From Tony Durkin
IONNA LEADS: Not surprisingly, Headland’s lowest-handicapped female member, Ionna Muir, is a runaway leader after the first 36 holes of the 2022 Women’s Championship. The 14-year-old Siena Catholic College student had rounds of 75, 79 over the weekend to lead the 72-hole Championship at the halfway mark by 13 strokes. At eight over the card, her nearest rivals are two former Champions – Sue Jones (81-86) and 19-time winner, Josie Ryan (83-86). Iona, who plays off a handicap of plus one and has played just three competition rounds at Headland since joining the club late last year, found the going tough on both days in her new surroundings with a total of three double bogeys and five bogeys on her cards, while penning just the three birdies. In B Grade, Helen Fraser and Chris Parkinson are joint leaders on 190, while Sue Harris (213) leads defending C Grade Champion Susie Meade by six shots. The best nett round of the weekend came from Sue Harris with 66 nett on Sunday, while Sue Jones scored 67 nett on Saturday. The Championship will be completed next weekend.
SIMON SAYS: A decade-long member, Simon Richardson has been playing some of his best golf of late and on Sunday let his game do the talking. The business entrepreneur, who is playing off his lowest-ever handicap of three, parred the course for the first time to score 39 points and win the Medley Single Stableford event. His four birdies and four bogeys alongside 10 pars was an almost identical match of his round the previous day – an eagle, a birdie, four bogeys and 10 pars – but two late double bogeys spoilt what was developing as very a promising card. But overall, his weekend of golf was extremely cash productive. His House Account was boosted by a total of $162 for Sunday’s win ($60) and a Pro Pin ($42), as well as his eagle on Saturday ($15), two NTPs ($20 each) and $5 in the run down. Suffice to say, Simon is currently enjoying a purple patch.
EQUAL BEST: Sharon Thomas shot her equal-best Headland round on Thursday after almost two decades as a member and as a result had her handicap reduced, yet she still ranks No.4 in her talented golfing family. Playing off a handicap of nine, Sharon penned a five-over 78 for 40 points, a win in A Grade and her best result since a similar round just on three years ago. And while her outstanding score cost a half-point handicap reduction, which is now down to an AGU of 9.2, the three other members of her family – husband Michael (8) and sons Blake (5) and Chris (7) – each boast a lower mark. Once a seven marker, Sharon’s best-ever round is four-over 76 at the difficult Royal Pines on the Gold Coast, something she hopes she can repeat in the upcoming Club Championships. Susie Meade (38) won B Grade and Chrissy Eggins (35) finished first in the C Grade field.
COSTLY DOUBLE: A double bogey at the par-three 18th hole on Saturday has cost retired GP David Richards one of his best rounds in 14 years as a Headland member. A former affiliate of the Young Doctors group who once played off a seven handicap and has previously shot one-over 73 as his best round, David scored 43 points from his four-over 76 for the top score of the day, and an easy win in A Grade. A member of both Headland and Mount Coolum, David had a break from golf several years ago to take up cycling but has since returned to the game and plays at Headland most Wednesdays and some Saturdays. His impressive even-par front nine card, for 24 points, revealed six three-point holes and three two-pointers. Patrick Carmody (39 points) won B Grade and Greg Smith (41) won C Grade.
ALMOST BACK: It may not have been the quality golf of three decades ago when, as a junior, he often beat Australia’s only US Masters’ winner, but Jamie Holbrook was ‘reasonably pleased’ with Wednesday’s one-over par round. And while it wasn’t good enough to win the major prizemoney on offer from sponsor Steve Blampied of Lifestyle Buyers Agency, his 40 points was the winning score for each of the three grades. Once a one-handicapper who regularly beat Adam Scott when they were Sunshine Coast juniors, Jamie confessed his golf of late had been ‘horrible’, with his handicap mounting to five, from which he played on Wednesday when he carded four birdies, nine pars and five bogeys in his one-over 72. But apart from scoring 40 points and finishing second in A Grade behind Joel Cooney, his biggest thrill was playing with Club Patron Simon Whittle for the first time. Paul Anderson (B Grade) and Dave Whalley (C Grade) also scored 40 points to win their respective divisions.
