EAGLES GALORE: The winning team in Headland’s final official golf competition for 2019 completed the 20-hole Super Golf course in a remarkable 20 under par. Led by six-handicapper Brian Callaghan, the team including Lawrence Hireme (11), John Bohringer (21) and Graham Smith (8) shot nine under the card on Saturday and 11 under on Sunday on two different 10-hole Super Golf courses to score 62.25 nett and win the major prize in the four-person Ambrose event. Over the two days they did not have a blemish on their card, scoring six eagles, nine birdies and just five pars. Brian said that although the win was certainly a team effort, 21-marker John Bohringer played ‘out of his skin’ and Graham Smith ‘putted the lights out’. Despite the stifling conditions, just on 350 golfers took part in the competition during the weekend with both ‘cross-country’ courses presenting a very different and extremely interesting challenge. A mixed event was played in conjunction and winners were Brett Stephenson, Ian Russell, Jackie Walkington and Trudi Russell. The best score on Saturday came from the team of Ross Brimblecombe, Wayne Harriott, Wayne Hutchison and Tony Dunford who scored 11 under the card for a nett 29.5, while on Sunday Chris Klazema, Darren McLeod, Keita Griffin-Klazema and Scott Simpson saluted with 29.625.
PENNANT FAMILY: Jamie and Josh Holbrook are about to join an elite group of fathers-and-sons to play A Grade Pennants together, representing Headland Golf Club. Sixteen-year-old Josh Holbrook, who has reduced his handicap from 17 to 3.7 in the past six months, will join his dad Jamie as a member of Headland’s A Grade Pennant team in 2020. Although records do not record members of all former Pennant teams, one other father-and-son combination to have achieved the feat previously was Herb and Craig Jones in the mid-80s. Co-captains James Brownsworth and Sean McGill announced the 2020 team this week, with the first match in the Sunshine Coast Golf Zone Pennants to be played on February 9. Although Josh has previously represented Headland in Junior Pennants, dad Jamie will be making his debut for the club having last played Pennants as a 14-year-old in C Grade for Twin Waters, alongside an 11-year-old Adam Scott. In an extremely strong team, 2010 club Champion Aaron Shaw will be making a comeback. The 2020 Headland A Grade Pennant team is: Sean McGill (c), Brad Butler, Jake Crowther, Jamie Hill, Jamie Holbrook, Josh Holbrook, Adam Richards, Adam Rydwanski, Aaron Shaw and Scott Walker. James Brownsworth is non-playing co-captain.
COMPLETE PACKAGE: In announcing Sharon Thomas the winner of the Headland Club Woman of the Year award for 2019, donor Sue Jones described the recipient as ‘the complete package’. “Sharon is ready to assist with anything at the club, plays a key role in organising our very successful breast cancer day, serves on the committee, plays and caddies in Pennants and encourages and supports her fellow players in any way possible. As a club member, she is the complete package,” said Sue. The award was presented – for the sixth successive year – at Ladies Closing Day on Thursday and previous winners were Lesley Johnston, Del Whittaker, Laurel Opray, Helen Fraser and Anne Alsbury. The other major presentation was the Anne Alsbury Memorial Award for most improved player in 2019, and that was won by Katrina Watts who reduced her handicap from 24.7 to 18.5. Katrina also took the B Grade Order of Merit gong and was the winner of the best eight cards in A Grade from competitions played between February 2 and October 31. She credited the tuition of veteran Headland member Ken Anderson for her improvement during the past 12 months.
EAGLE REWARD: He spent 3½ days helping restore the Headland course to somewhere near its normal state following the recent vicious storm, and Men’s Director of Golf Tony Kelleher finally reaped some tangible reward on Tuesday. A six iron from the middle of the par-four sixth fairway landed on the lower level of the green, snaked its way to the back pin, and the ball dropped in for Tony’s second career eagle. But, apart from a birdie on the 12th, that was the only joy in his round. He started on the back nine, scored on just three holes to return eight Stableford points – seven came in two holes – but fared better on the front nine with his five-point eagle helping him garner 19 points. Tony’s first career eagle was at Horton Park back in the early-90s when the eighth hole was a par five. He recalls reaching the hole in two, and sinking the putt.
FIRST WIN: In just his fourth game back from a 12-month hiatus from golf, Alex Surf Club chef Kurt Lawlor has scored his first win as a Headland member – with a little help from playing partner Denis McGrath. Kurt and Denis scored 52 points to win Wednesday’s Fourball Best Ball Stableford, a score just two points short of the almost-mythical three points per hole. They scored four points on six holes – three of which came from Kurt on the first four holes of the day – and five three-pointers, while their only slip was a one-pointer on their second hole of the day. Kurt, who first met Denis when he played in a fourball at Headland with his dad Peter a few years ago, said the pairing had ‘pretty much shared it around’ when it came to the scoring. Dennis scored 27 points and Kurt 25.
