From Tony Durkin 

COURSE UPDATE: In view of no rain – and some sunshine – since Thursday, the Headland Golf Course will re-open for competition golf tomorrow (Tuesday) with a Single Stableford for both women and men. And, not surprisingly, the event is booked out. This will be the first competition round played on the course since May 8, when – despite the wet conditions – a field of 34 contested a Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford event. Since the latest spell of seemingly continuous rain started in early May, the course has been saturated by 607mm for the month, bringing the total for the year to 1863mm, 163mm more than Headland’s average annual rainfall. As a result, in the words of Golf Operations Manager Tilly Poulsen, ‘the course has been punished, and continues to seep’, and in that time the fairways have been mown just twice. “Management has been inspecting the course twice daily with the thin chance, and hope, that conditions improve enough for play to occur. But again and again, another downpour occurs, setbacks continue and conditions and evaporation rates have not been in our favour,” she said. Obviously, during this time the finances of the club have suffered greatly and GM Matt Lang has urged members to support the club, and the Pro Shop, now that conducive golfing weather is on the horizon.

SAM SHINES: Headland’s youngest male playing member, 12-year-old Sam Fichera, has done the club proud during the recent Queensland State School Sport Championships in Townsville. A member of the Sunshine Coast regional representative golf team for primary school-aged boys – which was selected following trials at Woodford back in March –Sam finished 15th in a field of 38 boys contesting the event. Although he had to finish in the top eight to make the Queensland team, Sam still came home with a gold medal because the Sunshine Coast team won the State title. A Grade Seven student at Sunshine Coast Grammar, Sam has cut his handicap from 43 to 19.9 since he started playing competition golf at Headland in September 2020. Last year was particularly successful – he sliced 15 shots from his handicap.

MATCH PLAY UPDATE: The persistent rain which has caused the third successive cancellation of the 2022 Women’s and Men’s Match Play Championship semi-finals, has resulted in at least one prospective champion having to forfeit. Fly-in, fly-out sheet metal worker Brad Butler has had to return to work in Darwin and will be unable to play his semi-final, which means Adam Rydwanski is the first player through to the men’s final. The club’s Match Committee has asked all players to have their semi-finals played by Saturday July 2, the date which the finals have been rescheduled. “However, we remain flexible and, as has been the case for the past month or so, the weather will be the deciding factor. The forecast is for a very wet winter,” said Men’s Director of Golf, Peter O’Brien. In Women’s A Grade, defending Champion Josie Ryan meets Kate Wilkie, while Sue Jones and Sharon Thomas also clash. And Men’s defending Champion Adam Richards plays Scott Walker in the remaining A Grade semi-final, with the victor to meet Adam Rydwanski for the title. In Women’s B Grade, Helen Fraser and Anne Callanan meet in one semi-final, with Narelle Hollowood playing Kirsten Kaergaard in the other, while Sue Harris and Sue Haddenham clash in one semi-final of C Grade and Susie Meade and Jane Boaler in the other. In Men’s B Grade, Ian Farrington plays Joel Cooney and Geoff Bland meets James Daniel, and in C Grade Deon Breytenbach, Anthony Larchin, Nick Reed and John Clearly are the semi-finalists. The Men’s Match Play Championship is sponsored by Ash Reck, of Definitive Finance.

 WOMEN’S PENNANT: After having their first match of the season washed out, Headland’s Diamonds (No.1) Women’s Pennant team have won their second round of the 2022 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Pennant season. Playing at a surprisingly dry Maroochy River on Sunday, the Diamonds beat Bribie Island 3-2 with ‘casual’ team member Lisa Ramen the star. Lisa, who describes herself as a ‘part-time, part-time player’ who fills in when someone is unavailable, won 4&3 against a lower handicapped player who hit the ball much further, but Lisa’s chipping skills, honed in her backyard, came to the fore. Fiona Munro also had a strong 3&2 victory, while Kate Wilkie followed suit, winning 3&2. After being four down at the turn, skipper Josie Ryan fought back but was beaten 3&2, while Julie Halliday was five down at the turn and finally lost 4&3. Led by Kirsten Kaergaard, Headland’s other weekend team the Emeralds, experienced a ‘tough mudder’ at Noosa, but prevailed 3½-1½ against Maroochy River. “There were a few lakes on the course which have not been there previously, so strategy was important,” said Kirsten who won 4&3 after winning four successive holes from the eighth. Vicky Sheridan won 3&2, Cathy Roberts finished square with her opponent and Wil Sprake went down by two, but the surprise packet was newcomer Narelle Hollowood, who won 4&3 in her very first Pennant outing. In Rubies Division, Headland beat Maroochy River 3-2 with Ali Lamond and Wendy Mosley the stars, both easily winning their matches 4&3. Rhonda Parry went down 2&1 and captain Di Stark found her opposition too tough, beaten 5&4. Headland’s Women Pennant teams are sponsored by Jodie McDonell of Century 21. 

 TWO-BALL JUG: Headland’s popular Two-Ball Jug event, yet another casualty of the May record rainfall, has been rescheduled to Saturday, November 12. The Medley Two-Person Ambrose event is in its fourth year, and will again be supported by the original sponsors from 2019, Graeme and Jack Nicholas of Hometree and Grant Martyn of Grant Martyn Constructions. And because each Saturday event between now and November 12 is sponsored, Corporate Sponsor Hometree will be using one of their scheduled days for this well-supported event. The sponsors will be contributing $2000 for a varied list of prizes, and while the best nett score will win the Claret Jug, an additional gross prize will also be presented. And even though visitors are eligible to play in the event providing spaces are available, only teams containing two Headland members can win the Jug. Past winners of the Jug have been Mick Morris and Scott Bromfield (2019), Glen Grimish and Trevor Gourlay (2020) and Nick Reed and Will Millroy (2021).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: The ever-popular Super Golf returns to Headland on Saturday week, June 11, to celebrate the club’s 67th birthday. Sponsored by Headland Golf Club and Adam Norlander’s Headland On-Course Pro Shop, the 10-hole event will be played on the ‘cross-country’ course, and is a four-person Ambrose competition. Some of the more interesting holes are a par-six, from the eighth tee to the sixth green; a 90-metre par three from the first tee to the second green; a par four from the 12th fairway to the 11th green; and a par three, over the dam, from the 11th tee to the 12th green. Shotgun starts will be held at 6.30am, 10am and 1.30pm, and the cost is just $13 per player. Following golf, a tapas menu is on offer and live music will be played from 5pm-8pm. Entries for the event will open at 6.30pm on Saturday (June 4).

 JUNIOR CLASSIC: Entries have opened for Headland’s 2022 Schweppes Junior Classic, to be held on Sunday, July 10. The 18-hole single stroke event is open to boys and girls aged under 18, but players must hold an official Golf Australia handicap. However, no official handicap is required to play the nine-hole event, which is being held in conjunction. Sponsored by long-time supporter Schweppes, this tournament is a qualifying event for the Invincibles Sunshine Coast Junior Golf Tour and $1,000 worth of prizes are on offer. Nominations, on the Headland website, close at 5pm Friday, July 1.

 WEEKLY RESULTS: All completions cancelled because of weather and course conditions.