From Tony Durkin
NO DEFENCE: Headland’s A Grade Men’s Pennant team will not be defending their 2018 Sunshine Coast A Grade Golf Zone Pennant following a knife-edge 4-3 loss to Noosa at Cooroy on Sunday. And, as was the case in last year’s final, the semi-final came down to the 18th hole and club champion Dave Rattray was again the man at the centre of the drama. Having led 2up with three holes to play, Dave could do little as his opponent rattled off three successive birdies to snatch victory, one up. Jake Crowther continued the superb form he has displayed throughout the competition and remained the only unbeaten player in the team with a slashing 7&6 win. Schoolboy Ben Duncombe, beaten only once this season, was another impressive victor, coming from three down with six to play to win one up, while Brad Butler was the other winner, prevailing 3&1. Captain Sean McGill (7&6), Scott Walker (7&6), Adam Rydwanski (3&2) and Rattray (I down) were the players beaten.
JUG GIANTS: Precise putting has helped 20-year plus Headland members Scott Bromfield and Mick Morris become inaugural winners of the Medley Two-Ball Ambrose for the Claret Jug trophy. Contested on Saturday by a near-capacity field of 246 players and co-sponsored by Hometree Property and Finance (Graeme and Jack Nicholas) and Grant Martyn Constructions, Scott (handicap 6) and Mick (17) won by two shots from the pairing of Burgess Stephenson and Warren Sorby. Their gross score of 65 included eight birdies and just the single bogey, and converted to a nett 59.25. According to biscuit-maker Scott, Mick ‘putted the lights out’ early in their morning round and when Mick didn’t drop a putt, Scott came to rescue. It was, says Scott, the near-perfect Ambrose round, and he hopes the club will make the event a permanent fixture on the golfing calendar. While the winning margin was clear, the decision of which golf bags they will nab as prizes for the winners of the footy-themed day is not as obvious. Scott follows five NRL teams and Mick, a Queensland Reds supporter, isn’t sure whether the Rugby Union boys are popular enough to have golf bags made in their colours. But one team well represented in the event was the NRL St George Dragons, with the appropriately-attired Sharon and Michael Thomas winning the prize for best-dressed team.
DANIEL’S DAY: Neven Daniel was out of bed at 5am on Sunday to caddy for his son James, captain of Headland’s Junior team in their final match of the Sunshine Coast Zone Pennant competition. And while James stole the show in the morning with a 6&5 victory, it was dad Neven who prevailed in the afternoon, scoring an incredible 45 points to win Headland’s Medley Single Stableford event. With a white-hot putter, Neven shot 69 for the first time since 2011 – at Nambour – with five birdies, two bogies and 11 pars. And while he conceded it was one of the best rounds he has ever played, the most stunning statistic was a mere 20 putts in 18 holes. With the assistance of fellow member Russell Harris, Neven recently affixed wheel weights to his putter and said the difference this made was unbelievable. Even more incredible was the fact that Neven, after starting bogey, par bogey, played his final 15 holes five under the card.
MODIFIED EAGLE: Ex-Canberra public servant Steve Woolcott is enjoying his retirement on the Sunshine Coast, and particularly his golf as a member of Headland which has resulted in two highlights during the past week. And while well-conditioned to the regimen in his former job, Steve relished the move away from the familiar when he scored 51 points to win the Men’s Modified Stableford event on Tuesday. With eight points for a nett eagle, six for a nett birdie, four for a nett par and a deducted point for a wipe, Steve’s steady round of 82 – from a handicap of 19 – suffered no meltdowns. He had nine four-point holes, including five on the last six holes to come home with 30 points. The other highlight was on Thursday when he eagled the par-four fourth for his second career eagle. Steve hit an eight iron into the green and when the ball disappeared from sight, he deduced it was too long. His first eagle was on a par five at Belconnen Golf Club in Canberra a decade ago and his prize was a meagre two golf balls from the eagle’s nest. The previous week another member scored an eagle and collected the 70 balls that jackpotted over the previous 35 weeks.
SUNSHINE OPEN: Although entries for the Men’s Sunshine Coast Open Amateur Championship have officially closed, a number of spots in the morning field remain available. The Open Amateur will be at Headland Golf Club over the Easter weekend and at this stage a field of 198 will tee off in the prestigious annual event, which is sponsored by Walsh Consulting Engineers. Among those in the field are five members of Headland’s A Grade Pennant team – defending champion Jake Crowther, Sean McGill, Brad Butler, Jamie Hill and Scott Walker. Twenty players with a handicap of scratch or better have entered, including last year’s winner Crowther (plus 3), Zach Maxwell (Virginia – plus 4), Lochie Coleborn (Mt Coolum – plus 3), Dan Sheehan (Woodford – plus 2), Graham Hourn (Kingaroy – plus 2),Like Parker (Maroochy River – plus), Alex Wall (Virginia – plus 1), Mitch Toomey (Pacific – plus 1), Blake Perkins (Bargara – plus 1) and Scott Mitchell (Mt Coolum – plus 1). Morning groups in the 36-hole event will tee off each day from 6.24 and afternoon groups from 10.55, from both the first and 10th tees. Any player keen to take part should contact the club ASAP.
