From Tony Durkin
STRESS RELIEF: The relief of finally selling her Buderim home has oozed out of a stressed Rhonda Parry in recent weeks and her golf game has been the beneficiary. A graduate of Headland’s mighty-successful SWING program – in 2014 – Rhonda returned the best score in her five years as a competitive golfer to win Tuesday’s Veteran’s Single Stableford. Her 43 points from a daily handicap of 37 included an impressive 22 points on the front nine – with one wipe. Although both her parents and brother were accomplished golfers, Rhonda ‘dabbled’ in the game only in corporate days before joining the SWING program. She started on a handicap of 45 but in recent times has been lower than 30 before the stress of house selling struck. But hopefully that is behind her now and Tuesday’s win, plus a fourth placing with good friend Brenda Smith-Gittings the previous Thursday, has her back enjoying the game she plays at least twice a week and ‘absolutely loves’.
ENGINEERED WIN: Retired engineer Andrew Murray recently decided not to pension off his 15-year old Ping irons, but instead – on the advice of Club Pro Adam Norlander – had the lie adjusted. And what a decision that has proved to be. Andrew, in partnership with fellow (aircraft) engineer Fred Muller, scored a year-high 52 points in a field of 196 to win Wednesday’s Fourball Best Ball Stableford. Playing off 11 four years ago, Andrew’s handicap has ballooned to 21 but he believes the adjusted lie on his irons has made a major difference with him hitting the ball half a club further, and sweeter. The pair combined superbly on Wednesday with four four-point results, 10 three-pointers and just two single- point holes. And they needed to – hot on their heels on a brilliant scoring day were the pairings of Alan Reed and Chris Byrnes and Alan Dellar and Stu Ennever, with 51 points.
EMBLEM RETURNS: Kangaroos, which adorn the Headland Golf Club emblem, have been a rare sight in recent years since – it is believed – a pack of domestic dogs scared them off the course back in 2010. At the time around a dozen casually inhabited and grazed the course, but have been scant in numbers since. However, in recent weeks one has reappeared, albeit briefly. Hopefully this one – thought to be a female and already nicknamed ‘Gloria’ – will stay, invite her friends and even start a family.
SWEET WIN: For a girl who received her first golf lesson on her honeymoon, Sandy Whittle has made giant strides in the game and capped off a recent return to form with a win in Thursday’s Ladies Single Par event. Marrying into a family steeped in Headland Golf Club history, Sandy decided to adopt the game – and the clubs of her mother-in-law, Sybel – and has progressed through the ranks to become a Headland A Grade Pennant player. But in recent times her form has slipped, so much so that she feared losing her A Grade handicap status. But that has been averted following Thursday’s impressive round of plus three and a fourth placing with fellow members Sharon Thomas, Jane Boaler and Rhonda Parry in Mt Coolum’s prestigious President’s Cup. And her form is expected to improve even more following an upcoming southern golfing holiday with her husband, Headland Patron, Simon Whittle.
Sharon Thomas, Sandy Whittle, Jane Boaler and Rhonda Parry
KEN’S DOZEN: The amazing golfing feats of 77-year-old member Ken Anderson continue, with another round in the 70s on Thursday scoring him 38 stableford points but – more importantly – his 12th round in which he shot less than his age. And, he conquered the mark this time playing off a handicap two less than his round of 76 just on two months ago. His four-over par on Thursday, playing off six, featured two birdies, 10 pars and six bogeys, and he came home in one-over 37. But it wasn’t good enough to win the competition – that honour went to 10-marker Nigel Morrison who had three birdies in his 39 points.
INSIDE INFO: He may not have had pre-game intel of all 18 pin positions, but Headland golf course staff member Aaron Shaw certainly made the most of his knowledge of the course with a superb eagle on the fourth during Wednesday’s Fourball Best Ball event. Playing in the group with fellow staff members Ben Tilley, Brad Beetson and Jay Gourlay, the talented five-marker holed a lob wedge to the back-left pin after a magnificent drive. But his glory was almost matched by big Brad Beetson, son of rugby league Immortal Artie. Hitting his drive 15 metres further than Aaron, Brad’s lob wedge stopped 20cms from the pin for a simple tap-in birdie. The partnership of Beetson and Gourlay took course staff bragging rights on the day, finishing fifth with 47 points. NOTE: Mark Bone also scored an eagle, on the par-five 10th hole.
ROUND OF THE WEEK: Retired teacher Ross Wedmaier once played golf from a handicap as low as 10, and his competitive streak more often than not had him playing to win. But following his retirement five years ago, playing golf – sometimes as often as three times a week – has become a form of relaxation and Saturday’s Monthly Mug win reinforced his new mental approach. Despite an ugly eight on the 11th hole, Ross (handicap 22) still played the back nine in 43 shots, signed for a nett 67, winning his first Mug since the early 90s. Although he said the excellent round came ‘out the blue’, it was good enough to win both the C Grade gross and nett scores in a big Monthly Mug field of 224 players.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Veteran’s Single Stableford, Ladies (46 players) – A Grade, Sandra Murphy (41 points), Lorelle Palmer (35); B Grade, Rhonda Parry (43), Brenda Smith-Gittings (36); Men (52 players) – A Grade, John Ross (40), Merv Lum (39); B grade, Paul Stephens (39), Robert Rowan (38); Medley Fourball Best Ball Aggregate (92 players) – Andrew Beck and George Rodman (78 points), Carolyn and Brendan Richardson (73), Ryley Martin and Matt Macauley (73).
Wednesday, Men, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (196 players) – Andrew Murry and Fred Muller (52 points), Alan Reed and Chris Byrnes (51), Alan Dellar and Stu Ennever (51), Ross Thompson and David Bone (48).
Thursday, Ladies, Single Par (85 players) – A Grade, Sandy Whittle (plus 3), Beverley Perry (square), Mary Young (-1); B Grade, Helen Mullholland (+1), Maureen Cartledge (+1), Carmel; Visser (square); C Grade, Anne Hayward (+2), Marion Dennis (square), Alison Payne (-1). Men, Nigel Morrison (39), Ken Anderson (38), Richard Senior (38).
Saturday, Monthly Medal, Ladies (25 players) – Marg Smith (72 nett), Del Whittaker (74), Robyn Boreham (74); Monthly Mug, Men (224 players) – A Grade, Daniel Diachkoff (69 nett), Scott Walker (70), Matt Macauley (71), Ryley Martin (70), Gross, Ryley Martin (70); B Grade, Les McClymont (67), John Kamm (71), Stephen Woolcott (71), Wes Houk (71), Gross, Les McClymont (83); C Grade, Ross Wedmaier (67), Tony Briffa (69), George Rodman (69), Ray Moody (70), Gross, Ross Wedmaier (89).
