From Tony Durkin 

JAKE’S BEST: Former Club Champion Jake Crowther hit back from a lamentable 2021 Sunshine Coast Amateur Championship performance over the Easter weekend with one of the lowest rounds at Headland in recent memory. Jake, who is now a member at the Asquith Golf Club in Sydney, scorched around the course on Sunday in five-under par 67 for his best-ever round at Headland and a far cry from his 78-74 in the Amateur a week earlier. But despite his brilliant round which included six birdies, 11 pars and a bogey at the par-five second, remarkably Jake did not play to his handicap of plus six, scoring 35 Stableford points. The Headland Club Champion in 2019 and a two-time winner of the Sunshine Coast Amateur Open, Jake was back home on holidays from his current employment in Sydney and said he greatly missed playing the Sunshine Coast courses, in particular Headland. However, his 67 on Sunday was not his best score while visiting. During the past week he scored a seven-under 61 at Nambour, his junior course, and a five-under 65 at Maroochy River. 

JUNIORS QUALIFY: Headland’s past two Junior Champions, Josh Holbrook and Ben Duncombe, have qualified to contest the 2021 World Stars of Golf event in Las Vegas, and the Future Champions Tour series in San Diego – if they are permitted overseas travel. Josh finished second and Ben third in the under 17-19 boy’s division of the Australian Junior Age Championships at Royal Pines last week, one and eight shots respectively behind Chris Somerfield of Pacific Golf Club. Josh, who is in his final year at Siena Catholic College and works one-day-a-week in a school-based traineeship at Headland under the guidance of Head Pro Adam Norlander, shot rounds of 71-74 to finish one over the card. The current Headland Junior Champion was two shots ahead with five holes to play, but bogeyed the 14th and 18th on the tough Royal Pines Championship layout. Ben, the 2019 Junior Champion, started with an eight-over 80, but hit back on the second day with par, 72. International travel restrictions, because of Covid-19, will determine if the boys can accept their overseas invitations. NOTE: Josh won his first event of the local Invincibles Tour on Sunday, shooting two-over par 74 to take out the Tin Can Bay Junior Open. 

JACOB’S MEDAL: Just three rounds back after a six-month break from golf while he familiarised himself with the idiosyncrasies of real estate, Jacob De Bruyn won his first Headland Monthly Medal on Saturday. Despite a double-bogey at the par-three 14th, Jacob shot four-over 76 for his 69 nett, and a win in A Grade. A sporting prodigy in his native South Africa, Jacob was forced out of rugby for medical reason at age 15 and turned to golf, reducing his handicap from 15 to scratch within 2½ years. As a 21-year-old, he arrived on the Sunshine Coast via New Zealand in 2016, joined Headland a year later but took his sabbatical in October last year after switching jobs. And while real estate is likely to keep him from golf on Saturdays, Jacob is keen to play Wednesdays and is also challenging for a berth in Headland’s 2021 B Grade Pennant team. Peter Holt (also 69) won B Grade, John Christmas (68) won C Grade with the best score of the day and Trish Howe (75) returned the best score in the women’s field.  

WOMEN’S PENNANT: Because of a long run of ‘unavailable’ Mondays, Headland will not host the final round of the North Coast Zone Ladies Golf Association Division One Pennant competition until May 17. And that is the day a representative from the zone will present team captain Josie Ryan with Headland’s first Division One Pennant in nine years. Despite the fact one round of the competition still has to be played and in that round the host team will have the bye, Headland has an unassailable lead of 6½ points. Members of the winning team are Josie Ryan (c), Karen Wilson, Julie Halliday, Jenny Ingham, Annabel Harris and Kate Wilkie. For Karen, who has only recently returned to golf following surgery, it is her sixth Pennant title for Headland while it is Josie’s fifth. Julie has won two and Jenny, Annabel and Kate are first-time Division One Headland Pennant Champions. Headland has now won the Division One Pennant eight times.

PUTTS DROPPED: Dean Smareglia described Headland’s greens as ‘pure’ following his win in Sunday’s Medley Monthly Medal, played as a Stableford event. Dean, who joined Headland three years ago and plays ‘whenever works permits’, shot his equal-best round of 74 at the club to score 41 points and win the event by a massive five points. With three birdies, 10 pars and five bogeys on his card, Dean equalled his best Headland score of two-under par, shot back in April of 2018. Following five-hour rounds in Saturday’s Monthly Medal because of the heavy condition of the course, GM Matt Lang decided to change Sunday’s event to a Stableford, played from the blue (men) and yellow (women) tees.   

