From Tony Durkin
GOLDEN KATE: Kate Wilkie is Headland’s 2022 Women’s Match Play Champion following a gripping A Grade final against Sue Jones on Thursday. Continuing her hot form of late, Kate jumped out of the blocks brilliantly and was five-up after five holes, and also won the eighth. But Sue, a former Naval Officer, would not lie down and won the sixth and seventh, then snared three in a row from the 10th to the 12th, before the duo then squared the next four. Kate then captured the honours at the 17th and, finally, had secured her first Honour Board event – 2&1 – and won the right to have her name printed in gold. Overall, in the enthralling final, Kate won seven holes, Sue won five and five were squared. Earlier in the year she won the Consolation Match Play for Pennant players, also beating Sue in the final. On her way to her first major title since she joined Headland in 2008, Kate beat two former Club Champions – Sue in 2014 and 19-time winner, Josie Ryan in the semi-final. Kirsten Kaergaard is the new B Grade Match Play Champion after her opponent, Helen Fraser, had to withdraw from Thursday’s final with a back compliant, and Sue Harris had earlier beaten Susie Meade (3&1) to win the C Grade Championship.
TYPICAL GOLF: Two wipes in a winning round is characteristic of his golf says Gary Martin, who returned the best score in Saturday’s Single Par event. “I’m a 20 handicapper, and that’s generally how things play out for me over 18 holes,” said the owner of Directline Timbers, a Headland sponsor. But despite the wipes at holes eight and 10, which interrupted a run of five pars by the seven-year member, Gary was still pleased with the round, his best since he won the C Grade nett in the Club Championships back in May. Gary scored plus five to edge out fellow C Grader Phil Maron on a countback, and hopes his winning round will contribute to an eventual handicap reduction. “Anything below 18 is my goal,” he said. Aaron Shaw produced somewhere near the form when he was Club Champion a dozen years ago to win A Grade with plus three, while that score also won B Grade for Chris Wilson.
FIRST, LAST: Not because she is telepathic, but Carol Dwyer predicted she would carry over her recent good Pennant form for Headland and win Thursday’s A Grade Monthly Medal. And win it she did, playing to her handicap for 73 nett, victory by a whopping four shots and returning the best A Grade gross (90) as well. But while that result was one for Carol to savour, the victory came with a remarkable coincidence. Back in 2011, when Carol joined Headland, her first competition event was the B Grade Monthly Medal, which she won, also with nett 73. But the irony continues, because her Thursday Monthly Medal will be her last, as Carol and husband Harvey are moving to Adelaide to be nearer to family. Carol credits her consistent round on Thursday – four pars, 11 bogeys and three doubles from the red tees – to her experience of playing pennant golf, which she says has greatly improved her game. Mouna Humzy (73) won the B Grade Medal, Ruth Broderick (77) C Grade and Jenny Stokes (78) D Grade, with all three also returning the best gross in their respective grades.
EQUAL BEST: Neil Oxley warmed up for the start of the Pennant season with his equal best Headland round in his seven years as a member. Neil, who represents Headland in one of the club’s two Masters team in the 2022 Sunshine Coast Men’s Golf Zone Pennant competition, scored 42 points to clearly win Thursday’s Single Stableford. And while the points gathered was an obvious bonus, Neil was especially pleased with his round of 78, his equal best score as a Headland member. His card – with 21 points and 39 shots on both nines – revealed two birdies, at the second and sixth holes, nine pars, six bogeys and a lone double, at the par-four ninth. “It has been a while since I put two good nines together, so I was really happy with my consistency,” he said. Neil, who only took up golf seriously when he joined Headland in 2015, now plays three times a week but is still keen to reduce his current handicap of 12.6 closer to the 9.5 he played from two years ago.
LOST SQUARE: She may have won Saturday’s Single Par event for women with plus three, but Robyn Boreham’s joy was dampened somewhat when she and playing partner Kirsten Kaergaard were beaten for the $2.50 (square) side bet. “It’s always nice to win the square and take home bragging rights,” lamented Robyn, whose form of late has been very good. She was unbeaten playing Pennant for Headland Sapphires, and returned 39 points to win on the first day of the Maroochy River Women’s Classic 10 days ago. Robyn’s round on Saturday – plus three – started well, and she turned with her winning score, but two double bogeys coming home stymied her progress. All three placegetters – Robyn, Gail Young and Trish Arden – returned plus three, with Robyn winning on a countback.
MID-WEEK MIKE: He usually only plays on Saturdays, but because last weekend’s afternoon event was washed out, Electrical Contractor Mike McQuarrie decided to take the afternoon off and play on Wednesday. And it paid dividends, with the 11-marker returning the best score in the Medley Single Stableford event, and winning A Grade with 39 points. Mike, who only started playing serious golf when he joined Headland seven years ago, also shot his best round with 11 pars, six bogeys and just the one double bogey – after he three-putted the par-four third – on his card of 80. Starting on the 10th, he blitzed the back nine with a two-over 38 and cannot recall a lower round. Although Mike says his wins have been few and far between – three in more than two years – his handicap has dropped from 15 since he last won, with 41 points back in March. Ty Pilcher (36 points) won B Grade and Chris Byrnes (38) won C Grade.
