From Tony Durkin
CLEVER TREVOR: Bob Trevor, who at 73 years of age plays off a handicap of four, totally appreciates the phrase ‘ageing like a good red wine’. And that is why, after shooting his age in Saturday’s Single Stableford event, he opened a bottle of 2007 Margaret River Shiraz to celebrate the occasion. But it wasn’t just any bottle of wine. This was a Christmas gift from Joyce Best, the wife of the late Len Best, a past member of Headland who had been an influential coach of Bob for more than two decades. Since Christmas, each time Bob left home for a round of golf he stood the bottle, reminding himself that he would not open it until he shot his age. Three times since 2015, with a round of 69 when he was 71, Bob has scored lower than his age but his 73 on Saturday, which included three birdies and four bogeys – plus nearest the pin on the fifth hole – was his first age equaliser.
GREEN MACHINE: The green jacket victory by teenager Ethan Vong in last week’s Masters Monday was greeted with more genuine applause than that received by his US counterpart, the not-so-popular Patrick Reed. Ethan, a member of the club’s Junior Pennants team and a Year 12 student at Chancellor College, amassed 43 points in his stableford round, which included two wipes. Playing off 25, he ripped around the back nine in 43 strokes to score 25 points, snaring the perpetual green jacket for the best score of the day and a $70 cash prize for winning his B Grade division. And to add to the lustre of what he called a very proud day, Ethan was nearest the pin on the eighth hole, and fittingly made birdie. A bit-part golfer for the past four years, the win has spurred him on to play more regularly.
ANOTHER ACE: Lyn Hayman is rapidly emerging as the poster girl for Headland’s innovative SWING (Starting Women In Golf) program, scoring her second hole-in-one in just four months. The ace came on the 18th hole during last week’s Masters Monday event with a sweetly-struck nine iron garnering Lynn six stableford points. A graduate of the 2016 SWING program, Lynn played occasional competitive golf last year and scored her first ace – on the fifth hole – back in December during the same round in which she scored a competition-winning 41 points. She has since had two more wins, with 43 and 40 points respectively, and has reduced her handicap from 44 to 33. And she has contracted the golfing disease, now playing at least two rounds a week.
WHOOPS: Laurie Corless had a fruitful day at golf on Wednesday with a booty of $214 slipping into his account following a win in B Grade (43 points), a pro pin on the 12th (18cm) and a quarter share in the lottery square. But had it not been for a slice of luck during the Masters Monday event two days earlier, Laurie may not have been in a fit state to play. Driving his cart between the two tee blocks on the fourth hole after putting out on the third, Laurie heard a loud ‘fore’ shout and instinctively ducked his head. He then felt a slight bump on his upper leg, looked down and saw that a ball had landed in his pocket – and stayed there. The ball, hit by Aaron Kenzler from the third fairway, had jumped the protective fence and bounced on the front tee before checking to see what Laurie was carrying in his pocket. Incidentally, Aaron took a drop – without penalty – on the front tee, hit an excellent shot onto the green, but missed his putt for what would have been a rather freakish par.
STARK CONTRAST: Following a month of what she called bizarre golf, SWING graduate Di Stark had a dream round on Thursday with her 40 points winning C Grade, and the best score in the big field of 102 players. In previous frustrating weeks 33-marker Di was hit in the head with a ball and had a shot ricochet from a tree and strike her, costing a penalty. But playing in a ‘lovely’ group who made her feel ‘really relaxed’, Di carded eight three-pointers plus four points on the 18th to amass her equal best score since she graduated from SWING in 2015. But, to her delight, this was the first time she had beaten the entire field.
ROUND OF THE WEEK: Gerry Brown, better known around the club as ‘Gerry the Baker’, had no idea what score he had when he finished last Wednesday’s stableford round with an outstanding 45 points. A club member for two decades who plays just once a week, in the same group every Wednesday, Gerry describes himself as ‘a pretty causal golfer who enjoys a beer or two on the course’. But about once a year, out of the blue, the 24-marker shoots the lights out, as he did with his 87 gross on Wednesday and his 62 nett which won him the C Grade Monthly Medal last year. While he doesn’t get too excited about golf, Gerry did say he was chuffed with a clean card – no wipes.