LEADERS STILL: A drawn result in a rain-cancelled game against Pelican Waters at Maroochy River on Friday has kept Headland’s Division Two Women’s Pennant team at the top of the ladder, by three points. With team captain Chris Parkinson unavailable, Robyn Boreham took on the leadership role in style, thrashing her opponent 6&4. Carol Dwyer also won, 2&1, while Gwen Nancarrow stepped up to replace Dr Chris and her square helped the team to its draw after Helen Fraser (4&3) and Leanne Ptak (1-down) were beaten. And on Sunday Headland’s Weekend Women’s team beat Mt Coolum 4-1 at Beerwah to remain at the top of the points table. Winners were Amanda Ingham (2&1), Vicki Sheridan (5&4), the returning Susie Fenton (5&4) and Carol Quin, with Karen Wilson on her bag, won 6&5. Ironically, team captain Kirsten Kaergaard went down 2&1 to fellow Headland member Sharon Purnell, who is General Manager at Mt Coolum Golf Club.

NICKNAMES: A recent post-round discussion among mates ventured on to the subject of nicknames, and their originality. Nicknames like Jack for Justin Nicholson, Humphrey for Derrick Bogaart and Kesso for Brian Kesby are fairly obvious. But others are much more imaginative, and clever. For instance, why is Laurie Corless called Makita, Ash Reck nicknamed Mouse, Darren Walters Dougie and our Head Pro, Adam Norlander, known widely as Buffalo? Over the next few weeks HH will reveal the origins of some of the better-known nicknames at the club – male and female. Any member keen to divulge a nickname, and its origin, should email atdurkin@bigpond.net.au

AMBROSE AGAIN: With the closure of Headland golf course for four days last week, one of the events affected was the inaugural Captain’s Ambrose, which was the brainchild of Women’s Director of Golf, Jane Boaler. The event, sponsored by Jane, was to comprise Ambrose teams of four, with one player from each of the four grades. Jane, who had painstakingly selected teams, has assured Headland women the event will still be played, and will more than likely be re-scheduled for September. 

BUFFALO’S BRIEFS: As I’m sure many members are aware, Adam Scott spent much of the middle months of 2020 bunkered down on the Sunshine Coast, away from the major threat of Covid-19 in the US. And, he spent many of those days honing his game on many of the courses where he acquired those skills as a junior, including our own Headland which he joined when he was 12. That relationship, and the doubtless popularity of the US Masters, was chiefly responsible for the outstanding field for our own Masters Monday event. Not only have we drawn a capacity field of 144 for the shotgun start, but every one of our 45 carts is booked and every hole sponsored – an incredible outcome. Might I also add how good it was that Scotty – Australia’s only Masters Champion – sent a personal message to the members last week, encouraging them to join in our special Masters event. That says a lot about Adam, and the bond he still feels with his junior club. 

EATS ARE BACK: Following a week’s recess after a busy Easter weekend the takeaway meal service from Headland’s Eat Out In is back in service. And Vista Executive Chef Greg Pollard needs the support of members more than ever. Because of the continued non-operation of the main kitchen and restaurant, the livelihood of Greg and his staff has become hugely dependent on the backing of not just members, but also their friends, neighbours and relatives. And, as an added bonus, any order of six or more meals will receive a free dessert. To view this week’s boxed-meal service menu, go to www.eatoutin.com.au and order by Monday (April 11). Orders can be made on the website, or texted to 0414 375800. 

WEEKLY WINNERS:

Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (course closed).

Wednesday, Medley Monthly Medal (course closed).

Thursday, Women, Captain’s Ambrose (course closed). Men, Fourball Aggregate Stableford (course closed).

Saturday, Monthly Medal, Women (26 players) – Trish Howe (75 nett), Robyn Boreham (77), Sharon Thomas (78), gross, Sharon Thomas (88).

Men (215 players) – A Grade, Jacob De Bruyn (69), Bryan Haggarty (70), Aaron Duff (70), gross, Wayne West (75); B Grade, Peter Holt (69), Joshua Vickers (70), Jack Nicholas (70), gross, Jack Nicholas (84); C Grade, John Christmas (68), Matt Potter (75), Andrew Murray (75), gross, John Christmas (89).

Sunday, Medley Monthly Medal Stableford (56 players) – Dean Smareglia (41 points), James Daniel (36), Richard Senior (35).