ERRANT DRIVER: Ian Scobie reckons if he drove his car like he hits his driver, he would have lost his licence months ago. But luckily, the former executive with Exxon Mobil prescribes to the well-worn golf theory of ‘drive for show, putt for dough’, and his win in Monday’s Single Stableford for Veterans was on the back of his putter. “I just can’t get my driver to work, and haven’t been able to for ages,” said Ian who scored 38 points to win Monday’s event. So frustrated has he been that his almost-new Mizuno driver has been sacked, and replaced by a decade-old Titleist. “I was probably about 60 per cent with the driver on Monday, which is a little better than it has been, but my irons, and especially the putter, saved me,” he explained. Ian estimates it has been at least two years since he last won, so he was very happy with the $55 for the win and five golf balls for his NTP at the 14th. Disappointingly though, the NTP came between his only two double bogeys, which he carded alongside eight pars and eight bogeys. Helen Fraser (30 points) warmed up for the Championships and won the women’s event.
TAXING FORM: Greg Jellis described Tuesday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford as ‘an unusually good day for me’, as he and partner Dean Smareglia won the event with 45 points. The ex-Taxation Department officer who retired more than a decade ago, scored 33 of the 45 points but claimed Dean ‘filled in the gaps’ when needed. Playing well below his best of late and unable to recall the last time he won, 15-handicapper Greg said he made a mess of only three holes – four, five and six. “We had to make do with my one-pointer at the fourth, but Dean parred the fifth then birdied the sixth, so it was a team effort,” he said. Greg had eight three-point holes on the fourball card and hopes that whatever helped him turn the corner remains for a little while longer. Although 45 is not a big fourball score, Greg and Dean streeted the field by four points.
DES INSPIRED: Eight-year member Des McNee, a retired surveyor from Gladstone, credits his excellent round on Thursday to playing alongside 61-year member John Edwards. Des, who scored 40 points despite having three wipes on his card, said it was inspirational to be in the company of such a long-serving Headland member and had encouraged him to follow his own golfing advice of ‘keep the head down, and don’t slog it’. After a good start from the tenth, Des turned with 18 points despite two wipes, but roared home on the front nine, scoring 20 points in seven holes – from three to nine – to finish with a very satisfying 22. An active member of Headland Vets who enjoys his role of selling raffle tickets, Des says that if a 40-point round was raffled each week he would most likely buy a book full of tickets. Despite his score, Des was beaten on a countback by Matt Doyle.
MASTERS MONDAY: As a budding junior playing the Sunshine Coast Invincibles Tour, Cameron Smith played – and won – at Headland on several occasions. Now, as No.6 in the world and one of the favourites for the 86th US Masters which tees off on Thursday, Smith will be the focus when Headland’s annual Masters Monday event is held next Monday (April 11). The Headland Monday Masters is an 18-hole Single Stableford with a shotgun start from the Championship tees, and cost is $55 for members and $75 for non-members which includes breakfast and coffee (served from 7am), burgers and chips post round, as well as golf. The event is again being sponsored by James Kidd of EKO Financial, and entries close at 5pm on Wednesday (April 6), with the entry form on the Headland website. Holder of the prestigious green jacket is Vice-President Peter Raymond, who last year scored 41 points to beat a capacity field of 148. For those wanting to watch final-round coverage of The Masters, the clubhouse will be open from 6am.
WHOOPS: Being beaten for the A Grade spoils wasn’t the only loss on Saturday for Headland Patron Simon Whittle. Despite scoring 40 points and breaking 80 for the third time in four months, six-decade member Simon lost three balls on his first nine, for three double bogeys in four holes on the back nine. And although he turned with just 16 points, Simon burned the front nine with a one-under 35 for a memorable 24 points. His round of 77 sits snugly between a 76 and a 78, the only other time in recent memory he has broken 80.
