By Peter Owen
After 40 years as an underground coal miner in New South Wales, Scott Hobden jumped at the chance a decade ago to pursue his first love – working on the land.
He bought 1400 acres of grazing land just outside Tamworth and turned his hand to raising beef cattle, something he hadn’t done since he was a youngster growing up on a farm in country NSW.
Scott also quietly resumed his love affair with golf – an interest that grew once he’d retired and relocated to the Sunshine Coast early last year.
He joined Noosa Golf Club, had a couple of lessons, and went about rediscovering his golf game.
“It’s a bit up and down,” Scott says. “Sometimes I hit the ball really well, but just as often my game’s rubbish.”
The planets aligned for Scott this last fortnight, however. A fortnight ago, playing with the Noosa Vets, he won the C grade trophy with 39 points. A week later he did even better – recording 41 points to win the B grade comp with the Vets.
His handicap has dropped from 29 to 20 – and Scott’s getting used to being a regular contender in Vets competition, where he says he’s been welcomed with open arms.
He’s also taking up other sports – swimming, gym work and playing the occasional game of veterans’ cricket.
After 40 years in the mines and 11 years on the land, he’s earnt the chance to do whatever he wants.
Peter defies the gods to shoot his best ever round
As he stood on Noosa Springs’ 18th tee on Saturday, Peter Catchlove’s playing partner Jock Robertson glanced at the card he was marking and said: “You’ve got a pretty good score going here, mate.”
“Just don’t say a word,” replied Catchlove, obviously aware of the misfortune such a conversation can create. Then his resolve weakened and he asked his friend: “Just for interest, how many points do I have?”
The answer was 41 – the sort of response that usually assures a ruinous wipe on the next hole.
But this was Peter Catchlove’s once-in-a-lifetime round, and there was no place this day for bad omens.
He hit his drive down the centre of the fairway, glided a three-wood to a perfect position, then pitched to about 20 feet from the pin. Inevitably, he made the putt for a four-point birdie, and a career best round of 45 points.
“I had 10 one-putt greens,” Catchlove said. “I just had a day out.”
His 45 points equated to a round of 83 – the former advertising executive’s best score ever at Noosa Springs.
Ed Otto was a Cooroy legend
Ed Otto, a founder of the Cooroy Vets and a member of Cooroy Golf Club for nearly 60 years, has died.
Ed, a life member of Cooroy, was a tireless worker for the club and, with his great mate Lionel Willett, was a foundation member of the Vets in the mid-1980s.
Club officials said Ed would always be a part of the club and its history.
All roads lead to Noosa Springs on Sundays
Sunshine Coast golfers are targeting golf at Noosa Springs on Sundays – attracted not just by the heavily reduced green fees, but by the chance to win an end-of-year holiday at the celebrated golf and spa resort.
Local golfers – those who live anywhere on the Sunshine Coast, as well as Gympie – are able to play on Sundays (and Tuesdays) for $79. That price, a significant reduction on the usual $125 green fee, includes the cost of an electric cart.
For another $7, they can enter the weekly Universal Property Sunday Series and compete for prizes in men’s and women’s competitions.At the end of each month, the best stableford score by the weekly winners earns the man and women a place in the final, to be played in December.
The prizes for the two lucky winners of the final are Noosa Springs holidays – including two nights’ accommodation, daily breakfast and two days of unlimited golf. Slow start costly for George
A disappointing first round 77 led to Noosa’s George Giblett missing the 36-hole cut in the Australian Amateur Championship at Adelaide’s Kooyonga golf course last week. Giblett recovered with a par 72 in the second round, but it wasn’t enough to include him in the group of 46 that went on to play the final two rounds.
Queenslander Louis Dobbelaar closed strongly with a final round two under-par 70 to take the title. Pelican Waters Blaike Perkins (70, 71, 76, 70) was the best of the Sunshine Coast contingent, finishing fifth.
VW Scramble regional final at Coolum
THIS year’s Volkswagen Scramble regional final will be played at Palmer Coolum on Sunday, April 18. The women’s state final will be played at the same course on the following day.
