From Tony Durkin
GWEN HONOURED: Headland’s Woman of the Year award winner for 2020, Gwen Nancarrow, was overwhelmed but honoured when the announcement was made at the Ladies’ Closing Day luncheon on Thursday. A member since 2003, Gwen was proclaimed the winner by perpetual trophy donor and 2014 Headland Ladies Champion Sue Jones, who described her as having ‘sustained commitment, yet never self-serving’. While Gwen’s unquestioned golfing attributes – she was B Grade Champion in 2018 and unbeaten in Pennant matches last season – were considered in making the selection, her commitment to devoting countless hours to clubhouse monitoring during COVID was a key factor in her selection, as was her recurrent role in organising the club’s Senior Women’s group. The perpetual trophy is a striking hand-blown glass bowl by renowned Sunshine Coast artist Tina Cooper, mounted on a Mountain Ash base. The award recognises sustained and significant commitment to the conduct, participation and enjoyment of golf at Headland Golf Club, and was first presented in 2014. Previous winners have been Lesley Johnston, Del Whittaker, Laurel Opray, Helen Fraser, Anne Alsbury and Sharon Thomas. The Most Improved Golfer Award for 2020 went to Vicki Oxley who, from March to October, reduced her handicap by an amazing 14 strokes.
JUNIOR WIN: Headland’s Junior Pennant team captain, Keita Griffin-Klazema, finished 2020 in a blaze of glory with 43 points in Saturday’s Medley Single Stableford event. The final official competition of the year – changed from a four-person Ambrose because of the inclement weather – attracted 136 players and the youngest competitor, 16-year-old Keita, returned the best score of the day to win C Grade. Playing from a handicap of 24, Keita had eight pars, four bogeys, five double bogeys and a wipe on his card, with an impressive six-hole stretch from 13 to 18 garnering 18 points. About to enter his final year at Mountain Creek SHS as a Student Leader, Keita has taken advantage of his post-exam time, playing five comp rounds in the past two weeks in an effort to sharpen his chipping and putting. Simon Mitchell (41 points) beat Barry Newton on a countback to win A Grade on Saturday, while Mick Morris (39) was best in B Grade.
AL’S COMEBACK: As a new year resolution for 2020, civil designer/draftsmen Al Larchin committed to play more golf and started excellently with a win and a second placing back in February. But, a combination of COVID, work and family commitments meant less golf and a ‘very, very lean trot’ on the course when he did get out to play. That, however, changed on Thursday when Al – whose handicap has blown out by three shots in recent months – scored 39 points to win the Single Stableford event. And while his much-improved form obviously pleased him, the highlight was an up-and-down from beside the palm tree adjacent to the 15th green for a four-point par. Al scored another four-pointer with a birdie at the ninth and had four three-point holes to win on a countback from Jacob Mimnaw, and is now satisfied his decision to recently renew his membership was the right one.
FINAL FLING: Pharmacist Ian Lewellin has been playing regular competition golf only for the past 12 months, and managed to finish with a slashing win in the final official Wednesday event of the year. In a big field of 231, Ian scored 40 points to return the best score of the day in the Medley Single Stableford event and win C Grade by two points. A 32-marker, the ex-Victorian described his golf of late as ‘pretty average’ and says advice from his regular playing partner Dennis McGrath – to shorten his back swing – had paid dividends. His round included six three-point holes and a four-point par at the sixth in just his second win for the year. Ian, who has an interest in three pharmacies on the Sunshine Coast, has been able to play on Wednesdays since his pharmacist son Dean took over running the Currimundi business.
SEVENTH HEAVEN: Seven days after coming within two strokes of shooting less than his age, 76-year-old Bob Trevor has beaten his age for a remarkable seven times. Bob, who has been a member of Headland for 33 years, scored three-over par 75 from his six handicap to register 39 points, the best score returned in the field of 106 players in Tuesday’s Medley Single Stableford. The previous week, again playing in the Tuesday competition Bob – playing off eight – had five-over par 77 for 39 points with a double bogey and five bogeys on his card. But on Tuesday his round was much more consistent – 13 pars, a birdie and four bogeys. Bob’s best-ever round is three-under 69, twice at Headland, with his most recent in 2015 when he first bettered his age. Bob won A Grade on Tuesday – the previous week his 39 points was only good enough to finish second.
VETS’ FINALE: Headland Veterans closed their 2020 season with a Fourball Ambrose on Monday, and the winners celebrated with a smashing victory. The team of Greg Doolan (handicap 8), Graham Newlove (15), Rob Cunningham (10) and Ian Scobie (14) had 10 birdies on an unblemished card to register a nett score of 56.125 and score a runaway win by 4.75 strokes. Runners-up were Greg Wareham, Paul Stephens, Sergio Nogarotto and Patrick Carmody (60.875) while the husband-and-wife combinations of Terry and Sandra Murphy and Ross and Bev Kelly won the mixed event, with 60.75 nett. Lunch and presentations followed the event which teed off with a shotgun start 8am.
