From Tony Durkin
DUGGIE’S DROWNING: Darren Walters didn’t particularly need or want new golf clubs as the set he had were only three weeks old. But, according to the man affectionately known as ‘Duggie’, clubs, a phone, a GPS and a golf bag submerged in water tend to not function all that well. The story of the recently-drowned clubs is a lengthy one, but here we will keep it brief. After hitting a brilliant second shot to just in front of the tenth green, Walters left his buggy in the middle of the fairway and wandered off to help his playing partner search for a ball in the tree line. But within a minute or so he heard a commotion, looked back towards the fairway and saw his golfing equipment galloping towards the dam at the rate of knots. Despite his sprint and a similar course of action from a group in an electric buggy, the bag, buggy, scorecard, phone, GPS, wallet – everything – was submerged in the freshly-filled dam. All was rescued, but in vain. Nothing was reusable. Thanks to a very generous deal from Head Professional Adam Norlander, ‘Duggie’ has new sticks and a new bag, and is hoping his insurance company will be as sympathetic.
WELSH RAREFEAT: Sporting a new set of irons, retired doctor Peter Welsh returned to his best form on Wednesday and in doing so scored a $98 pay day. The good doctor teamed with fellow GP Trevor Beall to score 70 points in the fourball aggregate stableford, of which he contributed 40, and they collected $4 each in the rundown. But his genuine, gold-plated feat, was snaring the Pro Pins on both the sixth and 12th holes, garnering him $47 a shot. Yet one of his three birdies was not on the 12th hole, despite the 156-centimetre distance from the pin.
CAPTAIN’S CHALLENGE: Vets’ captain Phil Martin has started the new year – and the new time slot – with a bang and has declared the Tuesday schedule ‘will work’. From last week Tuesday will be the designated day for the Vets comp at Headland and Phil hit the ground running with an outstanding 44 points, and in doing so streeted the field by five points. He then backed up the following day with a n impressive 38 points. But for Phil, the return to form has been a rare bright spot in his golfing life of late. Mid-2017 his AGU handicap was 18.4 – this past week he played off 26. Phil credits the Christmas-New Year break for helping him forget some bad habits.
BEST MATES: When Trevor Gourlay parred the 10th hole in last Saturday’s four ball best ball stableford for a nett four points, his regular partner Glen Grimish felt quietly confident that ‘today could be the day’. And then when Glen birdied the first, for another four pointer, he became even more assured. In a great round, where both players were on the card nine times, the good mates – who teed off at 7am – held on all day to win with 50 points in a closely run event in which only four points separated the first 15 groups. Glen and Trevor had 23 points on their first nine – the back nine – and 27 coming home., but it could have been even better. While they may have had three four-point holes, there were also three one-pointers in the mix.
JAY’S DAY: While Trevor Gourlay may have celebrated on Saturday, his son Jay – a recent addition to the Headland ground staff – took the spoils on Sunday with a superb plus seven in the Medley Single Par event. His gross score of 81 – Jay’s best round at Headland – represented a nett 65 and included 11 pars from the 16 marker. His two-over par 38 on the front nine returned him plus six and despite two double bogeys on the way home he managed three more plusses to comfortably win the day from Tove Larsen (plus 5) who also had her best round in the four years she has been playing golf. Conceding she had been playing poorly of late, Tove explained her great round to being relaxed on a Sunday, and ‘not having to worry about dinner’.
DASH FOR CASH: Three Pennant team members – Ryley Martin, Dean Jones and Peter Perrett – have an additional $100 each in their club account after winning yesterday’s Dash for Cash event. Played over nine holes, members of the A, B and Masters Pennant teams teed off on the first with one player eliminated on each hole until two remained for the decider on the ninth. In B grade the consistent Dean Jones prevailed over Arthur Soanes, who holed a 110-metre wedge on four for eagle; in the Masters Peter Perrett had nine pars to beat Ian Moore; and in A grade 2015 club champion Ryley Martin beat reigning Queensland Mid-Amateur champion Mat Walkenhorst. Big Mat teed off first on the final hole and sent his monster drive 10 metres through the back of the green. Ryley accepted the challenge, stepped up and, with the shot of the day, finished 2.5 metres from the pin. He rolled in the eagle putt for victory. Sunshine Coast Zone Pennants start on Sunday week (February 4) for the Masters and the following Sunday (February 11) for A and B grade teams.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Vets, Single Stableford, Ladies (38 players) – A grade, Helen Fraser (41 points), Maria Hireme (37); B grade – Joy Ryan (39), Kathy Walker (37; Men (69 players) – A grade, David W Smith (39), Tony Coad (39), Peter Elsworth (38); B grade – Phil Martin (44), Kevin Howe (39), Dennis McGrath (38); Medley Single Stableford, Ladies (31 players) – Jenny Pirini (36), Linda Darnell (35), Sandra Murphy (34); Men (58 players) – Bruno Schiess (42), Peter Darnell (41), Ray Dempsey (41).
Wednesday, Fourball Stableford Aggregate, Men (186 players) – Mark Barlow and Ciaran Fenton (78 points), Tony Killey and Paul Andrews (77), Michael Collins and Phil Martin (77), Peter Francis and Alan Parker (76).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Ladies (76 players) – A grade, Sharon Thomas (38 points), Sue Jones (36), Sandra Murphy (22); B grade, Jenny Pirini (35), Coline Cofton (35), Lorelle Palmer (33); C grade, Brenda Smith-Gittins (37), Leigh Derigo (36), Kathy Walker (35). Men (83 players), Rod McKinnon (41 points), Bill Boucaut (40), Brad Reddan (40).
Saturday, Medley 4BBB Stableford (252 players), Glen Grimish and Trevor Gourlay (50 points), John Christmas and Kevin Howe (49), Denis Orr and Mike McQuarrie (48), Alan Parker and Greg Jellis (47), John Marrington and Tony McDonough (46).
Sunday, Medley Single Par (43 players) – Jay Gourlay (plus 7), Tove Larsen +5), Michael Goodluck (+4).
