From Tony Durkin
THE BIG FORTY: Between her second bout of Covid and an eight-week holiday in Thailand with family, Headland’s most iconic golfer has won her 40th Club Championship. Josie Ryan teamed with Lisa Ramen to win Thursday’s 27-hole Women’s Foursomes Championship, the third the pair has won together. And while Lisa was – in the words of Josie – the better player on the day, it was the 25-year dominant Headland women’s player who deserved the limelight. Josie has now won 40 Headland Honour Board events – 19 Club Championships, 15 Women’s Foursomes and six Mixed Championships. Although their golf on the day was only ‘steady’, Josie and Lisa won by 10 shots from Sharon Thomas and Dominique Paice, who have won four of the past five titles. Over the 27 holes the new Champions scored a birdie, 14 pars, 11 bogeys and one double bogey, for a winning score of 121. “I’m just glad I’m back playing competitive golf,” said Josie. “And I’m also very grateful Lisa came out of Championship retirement to play with me, because she was the dominant one today.” Josie added that she was delighted with the field of 46 pairs, the largest she could recall in her three decades as a Headland member, and said she could not remember the course being in better condition. Trish Murphy and Penny Cooper (101) won the nett. Also on Thursday, Leigh Derigo (40 points) won the Women’s Overflow and Dean Smareglia (39) won the Men’s Single Stableford.
GO WEST: If there was ever any doubt about who should fill the final berth in Headland’s A Grade Pennant team for Sunday’s semi-final against Mt Coolum, Wayne West knocked that out of the ball park on Saturday. The two-marker, who once had a 12-month stint as a mature-aged Trainee Professional at Headland under Adam Norlander, shot two-under 70 for 40 Stableford points and teamed with Michael Zeckomske (36 points) to win the Medley Fourball Best Ball Aggregate with 76 points. The pair won $80 each from sponsor Dave Mansley of Mooney Insurance Brokers, and Wayne collected a further $40 for being runner-up – behind Mark Glassop (41 points) – in the Medley Single Stableford event played in conjunction. Electrician Wayne scored birdies at holes seven, 10, 13, 16 and 17 in a round which also included three bogeys and 10 pars, and finished superbly with just 33 shots on the back nine. Tom Burnett was another star on Saturday scoring his fifth Headland eagle at the par-five 10th hole, joining Trevor Beall (11th) and Bruce Malcolm (13th) with eagles in the past week. NOTE: Although Headland was beaten in Sunday’s Pennant semi-final, Wayne won his match 2-up.
ONE SHORT: Despite their outstanding fourball round on Tuesday – 53 points – Ted Banaszczyk and John Prosser have fallen one short of an even more remarkable achievement. The duo, who often play together when businessman John is available, failed by one to average three points a hole in the Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford. Ted described the day as ‘one of those freaky rounds’ and said he could not believe what was happening. “I’m glad we were able to grind it out for 18 holes and come up with some pretty unbelievable shots,” he said. And ‘unbelievable’ was the manner in which the round was constructed. Starting on the back nine, Ted was on the card seven times for 20 points, while John chipped in with two three-pointers. Then the tide turned completely – John scored 21 points on the front nine, and Ted also contributed six points. The final scoreboard – believed to be the highest fourball score of the year at Headland – revealed two four-pointers, 13 three-pointers and two two-point holes from three birdies, 13 pars and two bogeys.
DAD RESPONDS: Brian Richards is enormously proud of his son Adam, a Headland Club Champion over four decades. But despite his humility, Brian is not one to sit back and allow the reigning Champion to take all the limelight following his recent run of success. The 77-year-old, who has been a Headland member for 35 years, had his best round of the year in the Vets Single Stableford on Monday when his 81 shots garnered him 41 points, and a win in A Grade. His round included 10 pars and seven bogeys, with the only blemish a double bogey at the tough par-four 15th. Brian and Adam, who are both members of Headland’s Match Committee, joined Headland together when the family moved from Sydney in 1987 and bought a home in Mountain Creek. “Back then there were no other houses between us and the golf course, and Adam and the likes of Dave Grenfell, Brian Jones and Andrew Bonhomme practised there relentlessly. We always knew where he was,” Brian recalled. Graham Pitt (also 41 points) won B Grade and Biff Barford (38) won C Grade.
KEAN DIANNE: She started golf as a SWING graduate six years ago, and Dianne Kean’s enthusiasm since has never dimmed, despite some ‘less-than-brilliant’ efforts. But when a round like her Monday effort in the Vets’ Single Stableford materialises, she becomes keener than ever to get back on the course. “When things start to go right, they often go right for the entire round,” mused Dianne, whose winning 40 points in A Grade is one of her best scores since she became a Headland member in 2016. “I have had 42 points once, but that was when I was on a higher handicap,” said the current 29 marker who had six three-point holes and a four-point par at the 11th. But while she enjoys the game, the opportunity to be out in the sunshine exercising, and experiencing the friendliness of her fellow members, is what mostly attracts Dianne to her new sport. Mary Sanderson (36 points) won B Grade.
RHETT’S BEST: Fly-in fly-out sparkie Rhett Charlton, who was one of four Headland members to qualify for the 2022 National Handiskins final on the Gold Coast in May, had his best-ever round of golf on Sunday. The former Kawana Dolphins dummy half scored 39 points to win Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford, courtesy of his three-over par round of 75. A member since 2015 – as a rookie golfer – Rhett had nine pars and six bogeys in his round, which also included birdies at holes two, 11 and 17. His previous best round was 79 in July 2020, when he was playing off nine. He played off six on Sunday, but his AGU handicap now is 7.8, his lowest. Cathy Roberts continued her great form of late to also score 39 points, but was beaten on a countback.