RIP ROBERT HOLDEN: The funeral service for popular 16-year Headland member Robert Holden will be held tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am at Gregson and Weight Chapel, 159 Wises Road Buderim. Robbie, as he was affectionately known, passed away recently following a short battle with cancer. A fanatical Melbourne AFL supporter who suggested last year’s premiership win by the Demons was one of the best days of his life, Robbie started work as a signalman with Vic Rail, and along the way became a jack of all trades, working in many roles with companies including Woolworths. Robbie’s wife of 52 years, Sharon, his daughter Lisha and granddaughter Mia have invited his Headland mates to join them for refreshments at Buderim Tavern following the funeral service.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (22 players) – A Grade, Helen Fraser (30 points), Marg Smith (30), Odette Day (29). Men (59 players) – A Grade, Ian Scobie (38), Peter O’Brien (36), Brian Richards (33).
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (84 players) – Greg Jellis and Dean Smareglia (45 points), Stewart Douglas and Martyn Dix (41), Dave Sims and Steve Blampied (41).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford – Sponsor Lifestyle Buyers Agency – Steve Blampied (210 players) – A Grade, Joel Cooney (40 points), Jamie Holbrook (40), Jeff Jones (39); B Grade, Paul Anderson (40), Barrie Whelan (40), Jonny Clarke (39); C Grade, Dave Whalley (40), Bob Lane (40), Brooke Wildin (36).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women– sponsors Wendy Mosley, Anita Boyle, Jill Nixey and Di Kean (106 players) – A Grade, Sharon Thomas (40 points), Barbara Schultz (38), Mary Young (38); B Grade, Susie Meade (38), Maureen Cartledge (37), Rhonda Biggs (36); C Grade, Chrissy Eggins (35), Jane Boaler (33), Marie Flegler (33).
Men – sponsor The Follies – (83 players) – Matt Doyle (40), Des McNee (40), Ian Scobie (38).
Saturday, Women, Club Championship – sponsor Halcyon B – Round One (40 players) – A Grade, gross, Iona Muir (75), Sue Jones (81), Josie Ryan (83); nett, Sue Jones (67), Vicky Sheridan (72), Josie Ryan (73); B Grade, Chris Parkinson (93), Helen Fraser (94), Sandy Whittle (97); nett, Chris Parkinson (73), Monica Antony (73), Sue Briffa (75); C Grade, Susie Meade (103), Janelle Heaney (110), Sue Harris (111); nett, Susie Meade (72), Sue Harris (75), Sue Hadenham (75).
Medley Single Stableford (191 players) – A Grade, David Richards (43 points), Simon Whittle (40), Paul Henricks (39); B Grade, Patrick Carmody (39), George Stoufis (38), Michael Gregora (38); C Grade, Greg Smith (41), Brett Beaumont (40), Joe Stotschek (37).
Sunday, Women, Club Championship – sponsor Halcyon B – Round Two (39 players) – A Grade, gross, Iona Muir (79), Dom Paice (84), Josie Ryan (86); nett, Kate Wilkie (72), Sue Jones (73), Dom Paice (76); B Grade, gross, Gwen Nancarrow (95), Helen Fraser (96), Mary Dowling (96); nett, Mouna Humzy (71), Mary Dowling (72), Rebecca Masters (72); C Grade, gross, Sue Harris (102), Joy Logan (109), Maureen Cartledge (11); nett, Sue Harris (66), Joy Logan (75), Jane Boaler (78).
Progressive Championship scores: A Grade, Iona Muir (75-79, 154), Sue Jones (81-86, 167), Josie Ryan (83-86, 169), Dom Paice (88-84, 172); B Grade, Helen Fraser (94-96, 190), Chris Parkinson (93-97, 190), Gwen Nancarrow (103-95, 198); C Grade, Sue Harris (111-102, 213), Susie Meade (103-116, 219), Janelle Heaney (110-110, 220).
Medley Single Stableford (61 players) – Simon Richardson (39 points), Gary Marr (39), Dennis Roberts (36).
