From Tony Durkin
JUG FOR MATES: Nick Reed and Will Millroy have spent almost all of their 26 years together, and remain the best of mates – even on the golf course. But they revealed more than a strong bond on Saturday when they combined magnificently to win Headland’s Medley Two-Ball Ambrose Jug, sponsored by Hometree Property and Finance (Graeme and Jack Nicholas) and Grant Martyn Constructions (Grant Martyn). Playing from a combined handicap of 6.25, Nick (19) and Will (6) shot eight-under 64 to record an imposing 57.75 nett to win the prestigious event by two strokes. Their unblemished card revealed eight birdies and 10 pars, and Nick described Will’s approach shots on the day as ‘flawless’. Nick and Will started pre-school together at Immanuel Lutheran College, went right through to Grade 12, graduated with twin Engineering degrees four years ago and started ‘serious’ golf when they joined Headland in December of 2017 yet, amazingly, Saturday’s win was their first as a team.
FLAWLESS START: Ambrose Jug sponsor Graeme Nicholas had already made a strong impression on Headland GM Matt Lang and Golf Operations assistant Tilly Poulsen with his generous support of the popular annual event. But the Property Developer, who invited Matt and Tilly to play in his group on Saturday, left an indelible mark on the recent arrivals when he eagled the first hole. Playing alongside Terry Ward, Graeme hit a superb drive to within 134 metres of the first green, then promptly holed his second with an eight iron for his first-ever eagle. But despite being chuffed at the result, Terry was somewhat miffed when he had to pocket his ball which was sitting less than a metre from the hole after a sweetly-struck nine iron. And Terry then had a shot at his own glory on the par-five second when his chip from below the green grazed the hole for what would have been a second successive eagle. Although watching on in awe for the first two holes, Matt and Tilly had the last say, finishing 12th in the big field of 251 with 65.5 nett, 14 places ahead of Graeme and Terry (66.5). The other event sponsor, Grant Martyn, won back some of his sponsorship money when he teamed with Darren McLeod (63.25) to snare fifth place.
NORMAL GOLF: After 13 months of preferred lies in bunkers, pool noodles in holes and disconnected water bubblers and ball washers, golf at Headland has finally returned to normal. The recent decision by Queensland Health to lift Covid restrictions for shared equipment on golf courses prompted Golf Australia to advise clubs to return to customary on-course conditions. Headland’s return to ‘normal’ was via a gradual approach – firstly rakes were back in bunkers, noodles removed from holes, flag sticks removed – if preferred by individual players – and NTPs reinstated, and at the weekend ball washers and bubblers were reactivated. Pro Pins, on the sixth and 12th holes – will be back on Wednesday, for the cost of $1 at the Pro Shop.
ANZAC REPEAT: Sue Jones and Neven Daniel have gone back-to-back – with a year in between – in having their names inscribed on Headland’s Servicemen’s Shield for winning their respective divisions on Anzac Day. With no event held in 2020 because of Covid restrictions, Sue (35 points) and Neven (33) successfully defended their titles won in 2019. Sue was a member of the Australian Navy for more than three decades and, ironically, served alongside David Edwards, the son of foundation Headland members Bert and Dorothy Edwards who in 1959 gifted the club the Servicemen’s Shield. Neven was a decade-long servant of the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Kathy Atkins (Air Force), Peter Keane (Army) and Alan Jones (Navy) were the winners in their respective service categories while Headland greenkeeper Jay Gourlay broke 80 for the first time to score 41 points and win the division for civilians. Jay, who started golf nine years ago at Headland on a handicap of 36, had 12 pars and six bogeys in his excellent round of 78 and is now playing off 10, one stroke away from his long-term goal of being a single-figure golfer.
