From Tony Durkin

BOALED OVER: Ladies’ Director of Golf, Jane Boaler, has broken through the 100-barrier for the first time in her brief golfing life to win Sunday’s Medley Monthly Medal – and she has Head Professional Adam Norlander to thank for her success. Jane scored 65 nett to win by two shots in her first victory since becoming Ladies Captain in August, and is the first woman to win the Sunday Medley Medal, which was introduced last year. And the explanation from the 2013 SWING graduate for her great round was simple – everything finally fell into place after a lesson in the Headland Simulator a month ago from Adam, and the resultant slight change of grip. Jane, who started competition golf in 2014 on the maximum handicap of 45, is now down to 27.6 and enjoying her golf more than ever. 

WELCOME LEIGH: Headland’s newly-appointed Assistant Professional, Leigh Stephenson, starts his tenure at the club on Saturday, November 9. Leigh, the replacement for Matt Douglas who has been appointed Head Professional at Woodford Golf Club, spent four years at Peregian Golf Club from 2006, where he completed the first year of his traineeship before finishing his time at Wynnum Golf Club. Victoria born and bred, Leigh played his junior golf at Warrnambool and regularly competed against good mate Marc Leishman. “I have plenty of second-place trophies in my cabinet,” he said, revealing also that he was best man at Leishman’s wedding in 2010. Married to Kayla and a dad to Archie (6) and Millie (5), Leigh has been store manager at Golf World in Cairns for the past five years and says he is ‘absolutely elated’ to be coming back to the Sunshine Coast, and again having a hands-on role in golf.

Leigh Stephenson with his wife Kayla and children Archie and Millie

GEM OF A ROUND: Donald Marek chuckled when asked if his 43 points in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford was his best ever. “I have been playing golf for almost 60 years and was off a handicap of five at Townsville back in the 50s,” was the succinct reply from the 88-year-old. But he did concede the 99 off the bat was his best round in a long while. The former bank manager who has been chief instructor for the Suncoast Gem and Fossicking Club for the past 20 years, says a three-month routine of playing nine holes with his son Paul each Friday has no doubt led to his improved form of late. Playing off 34, he carded two four pointers and five three pointers, and came home with a phenomenal 25 points on the back nine. But as much as he still enjoys his golf, his passion for lapidary – collecting mainly petrified wood and agates – and teaching young people the art of making silver jewellery, remains his No.1 passion. 

THANKS KARRIE: With the words of Karrie Webb resonating through his mind, retired executive Geoff Sawyer returned his best-ever score at Headland in tricky windy conditions on Tuesday. Playing in the Single Stableford event Geoff – handicap 11 – shot a three-over par 75 to return 44 points and win on a countback from John Langdon. Once the sales and marketing manager of the iconic Queensland company Golden Circle, Geoff took up golf intently only when he moved to the Sunshine Coast seven years ago and joined Headland on a handicap of 24. A regular in the competitions on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Geoff says he once heard World Golf Hall of Fame member Karrie Webb advise ‘swing it easy when it’s breezy’, and that was the major component of Tuesday’s winning round which included three birdies, four bogeys and a lamentable double on the 15th.

TRIUMPHANT TRISH: Twelve months on from a knee replacement and selling her on-line business, Trish Howe feels she is finally starting to find her golf game again. And her Headland House Account, which has grown by $165 in the past week, is ample evidence. Last Saturday week Trish may have scored only 32 points in the Single Stableford event, but she eagled the 12th hole ($20) and pocketed $50 for the Pro Pin. On Wednesday she was at it again, scoring 39 points for $4 in the rundown in the Medley Single Stableford, this time birdying the 12th and again winning the Pro Pin ($41), as well as scoring nearest the pin on the 18th ($20). And the money-making machine was at it again on Thursday, winning the A Grade Single Stableford with 38 points, for another $50 windfall. Trish has cut her handicap from 15.3 to 13.2 in recent months and is hopeful of once again playing off single figures – as she did before her knee surgery. 

