By Peter Owen
FOR a man known to be one of Noosa’s busiest and most successful real estate agents, it’s a wonder David Conolly can find the time to accommodate his passion for golf.
But the game is really important to him and provides a much needed balance to his corporate life, and David does his best to line up in the Tuesday Club competition at Noosa each week, and again for nine holes with his mates on Friday afternoons.
These past few weeks he’s also managed to get in a few early morning stints on the practice range, smacking dozens of wedge shots and honing his swing as the sun gets up.
It was this unscheduled practice that David reckons came to the fore when he played in Noosa’s stableford competition last Tuesday and had, in his own words, ‘just a great round’.
Playing off a handicap of 11, David had three birdies, five bogeys and nine pars in a round which could have been even better had it not been for the very last hole.
David pushed his tee shot to the right, hoped it was still in play but hit a provisional anyway, and found his first ball inches outside the boundary. He played the provisional and scored a double bogey six.
Forty-three points, however, is good enough to win on most days, and so it proved.
David was particularly pleased because the day honoured the memory of Noosa stalwart John Piercy, who founded the Smile for a Child charity, ran many golf charity days and, in its early years, ran the Jack Newton Celebrity Classic tournament
Jack Piercy’s son Gregg is a close friend of David’s and, though he was unable to attend the presentation because of work commitments, David was quick to send him a screen shot of the leader board to remind his mate of his memorable round.
Born and raised in Wagga Wagga, David moved to Sydney, where he entered the real estate industry, and moved to the Sunshine Coast 20 years ago after his aunt died.
“I came up to spend time with my uncle, liked the area very much and decided to stay,” he said.
David didn’t know anybody but landed a job in real estate and found success when he linked with David Hay to form the Century 21 partnership now known as the Conolly Hay Group.
Together they operate agencies at Noosa, Sunshine Beach and Peregian Beach, and are responsible for some of the region’s biggest property sales.
David is honest about the state of his golf game, though his handicap has been as low as seven.
“I don’t chip particularly well and my driving can be erratic,” he said. “But when I hit it straight and find the green with my approaches, I can score pretty well.”
Coco might just be the best Moore of all
COCO Moore is the youngest of a remarkable trio of Noosa golfing sisters who continues to impress everybody with the diligent, yet joyful, approach she takes to golf.
Just 11, Coco has been a regular contender in competitions at Noosa Springs since she gained an official golf handicap little more than a year ago.
In October, for example, she won a Saturday competition – scoring 41 stableford points while playing off a handicap of 25.
By last Saturday, her handicap had dropped to 22. But that didn’t stop the ever-smiling Coco taking Noosa Springs Monthly Medal, scoring a nett 71 and beating a field of women all older than herself.
She can add that victory to a resume that is already impressive and includes last November’s Monthly Medal and last year’s C grade club championship, which also won her the trophy for the best overall nett score.
Her sister Sunday, just a few years older, already owns a handicap of seven, and finished just behind the placegetters with a nett 75 on Saturday. She also won this year’s Peter Heiniger Junior Award at Noosa Springs.
Eldest sister Naomi was a champion junior when playing at Noosa Golf Club a few years ago.
Tooman in form in Victoria
NOOSA veteran Simon Tooman shot an outstanding five-under-par 67 to finish second in last weekend’s Legends Pro-Am at Victoria’s Gardiner’s Run golf course.
Tooman was just one stroke behind Victorian David McKenzie, and continued a consistent run of form for Noosa district golfers on the over-50s tour.
Tooman finished 5th at Portsea, 14th at Northern and 11th at Settler’s Run since the Legends Tour began its Victorian swing, while Yandina’s Brad Burns was fifth at Settler’s Run, and not far away in the other tournaments.
Sunshine Coast star Glenn Joyner began the swing in great style, winning at Settler’s Run and Northern.
Ladies take centre stage at Noosa Springs
IF you’re a female golfer chances are you already know about Noosa Springs Ladies Golf Series, where golf and glamour get together three times a year.
It’s when the ladies play 18 holes of golf in the morning, and follow up with a gourmet lunch, complete with glass of sparkling wine. And there’s also the chance to win a half-day session at one of Australia’s best day spas.
This year’s series – back to its full three-round schedule – begins on Tuesday, April 20, followed by rounds on July 6 and December 7. 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 for golf and lunch is $39 for Noosa Springs’ members, $94 for social and reciprocal members, and $104 for visitors. For more information phone the Golf Shop on 5440 3325 or email golf@noosasprings.com.au.