KEEN KEOGH: Retired pharmacist Bob Keogh felt a duty to turn up and play with visitors from Noosa in Monday’s Vets Single Stableford at Headland, and just as well he did. Not only did Bob win the event – with 37 points – but he was one of the few Headland members who were outnumbered by the visitors in the small field of 28. “It didn’t rain at all when we were out on the course, but I think many of our members pulled out on suspicion,” surmised 15-year member Bob. Although the rain stayed away, carts were on paths which Bob conceded would also have been an issue for some, but he was surprised by the good condition of the course, considering how much rain had fallen over the weekend. Bob had a ‘mixed’ round – 22 points on the front nine and 15 on the back – and won the event by three points.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland made a brilliant start to the 2022 Sunshine Coast Men’s Golf Zone Pennant competition on Sunday, winning three of the four matches played, with the fourth match halved. A Grade had an outstanding opening, beating 2020-21 Champions Noosa at Caloundra, 5-2. Newly-crowned Match Play Champion Scott Walker was in scintillating form, winning 6&4, with teenager Ben Duncombe (3&2), Adam Rydwanski (2-up), Dave Rattray (4&3) and newcomer Stephen Hudson (3&1) also victorious. Adam Richards (2&1) and Sean McGill (2-down) were beaten. B Grade scored a slashing 5½-1½ win over Twin Waters at Noosa, with Captain Matt Hetherington (4&3), Will Millroy (5&3), Brendan Duncan (4&3) and Tom Burnett (2&1) on the plus side of the ledger, while Rhett Charlton halved his match and Michael Thomas was beaten (2-down). Led by Brett Stephenson (5&4), Headland beat Twin Waters 4-3 at Noosa in Masters, with wins also to Terry Grogan (6&5), Peter Perrett (4&3) and Pennant debutant Peter Dunn (2-up), while Neil Oxley (5&3), Andy Whitmore (2&1) and Ian Moore (4&2) went down. And Headland Roos squared their opening match – Captain Warren Selvage (1-up), Burgess Stephenson (2-up) and Dennis Nikolic ((5&3) were winners, Peter Richardson squared his match and Graham Newlove (4&3), Neven Daniel (6&5) and Brett Adamson (1-down) were beaten.
WOMEN’S PENNANT: Headland Women’s Sapphires Pennant team has finished equal second, with Twin Waters, in the 2022 Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District competition despite finishing equal top of the ladder. Headland, Noosa Springs and Twin Waters each finished on eight points, but Noosa Springs was declared the Pennant victor following a countback. Sapphires won their final match of the season, beating Maroochy River at Twin Waters 3-2. Carol Dwyer finished her time at Headland with a 2&1 victory, Mouna Humzy continued her excellent form winning 4&2 and Leanne Ptak also saluted, 3&1. Chris Parkinson was beaten 2&1 and Gail Young lost 1-down. And despite winning on Sunday, against Beerwah at Maroochy River, the Sapphires finished second in their competition. Vicky Sheridan (3&1) again won, as did Jenny Ingham (3&2) and Wil Sprake (1-up), while Narelle Hollowood (3&2) and Kirsten Kaergaard (3&1) were beaten.
RIP ALFIE: Long-standing and popular Headland member, Alan ‘Alfie’ Gourlay, has passed away, aged 86. Alfie was a valued member of Headland for more than 30 years, first joining in 1992. His funeral service will be held at Gregson and Weight Chapel, 159 Wises Road Buderim on Friday (July 15), from 10.30am. A celebration of Alfie’s life, held in Headland’s Garden Bar, will follow.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Medley Single Stableford, Women (28 players) – Bob Keogh (37 points), Ken Wales (374), Graham Farrell (33).
Tuesday, Single Stableford – sponsor Headland Veterans – competition abandoned because of rain, and the condition of the course.
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (166 players) – A Grade, Mike McQuarrie (39 points), Ross Roberts (37), Ian Farrington (36); B Grade, Ty Pilcher (36), Peter Raymond (36), Gordon Russell (36); C Grade, Chris Byrnes (38), Rod J Berger (33), Ed Hoey (33).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal – sponsors B BY HALCYON BUDERIM and Ken and Vicki Maynard (69 players) – A Grade, Carol Dwyer (73 nett), Julie Halliday (77), Pik Chong (78), gross Carol Dwyer (90); B Garde, Mouna Humzy (73), Leeanne Ptak (76), Marg Howard (77), gross – Mouna Humzy (97); C Grade, Ruth Broderick (77), Janette Ritchie (78), Del Whittaker (78), gross – Ruth Broderick (108); D Grade, Jenny Stokes (78), Anne Hayward (81), Chrissy Eggins (82), gross – Jenny Stokes (117).
Men, Single Stableford (68 players) – Neil Oxley (42 points), Nigel Morrison (40), Barry Newton (39).
Saturday, Single Par, Women – sponsor Bev and Ross Kelly (22 players) – Robyn Boreham (plus 3), Gail Young (+3), Trish Arden (+3).
Men – sponsor Adam Robbins, A R Coastal Scaffolding – (212 players) – A Grade, Aaron Shaw (+3), Lawrence Hireme (+3), Wayne West (+3); B Grade, Chris Wilson (+3), Peter Raymond (+3), Scott Simpson (+2); C Grade, Gary Martin (+5), Phil Maron (+5), Emmet Walsh (+3).
Sunday, Fourball Best Ball Stableford (52 players) – Benn and Wayne Roland (47 points), Tom Hewitt and Darryl Kong (45), George Stoopin and Kurt Lawler (44).
Headland Junior Classic – sponsor Schweppes – Overall winner, Hynseo Yim (74); Boys – gross, Tom Gaske (78), Shaunsuke Mizutani (79); nett, Oliver Duffy (71), Ryhs Cusack (73). Girls – gross, Ionna Muir (76), Mikayla Dyal (77); nett, Coco Moore (71), Merrin Bartholomaeus (72).
