From Tony Durkin
ALNON’S BIG WEEK: The man with the longest name at Headland – Alnon Christian Paggabao – is celebrating the biggest week of his short golfing career. The Bokarina Beach chef has pocketed $130 from victories on Tuesday and Saturday, and has won a Monthly Medal in just his fifth round as a Headland member. Originally from the Philippines, Alnon dabbled in golf in the US as a youngster but has only played the game seriously for the past 13 months. On Tuesday he was second in the Men’s B Grade Single Stableford event (40 points) and teamed with Bryan Leong to win the associated Fourball, collecting $55 for his efforts. On Saturday – after starting with three successive sevens – he scored 68 nett from his 102, his best score from the black tees, to secure the C Grade Medal. Will Milroy (68) won A Grade, Brad Reed (67) continued his good from of late in B Grade, and Dan Diachkoff (73) returned the best gross score in the field of 215.
SECOND MEDAL: Kathy Petrie, who enjoys Orienteering as a pastime as well as golf, successfully navigated her way around Headland on Thursday for her second Monthly Medal since she graduated from SWING in 2015. Kathy scored a superb 66 nett from her 28 handicap to win B Grade, and bettered the next best score in the field of 109 by three shots. But for Kathy, who concedes she still finds it difficult to understand the intricacies of scoring, she was delighted to learn she had the equivalent of 42 Stableford points, her best-ever score. And her special achievement came despite an injured knee, the result of an over-vigorous Orienteering event the previous night. Sharon Thomas (72 nett) returned to the winner’s list with victory in A Grade, Trish Marsden (75) won C Grade and Dianne Schulze (71) saluted in D Grade, while Lisa Ramen (81) returned the best gross.
WELL DUNN: Just on 3½ years without a win had been hounding Peter Dunn before he turned in his lowest round of golf to win Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford. Working in the liquor trade, golfing novice Peter played only in corporate events before moving south from Cairns in 2013, then deciding to join Headland six years ago. “I scored a pretty handy handicap early on and won a few events, but since I’ve come down to single figures it has been a lot tougher out of the course,” said the now eight-handicapper. His three-over 75 on Sunday – four shots less than his previous best – contained three birdies, 10 pars and four bogeys, with his only major blemish a double-bogey at the par-four 16th.
THANKS BUFF: The longest drought in her two decades as a Headland member has ended for former Women’s Captain Janelle Heaney, and she has Head Pro Adam ‘Buff’ Norlander to thank. “Adam loaned me a Cobra driver and it was an instant success. Even my worst drive with it was better than my best with my other one,” beamed Janelle, who scored 67 nett to win Saturday’s Monthly Medal by three shots. Once playing off 15 and the winner of a dozen Medals previously, Janelle said she was embarrassed to be playing off 32 on Saturday, and hoped the new driver – and golf more than once a week – would turn around what had been a ‘very ordinary’ past few years on the golf course. Tilly Poulsen, in her last game as Headland’s Golf Operations Manager, shot 81 for the best gross of the day.
BEN’S BEST: Apart from when he was playing Junior Pennant golf at Nambour during the mid-90s, Ben Steward’s 85 off the bat to win the C Grade Single Stableford at Headland on Wednesday has been his best round of golf. A member for seven years, sparkie Ben has rarely played competition golf, preferring instead to play socially with his mates to fit in with his busy work schedule. But he has decided to make a major effort to play in more comps in 2023, and Wednesday’s win – 43 points without a wipe – has given the now 18 handicapper the impetus for at least one comp a week. His Wednesday round – which featured seven three-point holes and a four-point par at the 15th – was only his fifth competition game at Headland in the past 12 months, although he did score 44 points at Maroochy River the previous weekend. George Olzard (42) won A Grade, Steve Rose (40) won B Grade and Ian Harper and Robert Denyer (51 points) saluted in the 4BBB Stableford event.
THREE PBs: Back surgery 18 months ago – her second since 2019 – has prompted Narelle Hollowood to slow her swing, and not try to hit the golf ball too hard. And if Tuesday’s round is any indication, the decision has been a masterstroke. Not only did Narelle win Tuesday’s A Grade Medley Single Stableford (43 points) by three points, she beat her previous best round (89) by five strokes (84), and recorded a PB on both nines – 42, 42. A graduate of SWING in 2021, despite having never played the game previously Narelle showed so much talent she was given a handicap of 23 when she started 15 months ago, but that blew out to 29 as she struggled to master the game. She played off 18 on Tuesday and her GA is now down to 4.4. Tuesday’s B Grade winner was Rodney Hutchinson (42) and the accompanying Fourball was won by Alnon Christian Paggabao and Bryan Leong (45).
PAR THREE PROOF: Ted Banaszczyk reckons the way he played Headland’s four par threes on Thursday is indicative of most rounds by B and C Grade players. “I wiped the eighth, but was one under on the other three,” said Ted, who won Thursday’s Single Stableford for Men with 40 points. “Most blokes on my handicap (19) would more than likely never know how we are going to play until we get out there, and that’s the beauty of the game and is what keeps bringing us back.” Ted had six pars and a birdie on his card, but reflected on his Monday Vets’ round when he had carded 33 points after 15 holes, then finished with 34. “More often than not, it’s a rollercoaster,” quipped Ted, who last won back in August 2022 when he and partner John Prosser scored an impressive 53 points in a Fourball. Shane Muller (handicap two) shot one-under 71 on Thursday, for 39 points.
