Carol Moloney’s tip to play better golf is to simply think less about the game.
“I try to take my mind off golf when I play – be a bit more intuitive,” she said.
“My coach Peter Heiniger tells me golf is really a simple game – it’s just we golfers that make it difficult.”
It may sound a little irregular, but it’s advice that is certainly paying dividends for the Noosa Springs golfer.
A fortnight ago Carol won the first round of Noosa Springs’ Ladies Series with 38 points, and last week took the monthly Seniors Medal with an excellent nett 68.
“Let’s hope the run keeps up,” she said.
Explaining her theory about keeping the game simple, Carol says the only things that occupy her mind as she makes a swing are her stance, keeping her head still and maintaining a good tempo.
“I watch a lot of golf on television and I’m convinced that tempo is very important,” she said.
Originally from Caboolture, Carol and her husband John moved to Noosa nearly 20 years ago and secured a family membership at Noosa Springs.
“I hadn’t played golf before that, but figured it would be such a waste if I didn’t use the family membership,” she said.
She took lessons, gradually improved and now finds golf has become a major part of her life. She plays competitions on Mondays and Saturdays, represents Noosa Springs in ladies’ pennants, and looks forward to contesting special events, like Sunday’s Katie Rose Charity Golf Day.
Her immediate ambition is to get her handicap down to 18 – where she thinks it should be.
Noosa women do us proud at country titles
Noosa Springs’ Silvana Phillips shot nine-over-par 83 to finish fourth in the Queensland Women’s Country Stroke Championship at Bribie Island last week. Noosa’s Tash Baker was eighth after scoring 85.
Initially a 36-hole event, the country championship was reduced to a single round after rain washed out play on Tuesday.
Earlier, Tash combined with Jill Marrinan, of Bargara, to shoot 88 for fourth place in the foursomes championship, while Silvana teamed with Chrissy Hordern for eighth place on 91.
And to prove she was holding her form, Tash scored 40 points on Saturday to win Noosa’s ladies stableford competition.
Cooroy’s Carmel Clarke combined with Nambour’s Maxine Gilbert to win the Division 3 foursomes title.
Lionel’s the one still standing
Lionel Willett describes himself as the last man standing.
Back in 1984 he and a handful of mates started Cooroy’s veterans’ golf club, and it was Lionel who nurtured the club in those early years until its initial membership of six reached the grand total of 50.
These days Wednesday’s veterans’ competition is the highlight of the club’s weekly calendar, attracting upwards of 100 players and generating remarkable loyalty and enthusiasm.
One of the most popular competitors is Lionel himself – now approaching his 92nd birthday, the last of the founders, but still capable of mixing it with the youngsters.
Last week Lionel, playing off a handicap of 30, hit his drives straight, made a few putts and signed for 35 stableford points – not good enough to win, perhaps, but certainly clear evidence that this old marvel is still competitive.
He’s touched that his playing partners show him respect and courtesy.
“My body’s not what it was,” he says, “and the boys will help me tee my ball and fetch it from the hole on the greens.
“I get a lot of help.”
Lionel, who lives with his wife Muriel on their North Arm property, plays only on Wednesdays, and rarely ventures away from Cooroy.
It wasn’t always like that, though.
From 1984 Lionel played in 31 successive Queensland Veterans Championships, travelling throughout the state and winning once at Oxley, when he played off a handicap of nine.
He’s served in almost every possible capacity at Cooroy Golf Club, and, for years, he and Muriel travelled the country in their caravan, playing golf at whichever course they happened across.
He figures that now is a good time to slow down, potter around his property and think about retirement – though he has no plans to give away his Wednesday round with his mates at Cooroy.
Still time for Noosa Springs Skins
A few spots are still available for Wednesday’s team skins event at Noosa Springs. It’s the second round of this year’s Noosa Springs Skins Series, a fun social event with four bottles of wine to win at each of the 18 holes.
