From Tony Durkin
RICHO LEADS: Although only six shots separate the top nine players after the first two rounds of the Headland Men’s 2021 Championship, three-time Champion Adam Richards is in the box seat. Adam (76-74-150) has opened a four-shot lead on the field after the first weekend, with defending Champion Scott Walker (79-75-154), Junior Champion Josh Holbrook (78-76-154) and one-time Headland Trainee Professional, Wayne West (74-80-154), leading the immediate chasing pack. On an extremely heavy course with preferred lies on the fairway only, no player broke par with two-over 74 the best round of the weekend. Adam said his 76 on Saturday, in which he ‘could not drop a putt’, was better than his 74 on Sunday, yet described the greens as ‘absolutely pure’. Lurking close by for an expected charge at the weekend are ex-Junior Champion Ben Duncombe (155), former Champions David Rattray and Adam Rydwanski, as well as Jamie Holbrook, each on 156. NOTE: Should Adam Richards maintain his lead, he will have won the Headland Club Championships in each of the past four decades, with his first victory coming in 1994 when he was just 20.
SHARON’S DAY: She has her name on the Headland Honour Board six times as a Foursomes winner, but Sharon Thomas has never been Women’s Club Champion in her 18 years as a member. And with three rounds still to be played, Sharon – who has twice been runner-up – has once again stamped herself a serious challenger following Saturday’s opening round of 85, giving her a three-stroke lead heading into Thursday’s second leg. Sharon heads Vicky Sheridan (88), while 17-time Club Champion Josie Ryan is a shot further back after an uncharacteristic bogey-filled 89. It wasn’t all plain sailing for Sharon either, who was six over after four holes but then steadied the ship before a triple bogey seven at 16 took the gloss off a par-birdie finish. Helen Fraser (92/73) leads B Grade, Deborah Thomas (106/74) leads C Grade and Chrissy Eggins (115/76) sits atop the D Grade leaderboard.
MATES MATTER: Mark Henricks may lead the Headland B Grade Championship by seven strokes after the first two rounds, but he says winning the $20 bet against his regular weekend opponents – his brother Paul and former cricket teammates Bryan Haggarty and Chris Pace – will be his major focus over the final two rounds. Mark, the Head of Year 7 at Sunshine Coast Grammar School, returned superb rounds of 82 and 80 to win the money on both days, and also return the best B Grade scores on both days. He leads from Brett Hardner (169), Druce Fielding (170) and Rhett Charlton (172). Tony Vickers (183), last year’s C Grade Matchplay Champion, heads that grade by a single shot from Graham Newlove (184), with Mooloolaba Lifeguard Nick Bolton (186) still in the hunt.
LONG SERVICE: Two major milestones have been attained by Headland Ground Staff members in 2021 – achievements that Course Superintendent Ben Tilley says reflects the abundance of spirit which permeates the club. Assistant Course Superintendent Brad Beetson attained his 20-year employment milestone in February, while Groundsman Brian North reaches the same mark on May 28. “Both guys obviously have a passion for Headland Golf Club, and take great pride in how the course is presented. To serve continuously for two decades is not just an outstanding display of loyalty, but also a sign of just how much they enjoy the working conditions and the environment created by their fellow staffers, and Headland members,” Ben said. Brad, who is the son of rugby league legend and Immortal, the late Arthur Beetson, started his apprenticeship at Nambour, where Brian also worked before joining Headland. Brian, a keen drummer who once had a resident stint in a band on Herron Island, worked at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney before heading to the Sunshine Coast. The longest-serving Ground Staff member at Headland is Brett Wareham, aka ‘Red’, who joined the club in 1999.