STUNNED STEVE: After scoring 41 points back in November – his best score in 31 years as a Headland member – Steve Nash was embarrassed that 37 points won him a Vets victory on Monday. The former teacher, who emigrated from England in 1974 and taught at eight different schools on the Sunshine Coast during his career, won C Grade with his mediocre score, but it was the equal best of the day by any club member. Now Vets’ Vice-Captain after a period as ‘chief’ raffle seller, Steve had a stellar three holes on the back nine, scoring 11 points from holes 13 to 15, with his par at the tough 15th his first there in more than a decade. Gympie visitors Bev Maddison (39 points) and Ken Wilkins (35) won the respective A Grade events, while Pam Andrews (37) and Jim Saunderson won the B Grade divisions.
KEN LEADS: A second successive round of 78 from Ken Anderson two Saturdays ago has shot him to the lead in the battle with fellow member Bob Trevor for the title of Headland’s best ‘age shooter’. Ken, who is 82-years-old, has now either beaten or equalled his age at the club 22 times, while Bob – who is 78 – has achieved the remarkable feat on 21 occasions. It was not until December last year that Bob overtook Ken for the first time, shooting or equalling his age for the tenth time during an amazing stretch from the septuagenarian in 2022, taking his overall tally to 19. With the score now 22-21 to Ken, the intriguing battle continues.
MIXED FOURSOMES: Entries are still open for Headland’s 2023 Mixed Foursomes Championship, which will be sponsored again by Erik and Tove Larsen, of Cirlock. The Honour Board Championship will be played on Saturday, March 18, over 36 holes, and the entry fee is $40 per player. which includes lunch. Players will be assigned tee-times by the Match Committee, but can request to play in groups of up to six. Juniors Ionna Muir and Shae Coghlan are the reigning Champions. Players who would like to play, but do not have a partner, should email their name and details to golf@headlandgolfclub.com.au
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Monday, Vets Single Stableford, Women (45 players) – A Grade, Bev Maddison (37 points), Sue Briffa (35), Gail Young (33); B Grade, Pam Andrews (37), Margot Easton (36), Johanna Coogan (33). Men (86 players) – A Grade, Ken Wilkins (35), Bruce Reid (34), Gus Walker 933); B Grade, Jim Saunderson (37), Richard Ryan (36), John Jones (35); C Grade, Steve Nash (37), Colin Williamson (35), Peter Birt (35).
Tuesday, Medley Single Stableford (115 players) – A Grade, Narelle Hollowood (43 points), Trevor Simpson (40), Gary Holmes (37); B Grade, Rodney Hutchinson (42), Alnon Christian Paggabao (40), Jenny Stokes (39). Fourball Best Ball Stableford – Alnon Christian Paggabao and Bryan Leong (45 points).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (221 players) – sponsor, Chris Pace, McGrath Real Estate – A Grade, George Olzard (42 points), Clint Adams (39), Jack Pyke (39); B Grade, Steve Rose (40), Warren Selvage (39), Graham Newlove (38); C Grade, Ben Steward (43), Robert Denyer (43), Steve Makin (41). Fourball Best Ball Stableford – Ian Harper and Robert Denyer (51 points).
Thursday, Women, Monthly Medal (109 players) – sponsor, B by B Halcyon and Jodi McDonell, Century 21 – A Grade, Sharon Thomas (72 nett), Lisa Ramen (73), Lorraine Mazerolle (73), gross – Lisa Ramen (81); B Grade, Kathy Petrie (66), Maria Hireme (69), Marg Howard (70), gross – Marg Howard (91); C Grade, Trish Marsden (75), Raewyn Bissett (75), Raewyn Andersen (75), gross – Raewyn Bissett (105); D Grade, Dianne Schulze (71), Laura Mason-Baierl (72), Debbie Proud (72), gross – Dianne Schulze (108).
Men, Single Stableford (82 players) – Ted Banaszczyk (40 points), Shane Muller (39), Chopper Jacobson (39).
Saturday, Monthly Medal, sponsors, Century 21 (Ryan Tomlinson and Jodie McDonell) – Women (30 players) – Janelle Heaney (67 nett), Helen Fraser (70), Louise Harriott (71); gross – Tilly Poulsen (81). Men (215 players) – A Grade, Will Millroy (68), Sean Hanna (69), Ross Brimblecombe (70); B Grade, Brad Reed (67), Graeme Warne (70), Graham Newlove (71); C Grade, Alnon Christian Paggabao (68), Emmet Walsh (69), Stu Ennever (70); gross – sponsor Brian Kesby – Dan Diachkoff (73).
Juniors – Girls, 8-10 years, Paige Prosser (60 strokes); Boys, 7 and under, Blake Rydwanski (42); 8-10, Benjamin Cox (39); 11-13, Toby Halliday (44).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (48 players) – Peter Dunn (41 points), Matt Pyman (40), Michael McLean (40).