HAPPY DOCTOR: Buderim GP Trevor Beall may not have won any Championships during his 29 years as a Headland member, but he has averaged better than an eagle a decade in that period – twice on a Pro Pin hole. And he dunked a pitching wedge during Wednesday’s Single Par event – for his fourth eagle – on the par four 11th, which just happened to be one of the newly-introduced Pro Pin holes. It was almost a repeat of his last eagle, scored in July three years ago, when he holed a nine-iron at the par-four sixth, which was also the Pro Pin hole. The difference was that back in 2019 Trevor not only collected the spoils for his eagle and Pro Pin, but he also won the competition with 41 Stableford points, for a collect of $105. On Wednesday his score of minus two did not win a prize, but he collected $15 for the eagle and a very formidable $64 for the Pro Pin. NOTE: Trevor is a member of the Happy Doctors group which has sponsored an annual event at Headland for the past 20-plus years, and will be sponsoring again on Wednesday week, August 24.
HANDY ANDY: Andy Hempsall could not be blamed for thinking his recent poor golf – and scores – was about to continue when he lost two balls on the first hole in Wednesday’s Single Par. But he quickly turned things around and the 22-handicapper not only won the event with a terrific score of plus five, but collected $100 from generous sponsor, Dave Mansley of Mooney Insurance Brokers. “I lost another ball in the water on the 12th, so the $100 should comfortably cover those losses,” joked the retired Aircraft Engineer. Thanks largely to his red-hot putter, Andy had eight plusses and seven halves on his card in his best round for a ‘long, long time’. “My golf, like my two errant shots on the first, has been all over the place lately, but hopefully this round can right the ship,” he hoped. Andy won C Grade with the best score of the day, Scott Lindsay (+3) won A Grade and Bruce Reid (+3) won B Grade.
MIXED LUCK: Cabinet maker Justin Nicholson is missing the top of the middle finger on his left hand, but is lucky he wasn’t more seriously injured in a recent wrangle with a circular saw. Justin – aka Jack – has been a member of Headland for 34 years, is the husband of popular Bar Supervisor Jenene Nicholson and has won five Foursomes Championships at the club. But he will be absent from the course for an extended period as a result of his accident, which also damaged the index and ring finger on his left hand. “They should both be okay, and hopefully I will be able to return to work in a few weeks,” said the current three handicapper who once played off scratch.
MEN’S PENNANT: Headland’s dream of a title in the 2022 Sunshine Coast Men’s Golf Zone Pennant competition is over, following losses in both the A Grade and Masters semi-finals on Sunday. The talented A Grade team, which finished the regular season as minor premier after going through the prelim rounds unbeaten, lost 4-3 to Mt Coolum at Maroochy River while Headland ‘Roos, again finishing top of the table in the Masters Division, was hammered 6-1 by Maroochy River. Youngster Ben Duncombe continued his brilliant uneaten season in A Grade, thrashing his Mt Coolum opponent 7&6, while veterans Dave Rattray (2&1) and Wayne West (2-up) were also victorious. Adam Richards (5&3), Adam Rydwanski (2-down), Steve Hudson (3&2) and Sean McGill (7&6) were beaten. The ‘Roos were given a pasting, with Peter Richardson (6&4) the only winner. Brett Adamson (3&1), Dennis Mikolic (4&3), Warren Selvage (3&2), Brett Stephenson (5&3) and Graham Newlove (3&2) went under.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets, Single Stableford, Women (41 players) – A Grade, Diane Kean (40 points), Lisa Ramen (39), Linda Cannen (37); B Grade, Mary Ann Sanderson (36), Helen Martyn (35), Joy Logan (31). Men (77 players) – A Grade, Brian Richards (41), Huki Matenga (40), Jeff Morris (36); B Grade, Graham Pitt (41), Peter McMillan (38), Bruce Heseltine (38); C Grade, Bob Snowball (40), Biff Barford (38), Ian McRaild (37).
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (162 players) – Ted Banaszczyk and John Prosser (53 points), Mark Glassop and Mark Garcia (46), Ruth Broderick and Bev Barnes (46).
Wednesday, Medley Single Par – sponsor Dave Mansley, Mooney Insurance Brokers – (223 players) – A Grade, Scott Lindsay (plus 3), Michael Thomas (+2), David Richards (+2); B Grade, Bruce Reid (+3), Tony Mitchell (+2), Graham Pitt (+2); C Grade, Andrew Hempsall (+5), David Munns (+2), Stu Ennever (+2).
Thursday, Women, 27 holes Foursomes Championship – sponsor POPs Group – (92 players) – Champions, Josie Ryan and Lisa Ramen (121), runners-up, Sharon Thomas and Dominique Paice (131); nett, Trish Murphy and Penny Cooper (101), Marg Howard and Gwen Nancarrow (103); 18-hole gross, Pik Chong and Anne Callanan (89); nett, Susan Hadenham and Odette Day (70.5); nine-hole gross, Gay David and Mary Young (46), nett, Rhonda Parry and Lyn Forbes (33.5). Overflow, Single Stableford (24 players) – Leigh Derigo (40 points), Vicki Oxley 39), Donna Rose (39).
Men, Single Stableford (38 players) – Dean Smareglia (39 points), Stewart Douglas (38), Sandy Jamieson (38).
Saturday, Medley Fourball Aggregate Stableford – sponsor Dave Mansley, Mooney Insurance Brokers – (200 players) – Wayne West and Peter Zeckomske (76 points), Brett Stephenson and Jason Childs (76), Stephen Van Der Linde and Deon Breytenbach (75), Glenn Kelly and Chris Goundrey (74). Medley Single Stableford (200 players) – Mark Glassop (41), Wayne West (40), Jason Childs (40).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (60 players) – Rhett Charlton (39 points), Cathy Roberts (39), Mitchell McLean (38).