PAR SMASHED: Glenn Kelly started playing golf at Headland two decades ago, when he was 12, and his goal has always been to break par at his junior club. And although he has been close with a one-over 73 on numerous occasions, he has never been able to burst through that magical par-72 barrier. But that changed on Thursday when the self-employed plasterer scorched around the course in five-under 67, with an eagle and six birdies on his incredible card. And although he registered three bogeys, Glenn – playing off five – will long remember the day he scored plus nine in the Single Par event and teamed with the exceedingly-privileged Tony Durkin to score an unbelievable plus 15 in the Fourball Best Ball Par. But the two victories weren’t his only bonus. As well as collecting $45 for his fourball win and another $40 for the individual triumph, Glenn pocketed $10 for his eagle at the second and another $10 for NTP at the fifth, which boosted the contents of what was his ‘rather sick’ House Account.
BONUS TIME: Doreen Davidson (Dee) plays golf for the enjoyment of the game, the exercise and the company, and says winning is merely a bonus. And following a very long wait, that bonus came on Tuesday when she scored 38 points to head the Women’s Single Stableford field at Headland, and beat Helen Fraser on a countback. While the win was welcomed, Dee concedes her golf of late has been very average, and as a result her handicap has ballooned from 24 to 29, about which she is not happy. But despite a pick-up on the difficult 15th hole on Tuesday, Dee was rather chuffed by four-point pars at the 13th and 16th. Her consistency – something that has been lacking of late – was exemplified by 19 points on each nine.
MIZUNO WINS: Such has been the form of Rob Cunningham with the new set of Mizuno clubs purchased through the Pro Shop three months ago, his regular playing partner, Ian Scobie, has ordered an identical set. Following a breakthrough win with his new clubs three weeks earlier, Rob (handicap 10) won Monday’s Vets comp with 40 points and backed up on Wednesday with 35. And ironically, he partnered Ian in Wednesday’s Fourball Best Ball Stableford with the pair scoring 45 points, beaten on a countback into third place, and Ian (15) also finishing third in the associated individual event with 38 points. After initially sledging Rob for his ‘old man’s’ clubs – they have graphite shafts – Ian decided the improved results of his mate was too good to ignore. Between them, in just two rounds, the duo has won $150.
FIRST PLUS: In the dozen or so years that Bev Barnes has been a Headland member, she estimates she has played at least 20 par events and has never had a result in the positive column. But that changed on Thursday when she not only returned plus four, but returned the best score in the field of 94 players and was crowned A Grade winner. And the improved form came totally out of the blue. Two days earlier Bev had scored a meagre 23 points and the previous Sunday had 89 nett in the Medley Wood Duck Challenge. But never one to baulk a challenge, she lined up alongside three players on lower handicaps and produced her best golf on what she said was ‘obviously my day’, with the highlight a birdie at the par-three 14th. Kath Barford and Susie Meade, both with plus three, won B and C Grade respectively.
WIN AND LOSS: Terry Lawlor may have been beaten in the match among his playing group on Wednesday, but when it came to the real money, he was the genuine winner. Although paired with Eric Larsen in the Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford, Terry played ‘cart-versus-cart’ in the internal joust alongside John Atkins, and they were beaten by Eric, who was partnered with John Henry. But when the group returned to the clubhouse, they discovered Terry and Eric were actually paired in the competition and their 46 Stableford points was good enough to win the 4BBB event. And Terry calculated the $60 booty was sweeter than the ‘sheep station, without sheep’ that he had lost in the ‘domestic’ bet. The winning pair had nine three-point holes on their card plus a four-point birdie at the ninth, courtesy of Terry, who scored 38 points. The individual Stableford played in association was won by Mark Selig, who scored 40 points from a neat 80 which included 10 pars and eight bogeys.
LONG, STRAIGHT: Apart from an errant drive at the fourth, which ended in the dam and resulted in a wipe, Josh Poole describes his driving of late as ‘long, and straight’. His better tee shots of late are the result of a ‘little’ change to his swing – less wristy and less steep – and the upshot was his first win since October last year when he returned the best B Grade gross (83) in the second round of the Club Championships. Josh scored 38 points in Tuesday’s Single Stableford for Men, beating Andrew Beck on a countback. And apart from his visit to the water on four, the round was satisfyingly consistent for the 17 marker – eight pars, six bogeys and three doubles.