More than 200 teams have already qualified for the regional finals, which will be played across the country.
The winning team from each regional final, and the winner of the women’s state final, will qualify for the chance to play in the national final at Twin Waters later in the year.
The regional finals – in Queensland they’ll be played at Townsville, Rockhampton, the Gold Coast and at Coolum – will consist of teams that won their local event, plus their club professional or a nominated pro in teams of five.
The winner of the women’s VW Scramble state final will qualify for the national championship final, also scheduled for Twin Waters.
Mally in the money on Committee Day
Mally Jane of Noosa Springs was B grade runner-up when 86 committee members and delegates of the North Coast Zone contested their annual Committee Day event at Beerwah on Friday.
Mally, a Noosa Springs member for nearly four years, is a former ladies captain at Noosa Golf Club and now serves as secretary of the zone district council.
She scored 35 points at Beerwah, but went down to Caloundra’s Kathy Byrne in B grade. Carolyn Cartwright, of Mt Coolum was the A grade winner, while Maleny’s Suzanne Hardy won C grade.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Wednesday, 10 February
Vets stableford: A grade – Bruce Hallett 41, Ray Egge 40, Ron Turner 38c/b; B grade – Scott Hobden 41, Shane Rayner 37c/b, Ted Burgess 37; C grade – Michael Tsolakkis 39, Roger Waters 37, Jim Crawford 36c/b. Rundown to 33c/b.
Thursday, 11 February
Women’s Canadian foursomes: Tracey Duncan & Gwendoline Whitehead 75.75, Fiona Watson & Heather Alsop 76.75, Connie Gordon & Orawan Millar 77.25.Saturday, 13 February
Men’s stableford: A grade – Gus Tomey 44, Ross Smith 40, Sam Boulden 39c/b; B grade – Dave Whitehead 37, Greg Smith 36c/b, Mark Chapman 36c/b; C grade – Geoffrey Wild 40, Wim Janssen 38, Philip Bowden 37c/b. Women’s stableford: Heather Alsop 36, Jan Smith 34, Mandy Webb 33.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 8 February
Women’s stableford: Janet Young 39, Lianne Wamsteeker 38, Penelope Sykes 37.
Tuesday, 9 February
Men’s stableford: Stephen Docherty 34, Alexander Hackett 32, Phil Harrison 32; women’s stableford: Margot McKellar 34, Persephone Lobb 30, Linda Docherty 29.Wednesday, 10 February
Men’s stableford: Ross Taylor 42, Kerry Sunderland 41, Chris Coombe 40; women’s stableford: Tereza Holley 39, Julia Gamble 38, Lorna Gibson 37c/b.
Saturday, 13 February
Men’s stableford: Peter Catchlove 45, Philip Starkey 41, Kevin Perkins 39; women’s stableford: Bronwyn Driver 41, Coco Moore 40, Susie Lee 39.Sunday, 14 February
Men’s stableford: Anthony Esselmont 35, Niklas Greasby 34c/b, Trevor Elbourne 34; women’s stableford: Vivien Dembo 36, Rochelle Elbourne 30, Maddison Kelly 26.
COOROY
Tuesday, 9 February
Women’s stroke (9 holes): Mark Miller 36c/b, Joyce McKay 36. Rundown to 40.
Wednesday, 10 February
Vets stableford: A grade – Peter Buchbach 41, Greg Michael 40, Tony Hayes 38c/b; B grade – Mark Woolway 41c/b, Jim Gregg 41, John Butler 39c/b; C grade – Matt Saunders 41, Nick Kostalas 40, Hans Herrie 39c/b. Rundown to 37.Thursday, 11 February
Women’s stableford: Jocelyn Rabjohns 37c/b, Maria Taurer 37c/b, Shay Zulpo 37. Rundown to 34. Saturday, 13 February
Men’s stroke: Div 1 – K. Stevens 68c/b, P. Kennedy 68; Div 2 – M. Davies 66, b. Price 69; Div 3 – G. Cowan 67, R. Roemermann 70.
