By Peter Owen
Promising young professional Ryley Martin, starved of opportunities this year due to Covid-19, is planning to make up for lost time by moving to North America in the New Year.
Martyn, who is an Ambassador Member at Noosa Springs and plays most of his golf there, has played only a handful of tournaments this year.
His latest was the Northern Territory PGA in Darwin late last month when he made the cut after a disappointing first round 80, but finished well back.
“It’s been very hard this year,” Martin said. “It’s been hard to build up any sort of momentum but, on the other hand, it’s allowed me to do things I wouldn’t normally have been able to do.”
That includes playing a lot of social golf at Noosa Springs and Maroochy River, where he is also a member, and long periods of working on his game.
“I’m fairly happy with the way I’m playing right now,” said the young man who is renowned for how far he hits the ball and the consistency of his putting.
Martin and his father are planning to head to North America in January or February, probably basing themselves in Canada.
“My aim is to win my way onto the Canadian Tour,” Martin said. “It’s very competitive and a good stepping stone to the United States tours.”
Ryley plans to be away for about eight months, returning for the Australian summer series of tournaments.
He won his way onto the Australasian Tour late last year. He qualified for the Q School final by finishing in the top 10 at preliminary qualifying at Noosa Springs.
Rugby hero is Noosa bound
Rod McCall, the tough lock who helped the Wallabies win the 1991 Rugby World Cup, has taken three months to reach a decision, but he’s now decided he wants to spend his retirement years in Noosa.
McCall, who played 40 games for Australia and 107 for the Queensland Reds in a celebrated career, has just spent three months renting a villa at Noosa Springs, where he’s looking forward to living and working on his golf game.
He was one of 76 men and women who competed in last month’s Sunshine Coast Spring Classic, a 72-hole tournament for club golfers.
“The body held up better than I thought it would,” said the grandfather of three who turned in rounds of 26 stableford points (Maroochy River), 25 (Twin Waters), 30 (Noosa Springs) and 26 (Peregian) to finish midfield in the tournament’s Division 2.
“It hasn’t been an easy time off the course, either,” he said. “I had 14 around at my place last night.”
McCall said he had many Noosa friends, and that was one of the reasons he decided to spend three months in the region before making a firm decision on relocating.
“It’s definite now,” he said. “I’ll go back to Brisbane for a while but we’re now officially looking for a home in Noosa, and we plan to move early in the New Year.”
Noosa women win foursome title
Noosa pair Judy Patterson and Sue McLaurin have taken the Division 2 category of the North Coast zone ladies foursomes championship. Judy and Sue took 147 shots to win by two strokes from Carol McLeod of Caloundra and Ann Sutherland of Beerwah. The event was staged at Bribie Island.
Ladies in spotlight at Noosa Springs
IT’S a date in the diaries of many female Noosa golfers – the Noosa Springs Ladies Golf Series, where golf and glamour get together. The ladies play 18 holes of golf in the morning, and follow up with a gourmet champagne lunch in the clubhouse.
And this year there’s something extra – the chance to win a half-day session at one of Australia’s best day spas.
The last of this year’s series – shortened to two events because of Covid-19 – is on December 15.
Those who play in both legs will be in the running for the major prize – a Half Day Spa Escape, which includes a Thermal Suite Experience and a choice of massage, facial or sugar scrub, plus four rounds of golf in an electric cart.
The cost is $39 for Noosa Springs’ members, $89 for social and reciprocal members, and $99 for visitors. Everybody who plays receives a $20 discount on any future Spa package.
For more information phone 5440 3325 or email golf@noosasprings.com.au.
Invincibles cheer their favourite son
Once a year, the admirable Sunshine Coast Invincibles Junior Golf Tour gets together to celebrate the year, thank its sponsors, reward its highest achievers, raise some funds, and play golf.The venue this year was Noosa Springs, and the Invincibles had something special to celebrate – the brave performance of Cameron Smith, runner-up in the US Masters at Augusta.
Smith is one of hundreds of young golfers who learned their craft on the Invincibles Tour, playing junior tournaments across the Sunshine Coast.