PENNANTS UPDATE: Headland’s only Men’s teams to play in the Sunshine Coast Zone Pennants yesterday, A Grade and B Grade, both had stunning 7&0 wins to force their way into next Sunday’s semi-finals, to be played at Mt Coolum. In the A Grade clean sweep over Nambour, Aaron Shaw was the terminator, taking out his opponent 6&4 at the 14th hole. Other winners were Scott Walker (4&2), David Rattray (4&2), Adam Rydwanski (2up), Sean McGill (2&1), Ryley Martin (2&1) and Mat Walkenhorst (1up). Twin Waters was the victim of the red-hot B Grade team, which has now won five rubbers straight to qualify for the semi-final. Brendan Duncan and Dean Jones were the big winners yesterday with 5&4 victories, while Dan Diachkoff (4&2), Matt Hetherington (2up), Matt Macaulay (2&1), Matt Pyman (2&1) and the evergreen Michael Thomas (2&1) also scored outstanding wins. Next Sunday Headland will play Noosa in A Grade, with players teeing off from 9.45am and in B Grade the opponent will be Noosa Springs, starting from 10.30am. Men’s Director of Golf, James Kidd, has urged members to make the trip to Mt Coolum to support both teams.
LADIES PENNANTS: With just one match to play, both the Ladies Division One and Division Two teams are unfortunately out of contention to win their respective Pennant. Division One had a 3&2 win over Caloundra at Bribie Island today (Monday) with Sharon Thomas (5&3) winning her fourth in succession, Gwen Nancarrow scoring a 5&4 win and Josie Ryan overcoming a 10-shot handicap to win 4&2. Division Two lost 3½-1½ to Twin Waters at Beerwah, with Robyn Boreham thrashing her opponent 6&5 and Carol Dwyer squaring her match. The Weekend Pennants team lost 4&2 to Mount Coolum, but still have five matches to play. Winners on Sunday were Kate Wilkie (6&4) and Carol Quinn (3&1), while two of the other three matches went down to the 18th. First timer Christine Claxton turned in a strong showing, taking her match to the 17th.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, US Masters Monday, Single Stableford, Ladies (14 players) – Patricia Howe (34 points), Joy Bullock (33), Lyn Nicholson (33); Men (106 players) – Green Jacket, Ethan Vong (43); A grade, Matt Hetherington (40), Matt Macaulay (39), Adam Currie (39), Matt Prince (39); B grade, Ethan Vong (43), Damian Hillier (38), Brent Dalby b(37), Toby Zaremba (37).
Tuesday, Veterans, Single Stableford, Ladies (32 players) – Julie Welsh (41 points), Maggie Fitzpatrick (37); Men (86 players) – A grade, Jock McLaughlin (38), Lawrence Hireme (37); B grade, Dennis Farmer (42), Kevin Howe (38); C grade, Geoff Schuh (37), Michael Cook (35).
Single Stableford, Ladies (35 players) – Ruth Broderick (39 points), Karen Cassels (36), Helen Mullholland (34); Men (56 players), Ian Dennis (42), Rod Berger (40), Tony McDonough (40).
Wednesday, Men, Single Stableford (208 players) – A grade, Wayne Cassidy (41 points), Tony Killey (39), Peter Gablonski (38); B grade, Laurie Corless (43), James Daniel (42), Frank Matthew (39); C grade, Gerry Brown (45), Russell Dowling (41), Chris Duhig (41).
Thursday, Ladies, Single Stableford, (102 players) – A grade, Monica Knowles (40 points), Heather Lum (38), Robyn Boreham (38), Catherine Petersen (37); B grade, Joanne Stifler (38), Doreen Davidson (36), Katrina (Watts (35), Julie Welsh (35); C grade, Di Stark (40), Kay Campbell (39), Shirley Eggleton (38), Brenda Smith-Gittins (38). Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (78 players), Chris Wilson and Damian Hillier (52 points), Phil Sickling and Mick Spencer (47), Russell Cooper and Paul Andrews (46).
Saturday, Single Stableford, Ladies, (34 players) – Doreen Davidson (37 points), Liz Dunford (37), Many Oster (36); Men (206 players) – A grade, Ken Wedmaeir (41 points), Andrew Fisher (41), Nathan Osborn (41); B grade, Terry Lawler (43), Bruce Fielding (42), Bernie Green (41); C grade, Ossi Laurikainen (45), Gary Jamieson (41), Eric Orgias (40).
Sunday, Medley Beat the Greens Director Single Stableford, (50 players) – Joy Bullock (39 points), Adam Robins (37), Stephen Holdsworth (37).