BIRDIE BOARD: Chris Risby has the rails running to collect the $600 purse and perpetual jacket for winning Headland’s in-house Birdie Board event for 2019. A group of ‘newish and youngish’ members – less than five-year members and aged in their early-to-mid 30s – has been conducting the annual competition for two years and pharmacist Chris is leading with a gross score of 53, and a nett of 49.7, by the skinniest of margins from Earl Hicks (53, 49.85). And because Chris is the only member of the eight-man competition with a chance of winning who is not attending the President’s Cup in Melbourne at the weekend, he is set to add even more gloss to his eclectic score. He is the lone player in the group to have either birdied or eagled every hole on the Headland course in 2019, while Earl – with a birdie on all but the fourth hole and two eagles – and Jamie Duffy – yet to birdie 15 – are closing in on the perfect record. The eclectic ends on December 22 and Birdie Board members are eligible to record their scores in any Headland competition, on any day. Other members of the Birdie Board contest – decided with a handicap of half the players’ GA – are defending champion Daniel Hurst, Josh Veering, Dean Oster, Chris Eccles and Dom Geeves.
HEADLINES HIATUS: In true celebratory spirit, Headland Headlines and its author will take an extended break over the festive season. This is the final appearance of the column for 2019, but the blog will be back, refreshed and reinvigorated, on January 20 next year. HH wishes all members a happy Christmas and prosperous golfing in 2020.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Ladies (38 players) – Louise Armstrong (39 points), Mary Dowling (39), Marina Mace (35); men (68 players) – David Carmichael (40 points), Stephen Woolcott (40), Rod Hamilton (39).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (194 players) – Denis McGrath and Kurt Lawler (52 points), Haenga Pirini and Ian Harper (50), Dick Ryan and Rob Holden (49), John Hammond and Peter Dickens (48), Josh Holbrook and Chris De Bruyn (47).
Thursday, Ladies, Fourball Ambrose, front nine (60 players) – Kathy Atkins, Robyn Muir, Monica Knowles and Sue Jones (32.125); Margot Easton, Jill McAndrew, Anita Boyle and Leigh Derigo (33.625); Margaret White, Kerrie Tibbitts, Joy Logan and Leanne Ptak (34.25); back nine (56 players) – Mandy Oster, Josie Ryan, Jenny Ingham and Julie Halliday (31.625); Julie Welsh, Libby Hall, Darlynn Gillrie and Shirley Eggleton (38.875); Judy Farmer, Sharon Thomas, Carol Dwyer and Vicki Maynard (34.125). Men, Irish Team Stableford (91 players) – John Reader, Michael Phillips, Graham Molineux and Gary Hadenham (95 points); Rod Hamilton, Ray Dempsey, Tim Rees and Bill Attneave (92).
Saturday, Super Golf (212 players) – Ross Brimblecombe, Wayne Harriott, Wayne Hutchison and Tony Dunford (29.5 nett); Bryan Haggarty, Paul Henricks, Mark Henricks and Chris Pace (29.5); Geoff Bland, Ryan Tomlinson, Matt Macaulay and Steve Rose (29.625); Mixed (36 players) – Ian Russell, Trudi Russell, Jackie Walkington and Brett Stephenson (31.625); Gavin Rooney, Liz Dunford, Fiona Munro and Mike Radmall (34.5).
Sunday, Medley Super Golf (137) – Chris Klazema, Darren McLeod, Keita Griffin-Klazema and Scott Simpson (29.625); John Bohringer, Brian Callahan, Graham Smith and Lawrence Hirimi (30.625); Adam Norlander, Toby Zaremba, Jamie Holbrook and James Brownsworth (30.75); Mixed (36 players) – Katrina Watts, Ken Anderson, Lynzey Valianes and Adam Griffiths (33-25); Kristin Griffiths, Kevin McDougall, Sergio Nogarotto and Monica Antony (34.5).
Overall Super Golf champions – Lawrence Hireme, John Bohringer, Brian Callaghan and Graham Smith (62.25 nett); Overall Mixed Super Golf champions – Brett Stephenson, Ian Russell, Jackie Walkington and Trudi Russell (67.25); runners-up – Kevin MacDougal, Kristin Griffiths, Sergio Nogarotto and Monica Antony (71); Overflow winners – Peter Hannah, Mick Kinnear, Graeme Warne and Michael Jacobs (63); runners-up – Bryan Haggarty, Paul Henricks, Chris Pace and Mark Henricks (63.25).