The team stableford competition, complete with lunch and post-game nibbles, kicks off at 12 noon and costs $85 per person ($39 for Noosa Springs members). Register by calling the Golf Shop on 5440 3325.
No wins for pennant teams
Teams from Noosa and Noosa Springs got off to a slow start when this year’s junior pennant competition began at Mt Coolum on Sunday.
Noosa 1 went down to Caloundra 2-1, with Jaxon Smith’s 3&2 win over Zac Doolan the only bright spot, while Noosa Springs 1 (Sunday Moore, Jasmine Lena and Coco Moore) were beaten 3-0 by Maroochy River 3.
Noosa 2 lost to Headland 2-1, with Eli Cookman Noosa’s only winner. Noosa Springs 2 (Maddie Kelly, Caitlyn Wheatley, James McCulloch) lost to Maroochy 4, 3-0.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Monday, 10 May
Women’s stableford: Cynthia Duco 39c/b, Janine Freestall 39, Deb Matheson 38. Women’s stableford, 9 holes: Dorothy Charlesworth 16c/b.
Tuesday, 11 May
Men’s stableford: A grade – Stephen Thorn 40, Chris Wright 38, Warick Redwood 37c/b, Greg Bergin 37; B grade – Mark Trevanion 40c/b, Dave Butler 40, James Cervi 39, Graham Hillan 38; C grade – Jim Booth 39c/b, Regan Payne 38, Tom Healey 37, Robert Paech 36c/b.
Wednesday, 12 May
Veterans Irish Fourball: M. Norman, D. Hood, P. McDonald & J. Maree 85; B. Ross, B. Zydenbos, R. Cornish & J. Dunn 84.
Saturday, 15 May
Men’s stableford: A grade – Doug Reynolds 39, Richard Townsend 38c/b, Michael O’Connor 38; B grade – Graham Hillan 40, Neil Callow 37c/b, Michael O’Reilly 37; C grade – Mark Waine 42, Gary Liew 37c/b, Greg Smith 37; women’s: Tash Baker 40, Jillian Yeatman 39, Rungratree Cox 36.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 10 May
Men’s Senior Medal, stroke: Stephen Small 66, Gil Hoskins 69c/b, Robert Hobson 69; women’s Senior Medal, stroke: Carol Moloney 68, Dianne Hudson 69, Lee-Ann Hay 72.
Tuesday, 11 May
Men’s stableford: Robert Dutton 36, Rory Bourke 35c/b, Martin Scollon 35.
Wednesday, 12 May
Men’s stableford: Alex Wyer 40, Dick Whittington 38c/b, Barry Fitzpatrick 38; women’s stableford: Carole Blonk 38, Annette Philp 37, Maddison Kelly 36.
Thursday, 13 May
Men’s stableford (black tee): John Taylor 37c/b, John Mulquiney 37, Scott Wilson 29.
Saturday, 15 May
Men’s stableford: Brian Wilkinson 40, Ross Taylor 38, Andrew Grzegozewski 37; women’s stableford: Rosie Randall 38, Dianne Hudson 37c/b, Christine Young 37.
Sunday, 16 May
Men’s Sunday Series, stableford: David McMartin 36, Mike Angus 35, Phil Harrison 35; women’s: Kaye Bollen 36, Dana Angus 30, Sandi Hoskins 29.
COOROY
Tuesday, 11 May
Women’s American foursome, 9 holes: Weang Brown & Beatrice Bruin 32, Toni Mason & Jenny Webster 34.
Wednesday, 12 May
Vets stableford: A grade – Terry Magill 42, Keith Harkins 36c/b, Russ Rylance 36; B grade – Greg Flanagan 40, Derek Clayton 38, Darryl Ayers; C grade – Ron Blount 40, Mike O’Donnell 36c/b, Matt Saunders 36.
Thursday, 13 May
Women’s stableford: Mary Miller 35, Kate Sawrey 33.
Saturday, 15 May
Women’s stroke: Carole Clancy 73c/b, Carmel Clarke 73.