NICKNAMES: To best utilise his spare time when he isn’t playing golf, retired sales rep Laurie Corless keeps busy attending to gardens and carrying out odd jobs. But that is not the reason his nickname is Makita. Headland Bar Manager Derek Azar once referred to Laurie as ‘Cordless’, and when his mates were told they had a laugh and – as Aussies do – turned the mispronunciation into a nickname. And some have added another dimension, and Laurie also occasionally gets ‘Ryobi’. Any Headland member keen to divulge the nickname of a fellow member, and its origin, should email atdurkin@bigpond.net.au
VISTA FOR MUM: Although non-operational for several months, Headland’s Vista Restaurant will open for Mother’s Day, on Sunday May 9. Plated meals will be served from 8am for breakfast and noon for lunch, with costs $28 and $38 respectively for adults, and $14 and $15 for children under 10. Bookings can be made at https://eatoutin.com.au/product-category/year-events/. This week’s menu from Eat Out In includes a couple of favourites – Chicken Parmigiana and Pork Shoulder – with some newbies – Japanese-inspired Vegetarian Plate and Sesame-crusted Salmon Fillet. To view this week’s boxed-meal service menu, go to www.eatoutin.com.au and order by Monday (April 26). Orders can be made on the website, or texted to 0414 375800.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (31 players) – Karen Wilson (35 points), Lisa Ramen (34), Sue Jones (31). Men (97 players) – A Grade, Rob Cunningham (40 points), Jeff Jones (33), Huki Matenga (33); B Grade, Peter Leggo (36), Peter Kromoloff (36), Terry Hanson (33); C Grade – Sergio Nogarotto (35), Peter Norris (31), Phil Martin (31).
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (51 players) – Doreen Davidson (38), Helen Fraser (38), Sue Wake (36); Men (69 players) – Josh Poole (38), Andrew Beck (38), Rod O’Leary (37).
Wednesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (206) – Terry Lawlor and Eric Larsen (46 points), Errol Greiner and Michael Phillips (45), Rob Cunningham and Ian Scobie (45), Barry Mapes and Peter Francis (44), John Harris and Mark Selig (44); Medley Single Stableford – Mark Selig (40 points), Tony Vickers (39), Ian Scobie (38).
Thursday, Women, Single Par (94 players) sponsored by Carmel Visser, Chrissy Eggins, Jenny Pirini, Maria Hiremi – A Grade, Bev Barnes (plus 4), Mouna Humzy (+2), Vicky Sheridan (+1); B Grade, Kath Barford (+3), Kerrie Tibbits (+2), Odette Day (+2); C Grade, Susie Mead (+3), Louise Armstrong (+3), Carolyn Schwarz (+3).
Men, Fourball Best Ball Par (90 players) – Glenn Kelly and Tony Durkin (+15), John Edwards and Tony McDonough (+9), Kevin Howe and John Christmas (+7); Single Par – Glenn Kelly (+9), Tony McDonough (+5), Kevin Howe (+5).
Saturday, Medley Two-Ball Ambrose Mug (251 players) – sponsored by Hometree Property (Graeme and Jack Nicholas) and Grant Martyn Constructions (Grant Martyn) – Nick Reed and Will Millroy (57.75 nett), Tom Adcock and Lachie Keenan (59.5), Matt Macaulay and Matt Hetherington (59.75), Scott Walker and Glenn Walker (63), Grant Martyn and Darren McLeod (63.25).
Sunday, Servicemen’s Shield Medley Single Stableford (93 players) – Overall Service Trophy, Women – Sue Jones (35 points), Men – Neven Daniel (33); Air Force – Kathy Atkins (33), Army – Peter Keane (29), Navy – Alan Jones (28); Civilian – Jay Gourlay (41), John Waterworth (41), Peter Holt (39).
