From Tony Durkin
DIRECTORS RULE: Headland Directors and good mates Jon Welch (President) and Roger Van Ginkel (House) took advantage of their 15 years’ experience of playing together when they scored 49 points to win Saturday’s Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford. And although it appeared Jon ‘carried’ his mate with 29 of the points – including 21 on the front nine – Roger claimed both played well and usually the first to putt had scored. The pair carded three four-pointers, eight three-pointers and had just the lone one-point hole, a double bogey at the par-four 17th when Roger conceded he ‘stuffed up’ after being just off the green for two, chipping poorly and then three putting. Jon and Roger started playing as regular partners in 2007 and have been directors together since Roger joined the Headland board in 2012. The pair did not compete in the Fourball Match Play Championship qualifier played in conjunction because Jon will be in Mandurah next week playing in the National Vets Championship.
QUALIFIERS NAMED: Another Headland Board member, Men’s Director of Golf Peter O’Brien, parred the 18th hole for three points on Saturday, enabling he and partner Simon Richardson to become the final qualifiers for the annual Fourball Best Ball Stableford Match Play Championship. Eight teams will contest the quarter finals of the Honour Board event, again sponsored by Michael Thomas of ZenFind Accounting, over three successive weekends from Sunday, November 13. Although Peter may have scored the vital points at the 18th for he and Simon to qualify on a countback ahead of eight other groups on 44 points, he conceded his partner had been the star on the back nine with 16 of their 24 points, including birdies at holes 11 and 17. The qualifiers for the Championship are: Andrew Hempsall and Roly Hoy (47), Gary Rugless and Phil Kornmann (46), Kate Wilkie and Josie Ryan (46), Sergio Nogarotto and John Marrington (45), Denis Orr and Mike McQuarrie (45), Mark Johnson and Clive Glover (45), John Burnie and Graeme Nicholas (45), Peter O’Brien and Simon Richardson (44).
THREE UNDER: Despite still recovering from a triple facture of his foot – suffered while playing indoor cricket – former Pro golfer Shane Muller on Thursday equalled his best round in his five years as a Headland member. Shane shot three-under 69 for 40 Stableford points, with a flawless four-under back nine of 32, featuring birdies at 10 and 11 and an eagle at the par-five 13th hole, garnering the one handicapper 23 points. A Maryborough junior who later played at Hervey Bay, Shane had a crack as a Trainee Pro at Surfers Paradise Golf Club before the sudden death of his dad forced him to head back home, and Thursday’s round was his first since his accident in the first week of September. Excited to be back playing rather than riding in a cart watching his mates play, Shane was ‘stunned’ by his comeback round on Thursday, which could have been anything had it not been for a double-bogey seven – and a wipe – at the par-five second.
GREG’S SCRAMBLE: Greg Stray reckons it is at least 18 months – maybe even more – since he last won, and even Sunday’s Single Stableford victory was not all that convincing. “It was a real scramble, particularly on the front nine,” said the six-year member who scored 81 off the bat for 42 points, and an easy win by three points. Commitments, mainly associated with kids’ weekend sport, have prevented the former Nambour member from what was once a regular Saturday round and he says Sunday was the first time in 12 months that he has bettered his handicap. And while his winning round may not have ‘felt great’, Greg did manage a rare feat for most Headland golfers – a birdie at the par-four 15th. “I hit a good drive, my approach was a little astray, but I was able to sink a putt from just off the green,” explained Greg, who added a birdie at the 13th to his nine pars, three bogeys and four doubles.
THANKS GRANT: Highly-rated coach Grant Field may be primarily recognised as the mentor of British Open Champion Cameron Smith, but Headland member Ross K Thompson now regards the Pelican Waters-based teacher as a genius. Recently returning to golf following a four-month absence following heart surgery, Ross – who has been a Headland member for an astonishing five decades – struggled with his game to the point where he seriously considered giving it away. “I have seen Grant previously and he has helped, so I turned to him again in hope he might be able to get me going,” revealed Ross, who scored 44 points to win Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford. “Grant told me to hit three seven irons, which I did. He then corrected a couple of things, asked me to hit the seven iron again and I can say in all honestly that I have never hit a seven iron as far, or as sweetly, in my entire life.” Playing off 20, Ross had 84, coming home in 40 for 24 points, with six three-point holes on the tough Headland back nine. Peter Gablonski (40 points) won A Grade, Ty Pilcher (40) won B Grade, but Ross obliterated the field of 225 to return the best score of the day, and win C Grade.
JOSIE WINS: Headland’s perennial Women’s Champion, Josie Ryan, has won the 70-plus age division at the Australian Senior Amateur Championship played at Launceston Golf Club last week. While conceding she was ‘well off the pace’ in the Senior Championship – Josie finished tied 15th in the 54- hole event – the 19-time Headland Champion said she still enjoyed playing stroke events and will be contesting the titles again at Lake Karrinyup in 2023. Josie has played in 17 of the past 20 Australian Senior Amateurs, winning in 2003 and 2013, finishing runner-up in 2010 and claiming the Super Senior section in both 2017 and 2019.
