From Tony Durkin

SLOPPY START: The conditions weren’t great on Tuesday and neither were the scores, but at least competition golf was back at Headland this week after a 28-day shutdown because of the May downpour. Steve Walters (37 points) and Lynn Deacon (34) were respective winners of the men’s and women’s Single Stableford on a course that Steve described as ‘damp in patches, but not as bad as I thought it would be’ after the record rainfall. He complimented the ground staff on the ‘brilliant job’ of making the course playable. Steve usually plays three days a week and while he managed only three games at neighbouring courses during the Headland closure, he honed his skills at indoor facilities and was pleasantly surprised at his form back on familiar territory. “It was great to be back on the course I love to play,” he said.

MULLER MAGIC: Had it not been for a lost ball – on the fairway – on Wednesday, Shane Muller would more than likely have won two events at Headland in the space of five days. Despite being unable to find his drive at the fourth hole on Wednesday and taking a wipe on the hole as a consequence, Shane finished second in A Grade (37 points), two points behind winner Clint Adams. But there was no bad luck in Sunday’s Medley Wood Duck Challenge, with Shane firing a two-over par 74 to finish with a nett 68 and post the best score by a single stroke from Tom Hewitt. A former Trainee Pro at Surfers Paradise who has been a Headland member since moving from Hervey Bay 4½ years ago, Shane had three bogeys, a birdie and 14 pars on his impressive card in one of his best rounds from the Championship tees. And, he was one of only four players to break their handicap and share in the prizemoney – $78.50 each – from generous sponsors James Kidd of Eko Finance and Chris Klazema (Modbathrooms). NOTE: Tom Hewitt did well to break his handicap of 18 after a disastrous 11 at the par-five 10th hole.

HOWE’S THAT: Following a fall, which required facial plastic surgery, and a severe reaction to a Covid vaccination, Trish Howe has played a mere 20 rounds of competition golf since last April. So, when she hit the Headland fairways this past week for her first rounds in more than a month with no pressure and no expectations, Trish decided to put into play a new swing plane which would – hopefully – result in a fade rather than her usual draw. And, it worked wonders with rounds of 88 (Wednesday) for 39 Stableford points and a third placing, and 91 on Thursday, a nett 72 and her first Monthly Medal for ‘a long, long time’. For Trish, the most satisfying part of both rounds was her consistency, with just four double bogeys on her two cards to complement the 25 bogeys and six pars. “My 81 from the Championship tees on Thursday, on the heavy course, was the best round I have played in ages and was very satisfying,” said the now 16 AGU marker who collected both the B Grade nett and gross prizes. Sue Jones (77 nett) won the A Grade Medal, Jane Boaler (74) won C Grade and Chrissy Eggins (81) was best in D Grade.

FINALLY ‘DUN IT’: He’s been playing golf for 45 years and his lowest handicap has been six, but until Saturday Tony Dunford had never won a Monthly Mug or a Monthly Medal. And although his handicap has inflated to 13 following a prolonged period of ‘not such good golf’, Tony hopes he has turned the corner following his round of 81, a nett 68 and victory in the A Grade Monthly Medal. “I putted well,” said Tony, who is somewhat a golfing conundrum in that he is a right hander, who putts left-handed. It was the steadiness of his round that pleased him most – just the one double bogey, at the par-four 12th, when he ‘played safe’ by hitting successive hybrids, overshot the green and three-putted– on a card that otherwise revealed 10 pars and seven bogeys. A Headland member since he moved east from Forbes 14 years ago, for a myriad of reasons Tony has played spasmodically in the past 12 months and Saturday’s round – easily his best in that time – has renewed his love for the game he once played twice weekly. 

THAT’S BETTER: Immediate Past President, John Alsbury, concedes he was somewhat embarrassed when his paltry 32 points won Wednesday’s Single Stableford in C Grade. However, he felt much better when he played one under his handicap to return 71 nett and collect the June Monthly medal for C Grade. “I reckon 32 points would be almost an all-time low to win a men’s competition at Headland,” said ex-British American Tobacco CEO John, who served as Headland President from 2018 to 2020. The most satisfying aspect of his 71 nett – 101 off the bat – was no major blowouts apart from an eight at the par-five 13th, for his first-ever Medal victory in 21 years as a Headland member. Greg McDonald (71 nett) won the B Grade Medal and Gwen Nancarrow (76 nett) was the women’s Medal winner.

WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s Sapphires and Rubies Women’s Pennant teams both scored good wins on Monday as the 2022 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Pennant season moved into full swing. Playing Bribie Island at Caboolture, the Sapphires won 3½ -1½, and Robyn Boreham was the star with a massive 7&5 victory, while Leeanne Ptak also won convincingly, 5&3. Carol Dwyer (3&2) was the other winner, Gail Young squared her match and Chris Parkinson lost 3&2. The Rubies played Mt Coolum at Noosa, and also won 3½ -1½, with Wendy Mosley (3&1) and Ali Lamond (3&2) again in the winner’s list. Rhonda Parry also won, 1-up, Ruth Broderick squared her match and Di Stark went down 2&1. The Diamonds and Emeralds hosted on Sunday, and had the bye.

CHIPPER ROUND: Fed up with his short game turning possible birdies and pars into bogeys and doubles, Ty Pilcher decided to splurge $50 on a chipper. And although he feels he may be taking the easy way out, the investment has proved a success with his best-ever Headland round on Wednesday giving him 44 Stableford points and a $65 winner’s bonus. A member since he moved north from Sydney two years ago, golf tragic Ty says he has struggled to master the tough course, with chipping and putting his consistent downfall. But his round on Wednesday – 81 with a birdie, nine pars, seven bogeys and a triple at the 15th – has given him renewed confidence. “This was my first game since early May and my most recent rounds had been in the low 90s. I actually scored 34 points in my last round, so this was 10 points better,” he said. Ty also added another $20 to his House Account for an NTP at the eighth. Ty won B Grade, Clint Adams (39) wo A Grade and John Alsbury (32) saluted in C Grade.

DUNKING DARRYL: Darryl Pettingill may have only scored 32 points in Tuesday’s Single Stableford, but it was a round he will remember for a long time. Playing his first competition golf in more than three weeks, 16-marker Darryl started with a bogey then slam-dunked wedges for successive birdies – and four-pointers – at the second and third holes. And when challenged by playing partners Ray and Nigel Morrison to ‘make it a hattrick’ when 90 metres out from the fourth green, Darryl almost obliged, leaving his pitch just 30cm short of the hole, but putting out for a three-point par. Despite another par at the eighth, Darryl’s form fell away somewhat after the thrills and after accruing 13 points in his first four holes, he managed just 19 from then.

SECOND ACE: It may have taken him three decades, but 42-year member Barry Euston has scored his second hole-in-one at Headland. And the rising 82-year-old, who says recent bouts of bursitis has cost him much of his strength, proudly declares his tee shot at the par-three fifth was with driver. “I use driver at all the par threes now except the 18th, where I had my first ace back in 1991,” revealed the former carpenter who plied his trade in North Queensland and PNG before retiring to the Sunshine Coast. Barry’s ace came in Wednesday’s Single Stableford event and his five-pointer, combined with a three-point par at the 14th, contributed almost a third of his 26 points.

WEEKLY RESULTS:

Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (41 players) – Lynn Deacon (34 points), Penny Cooper (34), Linda Cannon (30). Men (61 players) – Steve Walters (37), Terry O’Keeffe (36), Geoff Sawyer (36).

Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (186 players) – A Grade, Clint Adams (39), Shane Muller (37), Jason Childs (36); B Grade, Ty Pilcher (44), Dennis Clifford (43), Trish Howe (39); C Grade, John Alsbury (32), Neil Dougherty (31), Dave Walker (31).

Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal (81 players) sponsors B BY HALCYON BUDERIM and Ken and Vicki Maynard – A Grade, Sue Jones (77 nett), Josie Ryan (&9), Marg Smith (80), gross – Josie Ryan (89); B Grade, Trish Howe (72), Gail Young (73), Catherine Petersen (73), gross – Trish Howe (91); C Grade, Jane Boaler (74), Rhonda Parry (74), Marion Dennis (76), gross – Rhonda Parry (106); D Grade, Chrissy Eggins (81), Jenny Stokes (82), Shirley Eggleton (82), gross – Chrissy Eggins (120).

Men, Single Stableford (68 players) – Nev Kenzler (37 points), Ian Moore (36), Greg McDonald (35).

Saturday, Monthly Medal, sponsor Ryan Tomlinson Century 21 – Women (21 players) – Gwen Nancarrow (76 nett), Sandee Brimblecombe (76), Robyn Boreham (78), gross – Sandee Brimblecombe (95).

Men (191 players), A Grade, Tony Dunford (68), Mike Hardy (69), Glen Kelly (70); gross –sponsor Brian Kesby – Scott Walker (73); B Grade, Greg McDonald (71), Robert Chaplin (72), Bruce Heseltine (73), gross – Greg McDonald (86); C Grade, John Alsbury (71), Lawson Wayne (72), John Jackson (72), gross – Roger Van Ginkel (94).

Sunday, Medley Wood Duck Challenge – sponsors James Kidd, Eko Finance, and Chris Klazema, Modbathrooms (60 players) – Shane Muller (68 nett), Tom Hewitt (69), Kirsten Kaergaard (71), Mal Bradshaw (71).