By Peter Owen
Sitting two shots off the pace after the first 18 holes, Noosa star George Giblett played steady golf – three birdies and four bogeys – for a one over-par 73 in the second round to finish an excellent third in the Sunshine Coast Men’s Open Championship at Headland last weekend.
His 36-hole total of two over-par 146 came only a week after he finished a close 2nd in the Noosa club championship.
The event, which attracted the best amateur golfers in south-east Queensland was won by former professional Adam Hawkins, of Palm Meadows on the Gold Coast, who beat Headland’s Brad Butler by two shots after a two under-par total of 142.
It has been a massive few weeks for 44-year-old Hawkins who, a fortnight ago, won the Palm Meadows club championship for the second successive year. And next week he will marry his fianc¨¦e Liliana, who caddied for him at Headland.
Noosa Springs amateur Dino Degotardi (84, 78) was a little off his game, his first round marred by double bogeys on the par five 7th and 10th – holes he would normally expect to at least birdie.
It has been a busy time for the young player.
A few days earlier he had shot rounds of 75, 72, 76 and 78 to finish 15th in the 18-20 year division of the Gary Player Classic, and immediately after finishing his round on Sunday, he boarded a plane for Adelaide to compete in this week’s South Australian Amateur Championship at Mt Osmond Golf Club, where he shot a first round 80.
Other Noosa golfers to fare well at Headland were Noosa Springs’ Alex Officer (81, 77: tied 18th), Noosa’s Toby Harding (79, 79: tied 18th) and Josh Maddison (78, 80: tied 18th), and Cooroy’s Marc Bright (80, 70: tied 21st).
Throwing your way to golf success
IT started in Canada in 1927 when a group of Saskatchewan primary school kids began throwing tin lids into metre-wide circles drawn into sandy patches of the school ground. They called it ‘Tin Can Golf’.
And, though nothing much happened for the next 40 years, the game, now officially known as Disc Golf, has become one of the world’s fastest-growing sports – with a particularly strong following in Noosa.
It’s played much like golf itself, except players use Frisbee-like discs rather than balls.
Courses comprise nine or 18 holes, and the aim is to complete each one in the minimum number of strokes – or, more correctly, throws. Each hole ends with a player landing his disc in a raised, basket-like target.
Like in golf, players use different discs for different purposes – driving discs for long distance throws, middle-distance and putting discs for more precise shots.
The game was first played in Noosa in the 1990s by off-duty chefs and waiters, who hurled their discs around a makeshift course in Noosa Woods.
These days the sport is championed locally by Jamie Knight, a supervisor with Noosa and District Land Care, who was introduced to Disc Golf by his uncle more than 40 years ago.
“It’s great fun,” he said. “Anyone can play, it doesn’t cost a lot and it’s good exercise. And, though some of our players get quite competitive, there’s a real social side to Disc Golf.”
More than 125 players are registered with the Noosa club, and about 20 to 30 turn up for competition at Pomona’s Cooroora Creek Park at 8.30am on the first Saturday of each month.
Those interested in joining them can call Jamie on 0405 682 264, or go to the club’s Facebook page for more information.
No room at the inn
It will be a full house at Noosa Springs next Friday when Santa’s Classy Helpers stage their annual charity golf day.
All 132 spots have been taken for the two-person Ambrose event – the major fund-raiser for a group of community-minded people whose efforts brighten the lives of disadvantaged Noosa families at Christmas.
Organiser Clifton Sim said he hoped to raise as much as $30,000 on Friday. The money will be used to buy gifts, food and household items for Noosa families down on their luck.
It costs $90 to play ($30 for Noosa Springs members) and the golf starts at midday. Presentations for the winning men’s, women’s and mixed teams begins about 4.30pm.
Break helps Terry’s game
After a 10-week break from golf – five of which were spent in hospital with a rheumatoid arthritis problem -Terry McCulloch was feeling anything but confident when he lined up in last week’s vets Stableford competition at Cooroy.
But he had no real choice. Along with fellow veteran golfer Grant Smallacombe, Terry was sponsoring the event.
“I had to try to get some of my money back,” he said.
As it turned out, Terry had nothing to worry about. He played as if he hadn’t missed a beat, scoring 41 points and easily winning the A grade category.
“I sometimes think that if you have a break from the game for a while, you forget about all those things you’re doing wrong,” he said.
Terry has been a member at Cooroy for two years. He’s from Brunswick Heads and describes his golf game as ‘inconsistent”.
“But last week it all seemed to come together,” he said. “If only I could do that all the time.”