STICKY SITUATION: Headland course marshall Ian Hepburn is certainly a man for all seasons, ready to assist as well as making sure players keep with the clock. But Ian found himself in a rather sticky position recently, thanks to Naomi Doyle and Liz Dunford. Playing a Foursomes event, Liz inadvertently dropped Naomi’s treasured Sternberg Golf Club (South Africa) ball marker in the hole. Try as they may, members of the quartet – including Sue Jones who has an array of useful utensils stored in her golf bag – could not retrieve the errant marker. Convinced they would need to inform the greens staff and wait until the pin placement was moved, on leaving the hole the ladies noticed Ian in the vicinity, casually chewing his gum. You guessed it – ingeniously, using the gum and a pencil, the precious ball marker was retrieved with Ian assuring Naomi his DNA had been removed. 

HILL OF STEEL: Former Headland golfer and Brisbane Heat bowler, Courtney Hill, has been crowned the English Rugby League’s 2019 Woman of Steel – the equivalent of the NRLs Dally M Player of the Year. A relative newcomer to both golf and cricket, Courtney moved to England three years ago with her partner ostensibly to play cricket, but found a niche in rugby league and won the prestigious award after just 18 months playing the game. The 32-year-old halfback scored a try and two goals to help Leeds Rhinos to their second successive Challenge Cup final victory over Castleford in July and the two sides met again in the premiership grand final on Friday, with Leeds again winning and Courtney, as captain, again starring. With women’s rugby league still amateur in England, Courtney is weighing up her options and a return to cricket, which she also coaches, appears her next likely aspiration.

Courtney Hill scores for Leeds Rhinos

NOT CROSS: Such has been the start to his ‘serious’ approach to playing golf that Colin Cross is in no way crabby about the way he is playing. The recently-retired maintenance engineer, who moved from the UK in 1995, on Thursday scored his second Headland win in the seven months since he first gained his handicap. And both times his winning score has been 43 Stableford points. His first victory was two months ago and on Thursday his 43 points included nine three-point holes and one four-pointer – par at the tenth for the 32 handicapper. Colin intends playing more regularly in competitions, but at the moment is content honing his skills with social rounds two to three days a week.

FOURBALL MATCH PLAY: Entries close next Thursday (October 17) for Headland’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Match Play Championship. Sponsored by Michael Thomas of Zenfind Accounting, the Championship was held last year for the first time and was won by the combination of Mick Kinnear and Mick Kelsey who – due to the unavailability of Mick Kelsey – will not be defending their title. The Championship will be played over four successive Sundays (October 27 and November 3, 10 and 17) and no additional entry fee will be charged. Entries should be made on line. 

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (50 players) – Ree Condon (42 points), Susan Wake (37), Leigh Derigo (37); Men (67 players) – Geoff Sawyer (44 points), John Langdon (44), Ray Luke (42).

Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (181 players) – A Grade, Aaron Duff (41 points), Burgess Stephenson (41), Tony Killey (39); B Grade, Chris Duhig (42), Brendan Southey (40), Richard Ryan (39); C Grade, Donald Marek (43), Coralie Walsh (41), Toby Zaremba (40).

Thursday, Ladies, Single Stableford (107 players) – A Grade, Trish Howe (38 points), Robyn Muir (36), Sandi Whittle (35); B Grade, Diane Molineux (37), Vicki Maynard (37), Wendy Derrick (36); C Grade, Odette Day (40), Marie Flegler (35), Shirley Eggleton (35).

 Men, Single Stableford (69 players) – Colin Cross (43 points), Dean Smareglia (42), John Sims (41).

Saturday, Ladies, Monthly Medal (abandoned because of inclement weather and minimum number of starters not being met); Men, Single Stableford (102 players) – Rob Cunningham (41 points), Ossie Laurikainen (41), Rover Van Ginkel (40), Andrew Beck (40), Roscoe King (40).

Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal (63 players) – Jane Boaler (65 nett), Geoff Bland (67), Gavin Terry (69).