeys on his card. Jon stepped down after four years as president at the elections in August. He had earlier served six years as House Director and two as Vice-President.

 ROUND OF THE WEEK: John Hall, who is the Chief Legal Officer at Sunshine Coast Regional Council, concedes no law could possibly cover the vagaries of his golf. After returning his lowest-ever round on Saturday – 84 for 46 stableford points – John’s immediate reaction was to reflect on his score in the Monthly Mug the previous weekend. After losing two balls and deciding not to ‘reload’ on those two holes, John estimates his score would have been well in excess of 100 and the stableford score on which he was handicapped – 21 points – paled into insignificance when compared to the 25 he collected on the front nine on Saturday. And while he describes himself as a ‘hacker’ who has had three holes-in-one at Headland, he has no idea why his game changed so abruptly from one Saturday to the next.

BIRDIE GIRL: Gwen Nancarrow says two ‘lucky’ birdies was the highlight of a Saturday round that she almost didn’t finish because of the oppressive heat. Gwen holed monster putts on the first and fifth holes in her round of 85, for a winning score of 42 stableford points. Once a 12 marker ‘in my younger years’, Gwen now plays off 18 and says Saturday’s score was her best for ‘a long, long time’. She streeted the field by six points.

WEEKLY WINNERS:

 Saturday (January 9), Monthly Mug, Men (222 players) – A grade Matt Doyle (68 nett), David Mayes (69), Dennis Mikolic (69), Bryan Haggarty (70); gross – Adam Rydwanski (73); B grade – Jon Welch (68), Barry Hudson (69), Tony Roxburgh (70), David W Smith (70); gross – Matt Hetherington (85); C grade – Graham Sargent (68), Phil Lovett (68), Graham Miller (68), Jim Aspinwall (69); gross – Phil Lovett (88). Ladies (27 players) – Lisa Ramen (71), Robyn Boreham (71), Doreen Davidson (71).

Sunday (January 10), Medley Monthly Medal (24 players) – Glenn Kelly (68), Anthony Fichera (69), Peter Welsh (70). Junior Medal – Jacob Alkin (71).

Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford, Ladies (45 players) – Barb Clarke (38 points), Kathy Petrie (36), Ann Inglis (36); Men (80 players) – Ted Banaszczyk (43), Robert Pixley (41), Tim Rees (38), Neville Kenzler (38).

Wednesday, Monthly Medal, Men (201 players) – A grade, Dennis Mikolic (67), Keith Dudgeon (70), Barry Newton (70); B grade, David W Smith (69), Joe McGuirk (71), Ian Scobie (71); C grade, Graham Wilson (67), Steve Browne (68), James Fountain (68).

Thursday, Medley Single Stableford, Men (71 players) – John Jamieson (44 points), Glen Wakefield (43), Trevor Simpson (42); Ladies (50 players) – Rhonda Parry (39 points), Kathryn Tales (39), Brenda Smith-Gittins (38).

Saturday, Medley Single Stableford, Men (225 players) – A grade, Andrew Nairne (42 points), Aaron Shaw (41), Ken Anderson (41); B grade, Daniel Lane (42), Russell Thistlewood (42), Troy Cronin (41); C grade, John Hall (46), Ed Hoey (43), Chris McArdle (41); Ladies (21) – Gwen Nancarrow (42), Trish Marsden (36).

Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (26 players) – Neven Daniel (40 points), Darryl Kong (39), Peter Dunn (37).