KEN AGAIN: A few weeks ago, veteran Ken Anderson was considering not renewing his Headland membership. In the intervening period the 81-year-old has won two Pro Pins, finished second in Wednesday’s A Grade Single Stableford and – just incidentally – has broken his age for the 17th time. Ken shot 80 in Wednesday’s event, giving him 39 points from his 11 handicap, with birdies at the par-five seventh and the par four 11th, where he also snared the Pro Pin for a collect of $58.70. A week earlier, also at the 11th hole, he again grabbed the Pro Pin, this time for $41.50. His 17 times either breaking or equally his age as a Headland member has put him two ahead of septuagenarian Bob Trevor, who shot 76 two Saturdays ago giving the 77-year-old his 15th round in which he has either broken or equalled his age during his 34 years as a Headland member.
SORRY SUZANNE: Col Pledge may well have been forced to sing the 1969 Hollies classic ‘Sorry Suzanne’ had the married couple not won Tuesday’s Medley Fourball Best Stableford on a countback. 2018 SWING graduate Suzanne (handicap 40) dominated Tuesday’s family card, scoring 31 of the team’s 47 points with two four-point holes and six three-pointers. But it may well have been Col’s four-point birdie at the par-five 13th hole which enabled the couple to beat Russell Harris and Gary Rugless on a countback, 24 points to 23 on the back nine. The golf-devoted Suzanne and Col (handicap 10) also won a two-person Ambrose back in August with a nett score of 65.25.
NO ACES: He may not have holed out at the par-three 18th for the fourth successive year in the Cindy McKenzie Breast Cancer Charity Ambrose, but Jamie Hill still made a mighty contribution to the annual cause. For five years the former Headland A Grade Pennant team member has been hitting shots at the 18th for a donation, and in that time has aced the hole three times. His best result on Thursday was two centimetres from the hole, which won Debbie Proud the NTP, while three other shots struck the flag. The day, which raised just on $11,000 for the Cindy Mackenzie Breast Cancer Program at Buderim Private Hospital, was won by the quartet of Mary Dowling, Catherine Peterson, Ali Lamond and Maria Dennis, with 57.375 nett, while Headland Golf Manager Tilly Poulsen made one of her rare playing appearances to team with Wendy Burnie, Coralie Walsh and Suzanne Pledge (57.625) for second place. NOTE: In a memorable day for rookie Debbie Proud, she also won NTP at the 14th, and was a member of the team which finished third in the Ambrose field.
HANDY KATHY: A prior booking for a holiday in Thailand next May is set to prevent Kathy Atkins from contesting the national final of the annual Handiskins event. Kathy, who will celebrate her Golden wedding anniversary on March 30, has been crowned Headland’s 2022 Handiskins Champion, and as such has qualified for the national final to be played at Royal Pines in May. Deciding to ignore the ‘very ordinary’ weather which prevailed last weekend, the four Headland finalists – Kathy, Kirsten Kaergaard, Bruce Heseltine and Steve Blampied – produced some gripping competition right through to the final hole. Kathy started brilliantly, sinking a birdie putt from off the green at the par-four first for a $40 skin, and finished the round with $560 in her pocket. Steve snared a $200 skin when he birdied the par-five 13th and collected $460 overall, while Bruce won $160 and Kirsten $20. All four have been invited to the Royal Pines final. Kathy, who started playing golf more than four decades ago when she and husband John lived in Seattle where John was based with the RNZAF, joined Headland in 1988 when the couple moved from Auckland, and was Headland Club Champion in 1996.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (103 players) – Suzanne and Col Pledge (47 points), Russell Harris and Gary Rugless (47), Valerie O’Brien and Catherine Peterson (44).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (225 players) – A Grade, Peter Gablonski (40 points), Ken Anderson (39), Ryley Martin (37); B Grade, Ty Pilcher (40), Gordon Russell (38), Brian Richards (37); C Grade, Ross K Thompson (44), John Hensby (41), Barry Potter (40).
Thursday, Four-Person Ambrose Pink Cindy McKenzie Charity Day – sponsors Trish Arden, Trish Murphy and Lesley Wilson (120 players) – Mary Dowling, Catherine Peterson, Ali Lamond and Maria Dennis (57.375 nett), Tilly Poulsen, Wendy Burnie, Coralie Walsh and Suzanne Pledge (57.625), Allison Bradshaw, Laura Mason-Baieri, Debbie Proud and Nicola Whitmore (58.75), Emilia White, Maureen Cartledge, Di Stark and Robyn Boreham (58.75), Vicki Sheridan, Cathy Roberts, Narelle Hollowood and Josie Ryan (59.125).
Men, Single Stableford (100 players) – Shane Muller (40 points), Tony McDonough (40), Martyn Dix (38).
Saturday, Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford (221 players) – Roger Van Ginkel and Jon Welch (49 points), John Christmas and Kevin Howe (48), Graeme Denovan and Geoff Sawyer (46), Ross Wedmaeir and David Parker (48), Andrew Hempsall and Roly Hoy (47), Peter Elsworth and Julie Lewis (47).
Medley Fourball Best Ball Stableford Match Play Championship qualifier – sponsored by Michael Thomas, ZenFind Accounting (111 players) – Andrew Hempsall and Roly Hoy (47 points), Gary Rugless and Phil Kornmann (46), Kate Wilkie and Josie Ryan (46), Sergio Nogarotto and John Marrington (45), Denis Orr and Mike McQuarrie (45), Mark Johnson and Clive Glover (45), John Burnie and Graeme Nicholas (45), Peter O’Brien and Simon Richardson (44).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (57 players) – Greg Stray (42 points), Jay Gourlay (39), Dennis Schloss (39).