MEDAL TORMENT: Katrina Watts, who claims her golf game has improved ‘heaps’ under the tutelage of veteran member Ken Anderson, was disappointed Thursday’s Monthly Medal for ladies was abandoned. Because of a lack of numbers – 52 players must start – the event was changed to a Single Stableford and in her best score since graduating from SWING in 2016, Katrina won with 39 points. She started playing competition golf late last year on a handicap of 40 and is now down to 27, and she credits Ken for that vast improvement. Katrina revealed Ken’s assistance had recently progressed from tuition on the practice range to regularly playing nine holes, sometimes as often as three days a week. The feature of her round of 97 on Thursday – the first time she had broken 100 – was consistency, with 12 bogeys and six doubles.
FREE CLINICS: Headland Golf Club will hold free clinics for both juniors and ladies in coming weeks. Promoted as ‘come and try days’ the, Junior clinic will be held on Friday, April 26 and the Ladies clinic on Sunday, May 5. Activities at the Junior clinic will include tuition on the full swing as well as chipping, putting and driving, and assessment on the club’s golf simulator. A free sausage sizzle will follow the clinic, which is from 5pm to 7pm, and is open to children aged 17 years and under. Registrations – which are essential – should be emailed to proshop@headlandgolfclub.com.au and include the name of the parent/guardian and the junior. Headland’s hugely-successful SWING (Starting Women in Golf) program will stage the Ladies clinic from 12.30pm to 2.30pm on Sunday, May 5. To register, ladies should contact SWING Coordinator Di Stark at swing.golfing@gmail.com or 0419 502 750.
PENNANTS: Headland handed Caloundra the wooden spoon in the Men’s Masters Division when they prevailed 4&3 against them at Peregian on Sunday. Captain Warren Selvage led from the front with a 4&3 victory, while No.1 player Ian Moore won 4&3 and was joined in the winner’s circle by Burgess Stephenson (3&2) and Neil Oxley (4&3). Peter Richardson (3&2), Peter Holt (2 down) and Brett Stephenson (2 down) were beaten. The B Grade team squared its final match of the season, 3½ points each against Maroochy River at Caloundra. Dan Diachkoff won 2&1, Den Jones 6&5 and Will Millroy 5&3, while Matt Macaulay squared his match and Matt Hetherington (3&1), Michael Thomas (3&2) and Jay Gourlay (3&2) were beaten. The Juniors finished their season with a 2-1 loss to Maroochy River, with captain James Daniel signing off from the team with another convincing win, 6&5. Keita Griffin Klazema (1 down) and Jack Fisher (5&3) were, once again, impressive in defeat.
LADIES PENNANTS: Making her debut at the tender age of 62, Headland’s Marg Smith has won a crucial match to give the weekend team a 3-2 win over Woodford at Nambour on Sunday. With husband David W Smith on her bag Marg, who started playing golf just five years ago and is now playing from a 15 handicap, convincingly beat her opponent 4&3. Team captain Kirsten Kaergaard was also a winner 3&2, as was Josie Ryan (5&3). Not so fortunate were Wil Sprake, who lost 2&1, and Kristen Griffiths (1 down). On Monday both Pennant teams were beaten – Division Two 2½-1½ by Pelican Waters at Caloundra and Division Three 3½-1½ to Pelican Waters at Caboolture. Marg Smith backed up from her winning debut a day earlier to square her match in Division Two, as did Jenny Pirini, while Gwen Nancarrow prevailed one up. Beaten were Norma Hobson and Pik Chong. The lone winner in Division Three was Leigh Derigo (3&2), while Di Stark squared her match. Brenda Gittins (4&3), Jane Boaler (5&3) and Joy Bullock (5&3) lost their matches.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Modified Single Stableford, Ladies (49 players) – Gay David (42 points), Rebecca Masters (37), Helen Fraser (37); Men (66 players) – Steve Woolcott (51 points), Geoff Sawyer (50), Brendan Richardson (48).
Wednesday, Men, Single Stableford (199 players) – A Grade, Peter Francis (42 points), Burgess Stephenson (41), Graeme Warne (38); B Grade, Ross Itzstein (41), Bruce Reid (40), Ross Thompson (40); C Grade, Roy Girlie (40), Sergio Nogarotto (39), Ossi Laurikainen (37).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Ladies (28 players) – Katrina Watts (38 points), Josie Ryan (34), Lisa Ramen (33); Men (79 players) – Gary Hadenham (38 points), Bob Hunter (37), Kevin George (36).
Saturday, Medley Two-Person Ambrose (246 players) – Scott Bromfield and Mick Morris (59.25 nett), Burgess Stephenson and Warren Sorby (61.25), James Simmons and Sean Hanna (63), Gavin Terry and Matt Fisher (64.25), Graham Smith and Brian Callaghan (64.25).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (40 players) – Neven Daniel (45 points), Daniel Hall (39), Wayne West (39).