DON’S COMEBACK: Three years ago, retired builder Don Kitson fell from a ladder and not only broke bones, dislocated his shoulder and ripped a host of tendons, he just about shattered his golfing career. But the never-say-die attitude of Don – who once built a 40-foot catamaran and spent five years sailing the Aussie coast with his wife Cheryl – came to the fore on Tuesday when he scored 39 points to win the Single Stableford event for men. Apart from wipes at four and 16, Don (handicap 20) returned a very impressive card with a four-point par at the 15th, five three-point holes and 10 twos. In his ladder fall Don tore every muscle in his shoulder, smashed his right wrist and ripped numerous tendons in his upper torso, forcing him to miss more than eight months of golf. His score on Tuesday was his best since his return, and the eight-year Headland member hopes it is an indication of better golfing days ahead. Pik Chong (35 points) returned the highest score for the women.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: The final round of the Division One North Coast Zone Ladies Golf Association Pennant competition will be played at Headland today (Monday), but it is a dead rubber as far as the hosts are concerned. A halved match with Caloundra three weeks ago gave Headland a 6½-point lead on the ladder and, despite having the bye today, the team cannot be headed. It is the first time since 2008 a Headland team – comprising this year of Josie Ryan (captain), Annabel Harris, Karen Wilson, Kate Wilkie, Jenny Ingham, Julie Halliday and Carol Dwyer – has won the Division One Pennant. The Division Two (South) team plays off in a final with Noosa Springs (Division Two North) at Woodford on Friday week, May 21. And Division Three, with still two matches to play, scored its first win of the season on Thursday, beating Beerwah 5-1 at Pelican Waters. Rhonda Parry won 3&2, Veronica Bassingthwaite 6&5, Ali Lamond 4&3 and Kym Mason 2-up, while Di Stark was beaten 5&4. Previously Headland has had four halved matches and a loss. Headland’s Weekend team needed a win against Caloundra at Woodford yesterday, but lost all five matches and, as a result, failed by just two points to take the Pennants. But the loss was closer than the scores indicate, with four of the five matches decided at the 18th hole.
THUMBS DOWN: Any chance Josh Holbrook had of becoming the second junior in the past two decades to win the coveted Club Championship at Headland may have been thwarted by a thumb injury. Playing the opening two rounds with a brace on his right thumb, schoolboy Josh was barely able to exert any pressure on the club, yet still played well. On Saturday he scored 78, improved by two on Sunday with 76 and trails leader Adam Richards by just four shots. This followed his brilliant four-under 68 a week earlier, his first bogey-free round of his burgeoning career. In an accident at school on Friday, Josh injured the same thumb he fractured 18 months ago. The last junior to win the Headland Championship was Ben Wedmaier in 2008. NOTE: Josh and his dad Jamie each grabbed $53 on Saturday for snaring the Pro Pins at the sixth and 12th holes respectively.
COUNTRY WEEK: Jane Boaler and Rhonda Parry were the most successful of the 12 Headland members who played in Queensland Country Week at Bribie Island and Caboolture during last week. Just on 340 women golfers attended the event, with Jane and Rhonda runners-up in the Division Four Foursomes. Because of the savage storm and resultant heavy rain on Wednesday, Thursday’s scheduled second round of the stroke competition was cancelled. Despite Josie Ryan, Kate Wilkie and Annabel Harris finishing among the top 20 players, no other Headland prizes resulted.
TAYLOR MADE: TaylorMade is the brand of the new driver Drew Grant picked up from the Pro Shop before he teed off in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford, and tailor made is what it obviously was for the Sunshine Coast electrician. A ‘comeback’ golfer after a 20-year sabbatical from the game, Drew (handicap 25) joined Headland three weeks before the Covid shut down last year and described his golf of late as rubbish. But that changed dramatically on Wednesday when, armed with his new driver and a six-week-old set of Ping irons, he came home with 21 points – which included a four-point par at 17 – to add to his 18 on the front nine for a C Grade winning score of 39. Drew was a member at Logan City two decades ago where he maintained a 14 handicap, and hopes the new equipment, particularly the TaylorMade SIM2 Max D driver which straightened his slice unbelievably, can help him get back to near that mark. The best score of the day came from Rob Cunningham, whose 40 points won him A Grade. And, ironically, Rob has beaten his handicap half a dozen times in the past two months since he took possession of his new Mizuno clubs, also from Adam Norlander in the Pro Shop.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To celebrate Headland Golf Club’s 66th birthday, a special Fourball Best Ball Stableford will be held on Saturday, June 5. Following what has been a tough past 12 months for the club, members are urged to offer their full support. Entries for the Birthday Fourball will open at 6pm on Saturday, May 29. And entries are now being accepted for Women’s Open Day, to be held at Headland on Monday, June 28. An 8am shotgun start will get the field underway, with a single stroke event to be played in three divisions. Cost for the event, which is being sponsored by Jodie McDonnel of Century 21 on Duporth, is $20, and entries close at 5pm on Thursday, June 17.