Good day for Sunday
Sunday Moore shot rounds of 82, 85 and 83 to be the best of the Noosa-based players in the 54-hole Katherine Kirk Classic at Maroochy River last week.
Sunday, a Noosa Springs member, finished 40th in the elite field of junior girls – a distant 52 strokes behind the winner, Hyejun Park (65, 62, 71) of Royal Pines, who played amazing golf – including a course record 62 in the second round – to record 18 under-par. Maddison Kelly, also of Noosa Springs, was 45th.
See the Cup at Noosa Springs
Even golf stops for the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November each year.
One of the most popular places to watch, and enjoy, the Cup this year will be Noosa Springs, where the festivities begin at 11.30am.
Guests will enjoy a two-course lunch, plus petit fours and a glass of bubbles, beer, wine or soft drink on arrival. There will be prizes for best dressed, as well as lucky door prizes, sweeps, and guests will watch the big race on a big screen.
The cost is $80 ($75 for Noosa Springs members) and bookings can be made by emailing functions@noosasprings.com.au or ringing 5440 3333.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Tuesday, 22 September
Men’s Tuesday Club, stableford: A grade – Mal Condon 42, Rodney Vaughan 41, Gregory Strang 39, Allan Harris 38; B grade – Martin Scollon 44, Gary Tye 42c/b, Philip Richardson 42, Studley Martin 40; C grade – Andrew Aitken 41c/b, Ray Pettigrove 41c/b, Jim Crawford 41, Clive Hart 40c/b. Rundown to 36c/b.
Wednesday, 23 September
Vets, 3 clubs & putter, stableford: A grade – Alastair Kerrison 37, Mike Quincey 36c/b; B grade – Dieter Hoffman 40, Graeme Rickard 38; C grade – Paul Sprunt 41, Frank Thorne 37c/b. Rundown to 32c/b.
Thursday, 24 September
Women’s stableford: A grade – Heather Alsop 42, Arlene Penlington 37c/b, Ingrid Lancon 37; B grade – Karen Turnbull 39, Sandra Fortington 38, Jeannie Dodds 37c/b; C grade – Judy Coleman 37, Sandra Kiely 35, Jill Hill 34c/b. Rundown to 34c/b.
Saturday, 26 September
Men’s 2-person Ambrose: Ben Meredith & Lee Christie 60, Paul Sanderson & Alastair Kerrison 62.25, Rodney Vaughan & Michael O’Connor 62.5. Rundown to 65.5. Women’s 2-person Ambrose: Heather Alsop & Liv Dolan 67.25, Mandy Webb & Lisa Joseph 70.25, Cindy Lawson & Fiona Lim 70.75.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 21 September
Ladies stableford: Chrissy Hordern 42, Karen O’Brien 39c/b, Janet Dunn 39.
Wednesday, 23 September
Men’s stableford: Ross Gillies 40, Steve Francis 39, Paul Grant 38; women’s stableford: Robyn Roberts 40c/b, Marg Waters 40, Judy Bliss 38.
Saturday, 26 September
Men’s stableford: Will Costin 40, Drew McMenamin 38, Graeme Maddern 37; women’s stableford: Rowena Faerch 41c/b, Sue Ellis 41, Jen Carr 40.
Sunday, 27 September
Men’s Universal Property Sunday Series, stableford: John Boakes 38, Mark Reilly 33, Craig Lena 32; women’s: Sandi Hoskins 32, Jasmine Lena 28.
COOROY
Tuesday, 22 September
Women’s stroke (9 holes): Sue Sendall 35c/b, Eve Hunt 35. Rundown to 36c/b.
Wednesday, 23 September
Vets stableford: A grade – Terry McCulloch 41, Andy Stewart 37, Tony Bernhagen 36c/b; B grade – John Stewart 39, Grant Smallacombe 36, Terry Wilson 35c/b; C grade – Tony Kershaw 37, Jim Prendergast 36, Mike Hill 35.
Thursday, 24 September
Women’s stableford: Deb Macaulay 38c/b, K. Sawrey 38. Rundown to 31.
Friday, 25 September
Coopers Challenge, stableford: P. Carroll 36, W. Brogden 34, P. Jeucken 33c/b.
Saturday, 26 September
Men’s par: Div 1 – M. Low +2, P. Carroll sqc/b; Div 2 – I. Lumpy +4, T. Williams +3; Div 3 – G. Cowan +3, M. Saunders +1c/b; women’s par: Kate Sawrey +4, Carolyn Foster +3. Rundown to +1.