Jaxon’s great round
NOOSA junior Jaxon Smith turned in one of the best rounds of his young life to shoot the day’s best nett score in last weekend’s Caloundra Junior Classic.
Jaxon’s nett 65 won him the Invincibles Course Cup, and qualified him for the season-ending Gold Cup of Cups to be played at Noosa Springs in November.
District titles attract the best
SOME OF Noosa’s best golfers are expected to contest next week’s district senior men’s and mid-amateur championships at Bribie Island.
Organised by the Sunshine Coast and South Burnett District Golf Association, the events cater for male golfers aged between 30 and 54 (mid-amateur) and for the 50s and over (seniors).
Nearly $10,000 in prizes is on offer and the entry fee is just $30. Golfers can nominate to play in the morning or afternoon fields by going to www.bribiegolf.com.au/upcoming-golf-events.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Monday, 1 March
Women’s stableford: A grade – Rungratree Cox 34, Gail Stokes 33; B grade – Delys Murray 36, Robyn McNamara 33c/b; 9-hole stableford: Barb Allen 19, Tracey McKay 18, Robin McKenzie 17.
Tuesday, 2 March
Men’s stableford: A grade – David Conolly 43, Timothy Storrer 41c/b, Michael Nassereddin 41, Neville Hazlett 37; B grade – Robert Upham 39c/b, Derek Pousette 39, Kevin Krogh 38, Steve Grey 37; C grade – Rob Wade 38, Murray Joseph 37c/b, Robin Versluys 37, Grant Evans 36c/b.
Wednesday, 3 March
Vets stableford: A grade – Alastair Kerrison 42, Peter Blair 39, Brian Roper 36c/b; B grade – Grant Holloway 38, Rodney Gillard 36c/b, Peter McDonald 36; C grade – John Dunn 37, Roger Waters 36, Evan Millar 34c/b.
Saturday, 6 March
Men’s Monthly Medal, stroke: A grade – Mark Ostwald 69, Rob Martin 70c/b, Leigh Hancock 70; B grade – Ken Reed 68, Tony Cawley 70, Jaxon Smith 71; C grade – Steven Boulton 65, David Hinder 68c/b, Paul Cox 68. Women’s Monthly Medal: Liv Dolan 72, Rosemary Caffyn 74, Bettina Hammant 77.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 1 March
Men’s stableford: Greg Brookes 40, Jeff Forbes 39, Gil Hoskins 39; women’s stableford: Niki Matthews 38, Toni Liddy 36, Margaret Stawski 32.
Wednesday, 3 March
Men’s stableford: Jeffrey Inglis 39, John Gavin 37, Chris Coombe 36c/b; women’s stableford: Fay Layton 38, Debra Oates 35, Jill Wilson 34.
Thursday, 4 March
Men’s black tee stableford: John Taylor 38, Alexander Hackett 32, Gary Webster 27.
Saturday, 6 March
Men’s Monthly Medal, stroke: Allan Carter 70c/b, Paul Weatherstone 70, Tony Carabetta 72c/b; women’s: Coco Moore 71, Maddison Kelly 72c/b, Judy Bliss 72.
Sunday, 7 March
Men’s Universal Property Sunday Series: Raffi Sekzenian 41, Ben McCulloch 36, Phil Harrison 35; women’s: Dianna Goss 37, Kaye Bollen 33c/b, Sandra Probert 33.
COOROY
Tuesday, 2 March
Women’s 9-hole stableford: E. Hunt 19, W.Morse 16c/b.
Wednesday, 3 March
Vets Monthly Medal, stroke: A grade – Richard Gibson 68, Michael Loe 69, Kerry Davies 70; B grade – Neil Dwyer 66, Derek Clayton 70, Paul O’Hare 72; C grade – Alex Kologaras 64, Rudy Agerbeek 67, Brad Lavender 69.
Thursday, 4 March
Women’s Monthly Medal, stroke: Div 1 – Tina Thomas 72; Div 2- Fiona Buchanan 81; nett winner: Tina Thomas 72, Chris Michael 76.
Saturday, 6 March
Men’s Monthly Medal, stroke: A grade – B. Robbo 68, M. Bright 69; B grade – M. Davies 68, P. Crosby 69; C grade – R. Pajak 65, J. Timm 70.
