From Tony Durkin
ALMOST AGE: After scoring 81 in Saturday’s Wood Duck Challenge, 79-year-old Terry Lawlor declared ‘one day, I will shoot my age’. Things did not look encouraging for Terry after starting double bogey, bogey in the Single Stroke event, but he settled to pen 44 on the front nine and then fired coming home, with a one-over 37. “It was one of those golden days on the course which we all have, occasionally,” said the 17 handicapper whose back-nine of six pars, two bogeys and a birdie read like the card of any decent low marker. A retired cabbie of 23 years, Terry hitched a ride in a cart with regular playing partner Brett Beaumont who he said was very encouraging, as were his other playing partners George Stoopin and John Logan. Terry’s nett score of 64 was the best by three shots in the big field of 248.
A WIN, FINALLY: Twenty years ago, Craig Jackson moved from Townsville to Buderim and, as an ‘ordinary C Grade golfer’, joined Headland. Even though he has maintained his membership, in those two decades Craig has opted in and out of competition golf and recently had two years away from the game after knee-replacement surgery. But on Thursday, 18 months after returning to golf – albeit mostly nine holes socially – the LJ Hooker Commercial Sales and Leasing Executive made his first visit to the winner’s dais when he scored 39 points in the Men’s Single Stableford event. And like most of his golf, Craig (handicap 23) was ‘all over the place’ on the front nine, scoring just 14 points. But he found form on the back, starting with a five-point birdie at the par-five 10th and then adding four three-point holes and a four-point par at the 15th as he marched to a 25-point nine-hole total. The founder of ORO Diamonds and Gold at Mooloolaba explained that his sudden burst of form could be related to the recent purchase of a TaylorMade Stealth driver from Head Pro Adam Norlander, which he says has added length and better direction to his game.
EXCITED LAURA: Since graduating from SWING in 2021, Language Teacher Laura Mason-Baierl confesses she has become obsessed with golf. And that obsession – playing nine holes every second day when time permits – has resulted in her first win for the ‘excited and surprised’ rookie golfer. Despite a nine at her first hole – the par-five 10th – Laura scored 40 points to bank a C Grade win in Thursday’s Single Stableford for Women, beating Patrice Jenkins on a countback. Laura, who moved to Australia from her native Switzerland after meeting her Aussie husband Russell 29 years ago while studying at University, scored one four-pointer and had eight three-point holes on her card in her best-ever round, with 22 points coming on the back nine after that nervous start. “My putting wasn’t the best,” explained Laura, who says she will have to return to Assistant Pro Mitch Jacobson for a refresher course in putting. Julie Halliday (39 points) won A Grade and Deb Thomas (37) returned the best score in B Grade.
MARSHALL RETURNS: Headland’s Board of Directors has ‘hollered’, and former Course Marshall Ian Hepburn is returning to the club as Golf Operations Manager. After closing his retail business at Sunshine Plaza in 2015, Ian worked as Course Marshall at Headland for 4½ years prior to being appointed Golf Operations Manager at Mount Coolum Golf Club two years ago. “While at Headland I developed a very close affection and association with the course and the members, and I am thrilled to be coming back,” he said last week after being appointed to replace the recently-resigned Tilly Poulsen. Although conceding he has always been an ‘average golfer’, Ian has had a long association with the game, starting as a Trainee Manager at Pacific Golf Club in 1989. He later served a decade at Golf Queensland as Golf Operations Manager – with a stint as Acting CEO – and was also State Executive Officer for the Queensland PGA. Ian starts his new role at Headland on Tuesday, May 2.
DOG-DAY BURGESS: A believer in the well-worn philosophy ‘every dog has its day’, veteran Headland member Burgess Stephenson turned back the clock in Wednesday’s Medley Single Stableford. A member for 19 years, rising 79-year-old Burgess scored 42 points to win B Grade, but it was the back nine – his first nine of the round – where the dog yelped the loudest. Burgess erred just once with a bogey at 15, shooting one-over 37 for 23 points. The front nine wasn’t as impressive, or as fruitful, but after being six over from five holes, he managed to par the final four to finish with his winning score. “The round was nothing spectacular, but I played solid from tee to green and had just 25 putts, with only 11 on the back nine,” said Burgess, who played alongside his usual grouping of neighbours Justin and Coralie Walsh, as well as Coralie’s dad Don Follent. Ian Farrington (also 42) won A Grade, George Stoopin won C Grade and Bevan Horsnell and Jamie Holbrook (76 points) combined to win the Fourball Aggregate event played in conjunction.