BUFFALO’S BRIEFS: The Australian Legends Tour will be coming to Headland in December and will be the final leg of The Sunshine Coast Legends Swing. And, for the first time, Headland will host a Legends ProAm around the middle of the month. This is an exciting opportunity for our members to play with the greats of Australian golf, and sponsorship packages are available through the Pro Shop. The cream of Australia’s over 50s golfers will be on the coast for The Swing, including Peter Senior, David McKenzie, Peter O’Malley, Andre Stolz, Peter Lonard, Mike Harwood, Peter Fowler, Richard Backwell, Craig Warren, Brad Burns, Tim Elliott, Steve Conran and our own Glenn Joyner, who leads the Legends Order of Merit. The Legends Tour is currently in recess, but will re-start in the north on July 8 when the players move to Yeppoon.
EAT OUT IN: Winter feels like it has finally arrived and Vista Executive Chef Greg Pollard has introduced some ‘winter warmers’ to this week’s Eat Out In menu. Leek and Potato Soup (two portions for $10) is tempting, while Tuscan-style Roast Lamb ($12), Chicken Coq au Vin ($12) and Beef Cheek Bourgiugnon ($13) are also popular features of the menu. The takeaway menu is available for viewing at www.eatoutin.com.au and orders should be lodged by 5pm today (Monday, May 10). Orders can be made on the website, or texted to 0414 375800.
WEEKLY WINNERS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (48 players) – Rik Chong (35 points), Kym Mason (34), Mary Dowling (34); Men (80 players) – Don Kitson (39), Len Dawson (38), Raymond Mereweather (37).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford 163 players) – A Grade, Rob Cunningham (40 points), Nick Cox (39), Paul Clarke (38): B Grade, Graham Newlove (37), Joshua Myers (37), Mark Fisher (36); C Grade, Drew Grant (39), Geoff Montgomery (39), Barry Potter (37).
Thursday, Women, Irish Foursomes (competition abandoned because of condition of the course). Men, Fourball Aggregate Stableford (competition abandoned because of condition of the course).
WEEKEND SCORES:
Saturday, Club Championships, Round One, Women (60 players) – A Grade, gross, Sharon Thomas (85), Vicky Sheridan (88), Josie Ryan (89); nett, Vicky Sheridan (73), Sharon Thomas (75), Christina Claxton (77); B Grade, gross, Helen Fraser (92), Robyn Boreham (99), Sandy Whittle (99), Carol Dwyer (99); nett, Helen Fraser (73), Robyn Boreham (78), Cathy Roberts (78), Mouna Humzy (78); C Grade, gross, Deborah Thomas (106), Maureen Cartledge (108), Brenda Smith-Gittings (109); nett, Deborah Thomas (74), Brenda Smith-Gittings (75), Maureen Cartledge (76); D Grade, gross, Jackie Walkington (113), Chrissy Eggins (115), Ellen Bloxsome (119); nett, Chrissy Eggins (76), Jackie Walkington (77), Ellen Bloxsome (81).
Men (185 players) – A grade, gross, Warren Sorby (74), Darren McLeod (74), Wayne West (74); nett, Warren Sorby (67), Darren McLeod (69), Wayne West (71); B Grade, gross, Mark Henricks (82), Druce Fielding (84), Rhett Charlton (84), Brett Hardner (84); nett, Druce Fielding (70), Mark Henricks (70), Neil Playford (72), Wayne Cassidy (72); C Grade, Tony Vickers (89), Ross Itzstien (91), Nick Bolton (93), Josh Vickers (93), Kevin George (93), Graham Newlove (93); nett, Trevor Gourlay (70), Darcy Smyth (72), Tony Vickers (72).
Sunday, Men’s Club Championships, Round Two (182) – A Grade, gross, Adam Richards (74), Scott Walker (75), Jason Childs (76); nett, Jason Childs (68), Will Millroy (70), Neven Daniel (71), Paul Henricks (71); B Grade, gross, Mark Henricks (80), Peter Francis (82), Dominic Geeves (82), Chris Pace (82); nett, Dominic Geeves (68), Mark Henricks (69), Lachie Keenan (69); C Grade, gross, Graham Newlove (91), Ivan Fortman (91), Thomas Adcock (92); nett, Thomas Adcock (71), Josh Poole (73), Chris Wilson (74).