“It seems only yesterday that little Cameron was competing against youngsters twice his size on our tour,” said Invincibles founder and president Graeme Miller. “But, even then, you could see there was something special about the little fellow – that he was going to become a champion”.
And as sponsors, supporters, friends and current members of the Tour gathered in the clubhouse after their game on Friday, the Invincibles recognised two young golfers who may, in time, trace Cameron Smith’s footsteps.
Tyler Quaill (Maroochy River) and Amy Hodgson (Redcliffe) were presented with $1000 encouragement scholarships, the money to be used for travel to, and accommodation at, an event of their choosing.
Home ground advantage
NOBODY knows Noosa Springs better than Phil Starkey. After all, it was he and his family who built the place.Starkey’s dad Alan was the architect of the plan, buying the 103ha property, designing the resort and residential precinct, putting the stamp of quality on it and watching as it developed into an integrated resort of national significance.
Phillip, a lawyer by profession, was beside him almost all the way, and is still involved in some aspects of the property.
These days, though, he is able to spend more time on the golf course. And last week it showed. Playing off a handicap of 14, Phil Starkey recorded 40 points to win the Wednesday stableford competition – not an achievement to rival the construction of an award-winning resort, but one to be savoured, nonetheless.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Monday, 9 November
Women’s stableford: A grade – Cynthia Duco 38, Cheryl Grieve 37; B grade – Michelle Linklater 40, Pat Law 38. Rundown to 34c/b; women’s stableford (9 holes): Ann Tummon 21, Carole Moynihan 20, Jenny Drummond-Gower 19c/b.Tuesday, 10 November
Men’s Tuesday Club stableford: A grade – Greg Collins 43, Alex Officer 41, Dallas Furner 40c/b, Benjamin Palfery 40; B grade – Ross Cunningham 41, Robert Tasker 40, Eugene Barry 39, Peter Shortai 38; C grade – Jeremy Alkin 44, Robin Versluys 40, Phil Grieve 39c/b, Michael Davenport 39. Rundown to 36c/b.
Wednesday, 11 November
Vets stableford: A grade – Ron Turner 43, Bob McCormick 41c/b, Alastair Kerrison 41; B grade – Alan Bradley 42, Graham Meadows 41, Andy McGill 40; C grade – Ed Beckett 40, Renze Bais 39c/b, Paul Sprunt 39. Rundown to 36c/b.
Saturday, 14 November
Men’s stableford: A grade – George Giblett 42c/b, Cooper Lau 42, David Murray 41c/b; B grade – Robert Hemmings 41c/b, Nathan Jackson 41, Michael Norman 40c/b; C grade – Peter Turnbull 40c/b, Chris Cahill 40, Tim McKiernan 39c/b. Rundown to 36c/b. Women’s stableford: Jennifer Eborall 38, Noreen Scanlon 36, Rosemary Caffyn 35c/b.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 9 November
Women’s stableford: Sandra Probert 39c/b, Rosemary Perkins 39c/b, Anne Smith 39c/b.
Wednesday, 11 November
Men’s stableford: Phillip Starkey 40, Alan Emblin 39, Ric Holm 38; women’s stableford: Rosemary Perkins 39, Dana Angus 37c/b, Jill Robson 39c/b.Saturday, 14 November
Men’s stableford: Carl Vogel 38, Dick Whittington 37c/b, Paul Betar 37, Steve Walker 36; women’s stableford: Bronwyn Driver 38, Jill Wilson 38, Margie Charlton 37, Dorothy Marlow 37.
COOROY
Tuesday, 10 November
Women’s stroke (9 holes): Mary Miller 33, Kaye Gilmour 36c/b. Rundown to 38c/b.
Wednesday, 11 November
Vets 4-man Ambrose: Errol Radley, Russ Rylance, Peter Jeucken, Wayne McKinnon 53.25; Bob Noble, Keith Harkin, John Stewart, Andy Stewart 55; Grant Smallacombe, Jim Henderson, Wayne Hastie, Scott Bennett 55.5.
Friday, 13 November
Coopers Challenge, stableford: B. Robbo 40c/b, B. Price 40.
Saturday, 14 November
Women’s stableford: Aileen Morton 38c/b, Den Nelson 38.