WILL’S PAY DAY: The ever-improving Will Millroy may not have had the best score in Saturday’s Wood Duck Challenge, but he certainly enjoyed a day out. His 70 nett – two better than his handicap – was good enough to take an equal share of the prizemoney offered by generous sponsors EKO Financial (James Kidd) and MOD Bathrooms (Chris Klazema). Each of the 20 players who broke their handicap received $64 from the prize purse, with Will banking an additional $40 for snaring the NTP at the par-three fifth as well as $73 for the Pro Pin at the par-four sixth, for his best pay day since he joined Headland in December of 2017. His three-over 75 was soiled by a missed birdie putt at the sixth – from 90cm.
STRANDED PELICAN: He has been as member of Pelican Waters since 2008 and once played from a handicap of two, but semi-retired builder Peter Hannah now plays golf ‘only when I’m invited’. And one of those days was Tuesday, when he won the Men’s Single Stableford at Headland with 40 points, from a par round of 72. The re-development of Pelican Waters Golf Club has meant members like Peter have not been able to play their home course for more than 18 months, and their future remains in limbo. “No-one seems to know when the course will re-open, or even if there will be memberships available,” said a frustrated Peter (handicap four) who had three birdies, three bogeys and 12 pars on his impressive Tuesday card. “I live on the course at Pelican and often played three or four times a week. Now I play as a visitor at Headland when a mate has a spare spot in his group,” he said. Gwen Nancarrow (36 points) won the Women’s competition.
DOLPHIN REVENGE: Redcliffe Dolphins’ fan Terry Grogan avenged his team’s 38-12 defeat at the hands of the Dragons the previous day by not only winning Sunday’s Medley Single Stableford, but returning his best-ever round at Headland. The former Redcliffe Golf Club member and Southern Cross College teacher, scored 78 for 38 Stableford points despite his ‘Tin Cup’ moment at the par-four ninth, when he found the bunker three times for a triple bogey. His steady back nine card – 38 for 20 points – revealed seven pars and two bogeys. Former Club Champion Dave Rattray (plus 1) scored 37 points and reigning Champ Adam Richards (plus 2) had 36 points, with both returning two-under rounds of 70.
WEEKLY RESULTS:
Tuesday, Single Stableford, Women (44 players) – Gwen Nancarrow (36 points), Lynn Deacon (35), Linda Cannon (34). Men (73 players) – Peter Hannah (40), Mark Barlow (38), Alan Stratford (36).
Wednesday, Medley Single Stableford (227 players) – A Grade, Ian Farrington (42 points), Bevan Horsnell (38), Jamie Holbrook (38); B Grade, Burgess Stephenson (42), Scott Simpson (41), Ivan Fortmann (40); C Grade, George Stoopin (37), Alan Reed (36), Stu Ennever (36). Fourball Aggregate Stableford – Bevan Horsnell and Jamie Holbrook (76 points).
Thursday, Single Stableford, Women (100 players) – A Grade, Julie Halliday (39 points), Rebecca Masters (37), Louise Harriott (37); B Grade, Deb Thomas (37), Anita Boyle (35), Bev Kelly (34); C Grade, Laura Mason-Baierl (40), Patrice Jenkins (40), Sue Hadenham (34). Men (76 players) – Craig Jackson (39), Andrew Fisher (39), Steve Eggins (39).
Saturday, Medley Wood Duck Challenge – sponsors, EKO Financial (James Kidd) and MOD Bathrooms (Chris Klazema) – (248 players) – Terry Lawlor (64 nett), Barry Newton (67), McKenzie Wright (68), Sid Ryan (68), Michael Goodluck (68), Mike McQuarrie (69), Chris Wilson (69), Dan Diachkoff (69), Paul Morton (69), Peter Perrett (70), Matt Hetherington (70), Richard Franklin (70), Will Millroy (70), Ben Brown (70), Darren Macleod (70), Graham Miller (70), Dave Wickham (71), Brett Hardner (71), Kevin Howe (71), Bernie Duncan (71).
Sunday, Medley Single Stableford (54 players) – Terry Grogan (38 points), Dave Rattray (37), Ty Pilcher (37).