BYE BYE 2020: Vista Executive Chef Greg Pollard understands as much as anyone that 2020 has been a year we all want to forget, and with that in mind he has planned a superb feast and party to help bid farewell to the ‘Annus Horribilis’. Members and guests at Headland’s New Year’s Eve party (Wednesday, January 30) will be treated to a superb three-course (alternate drop) dinner, plus a drink on arrival, for just $89. As well, guests will be entertained with live music from ‘Moneyshot’, a four-piece Noosa party band playing a range of danceable hits from the 60s through to the 80s. Click here https://www.headlandgolfclub.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/NYE-Menu-2020-21.pdf for the menu. Bookings must be made online at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/new-years-eve-202021-at-headland-golf-club-sunshine-coast-tickets-130903484847. The party tees off at 6.30pm.
EAGLE UPDATE: Appropriately dressed for Saturday’s Closing Day in a flat cap and plus fours, Dave Mansley scored his fourth eagle as a Headland member when he sank a two-metre uphill putt at the par-five 13th hole. Dave, Managing Director of Mooneys Insurance Brokers, has previously eagled the par-three 8th and 14th holes, as well as the par-four 17th. But he wasn’t the only Headland member to score an eagle at the 13th on Saturday – the rare feat was also achieved by Adam Richards, Tom Burnett and Damian Moelands, and they were the only eagles in the final week of official competition at Headland for 2020.
HEADLINES ON HOLD: Following a COVID-interrupted year, Headland Headlines will take a short break to enjoy the festive season and prepare for an anticipated momentous year ahead. This will be the final column for 2020, but our member news, results and weekly summary will resume on January 21 when competition golf has been back in full swing for a week. HH wishes all members a happy Christmas and a birdie-filled – and COVID-free – new year.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, Vets, Closing Day Medley Fourball Ambrose (94 players) – Rob Cunningham, Ian Scobie, Graham Newlove and Greg Doolan (56.125), Greg Wareham, Paul Stephens, Sergio Nogarotto and Patrick Carmody (60.875), Alan Reed, Chris Byrnes, Vince O’Neill and Graham Miller (61.375), Brian Garnett, Peter McMillan, Peter McNeven and Peter Keane (62.875); Mixed – Terry Murphy, Sandra Murphy, Ross Kelly and Bev Kelly (60.75), Ted Banaszczyk, Trish Marsden, Malcolm Woods and Wayne Bridgeman (62), John Sims, Merv Lum, Heather Lum and Neville Kenzler (63.125).
Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (106 players) – A Grade, Bob Trevor (39 points), Wayne Bridgeman (38), Andrew Beck (38), Kerry Longworth (37); B Grade, Rodney Hutchison (35), Trish Marsden (35), Rhonda Parry (34), Barb Marrington (33).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (231 players) – A Grade, Michael Hinds (37 points), Alan Brooker (37), Andy Whitmore (37), Tex Teixeira (37); B Grade, Peter Leggo (38), Wayne Harriott (38), John Logan (37), Craig Firns (36); C Grade, Ian Lewellin (40), Brian Garnett (38), Jack Williams (36), Quentin Mungomery (36).
Thursday, Ladies, Closing Day Scrambled Ambrose (102 players) Front Nine – Lesley Wilson, Trish Murphy, Bev Kelly and Trish Arden (32.5 nett), Kirsten Kaergaard, Mary Dowling, Ali Lamond, Penny Cooper (32.75), Veronica Bassingthwaighte, Kath Barford, Kerrie Tibbits and Kate Wilkie (32.75); Back Nine – Lynn Deacon, Jenny Stokes, Kim Cummins and Joy Murray (32.375), Sharon Thomas, Judy Farmer, Vicki Maynard and Emilia White (33), Christine Hall, Kirsten Jepsen, Brenda Smith-Gittings and Yvonne Henry (34.5). Men, Single Stableford (82 players) – Al Larchin (39 points), Jacob Mimnaw (39), Mark Dolan (37), Rod Hamilton (37).
Saturday, Medley Single Stableford (136 players) – A Grade, Simon Mitchell (41 points), Barry Newton (41), Glen Grimish (38); B Grade, Mick Morris (39), Ian Scobie (38), Ben Brown (38); C Grade, Keita Griffin-Klazema (43), Brett Beaumont (36), Bernie Duncan (36).
