Brian Jackson was 39 before he swung a golf club – and then only to impress a girlfriend who fancied herself as a golfer and was perhaps looking for somebody to make up a mixed foursomes pair.
“I found I could hit the ball all right,” Brian recalls. “But it went all over the place – long, but erratic.”
But he stuck at it, and things turned out well on both scores.
He eventually became a five handicapper at Noosa Golf Club, and the girlfriend, Jennifer, has been his wife for the past 30 years.
Brian was living in Warragul, outside Melbourne, when he first took up the game, but it wasn’t until he moved to Noosa 26 years ago that he joined a golf club.
He’s made up for lost time, playing most Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at Noosa – sometimes more often if his 70-year-old body can cope.
It was there last Tuesday that Brian’s game came together and he shot a pretty impressive 73 in the Tuesday Club stroke competition. Deduct his handicap of seven and that equated to 66 – good enough for a three-stroke win in A grade.
“I really think of myself as a five-handicapper,” Brian said. “It really doesn’t seem right that I’m getting so many strokes – so I do feel a little embarrassed about the score.”
He says his handicap has crept out because of the wind, playing off tough tees and just a run of poor form – at least by his lofty standards.
But Tuesday’s round turned everything around.
His handicap is back to seven, and he’s looking forward to reducing it even further.
He’s even contemplating every veteran golfer’s dream – to shoot a round better than his age.
“In my case I might have to wait until I’m 80,” he said.
Before he moved to Noosa Brian played AFL, soccer and was a competitive fencer. Although he reached a high standard in all those sports, it wasn’t until he turned to golf that he found a sport to which he could really commit.
Today he couldn’t conceive of a life that didn’t include golf – even though his wife and former mentor no longer plays.
“I reckon playing golf a couple of days a week with good mates is about as good as it gets,” he said.
Giblett in the mix in big amateur event
Noosa’s George Giblett confirmed his standing as one of the state’s very best golfers when he put together three excellent rounds to finish close behind the winner in last week’s Keperra Bowl.
Giblett, who won the Noosa club championship last month, shot 71, 70 and 70 for a 54-hole total of five-under 211 – just five strokes behind the winner, Tyler Duncan of Redcliffe.
The Keperra Bowl, arguably Queensland’s most important amateur tournament, was shortened from 72 holes when Thursday’s play was abandoned after storms lashed Brisbane.
Giblett, twice a winner of the Sunshine Coast Junior Masters, was always in the top dozen on the leaderboard before finishing eighth in the elite event.
Peregian’s former outstanding junior Cassie Porter capped a remarkable comeback from serious injury to claim the women’s Keperra Bowl.
She shot rounds of 74, 68 and 67 – including a stunning eagle-birdie-birdie-par finish – to come from behind and claim a dramatic victory.
After a superb 2019 that saw her win the Northern Territory Women’s Amateur, the Jack Newton International Junior Classic and the Toyota Junior World Cup in Japan, Porter was sidelined with a back injury that kept her off the golf course for more than 18 months.
She was diagnosed with a spinal stress fracture – similar to the injury that halted American star Patrick Cantlay’s career for nearly four years.
Through her long period of rehabilitation, Porter, 19, was supported by her boyfriend, himself a highly talented junior golfer, who encouraged her as she slowly recovered.
That boyfriend is Tyler Duncan – the 19-year-old who won the men’s Keperra Bowl after a three-hole playoff with Pelican Waters’ Blaike Perkins.
And Porter was in the gallery, cheering Duncan on as he collected the biggest win of his career.
“This one’s very special,” she said.
As the pair headed off to celebrate with friends, Duncan said he was delighted with Porter’s return from the depths of injury. “I’m over the moon for her,” he said.
Book now for Noosa Springs Skins
Registrations are now open for the year’s final Noosa Springs Skins event on Wednesday, November 24, when golfers will compete for 72 bottles of premium wine.
The event is held four times a year, with four bottles of wine on offer for the team that provides the best combined stableford points score on each hole.
If two teams tie on any hole – as often happens – the prize jackpots to the next hole, or until there’s a winner.
As well as the great wine on offer, if you find the hole with your tee shot on the par-three fourth, you will win corporate membership to Noosa Springs, valued at $2250.
Visitors pay only $85 ($39 for members), and that includes lunch and post-game nibbles.
Book by calling 5440 3325, or email golf@noosasprings.com.au.
Voice of golf is dimmed
Anyone who has ever tuned in to watch the British Open or the US Masters will be familiar with the dulcet tones of Scot Renton Laidlaw, truly the doyen of international golf commentators.
Laidlaw, who was 82, died last week in Dundee, Scotland, after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
During a career which began as a copyboy on the Edinburgh Evening News, Laidlaw covered 165 major golf championships, including 58 Opens and 42 Masters. He worked for the BBC, London’s Evening Standard, Sky TV and the Golf Channel.
Laidlaw had a close affinity with Australia, and became a much-loved figure on telecasts of our biggest golf tournaments with his beautiful speaking voice and his knowledge of the game.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Monday, 11 October
Women’s stableford: Susan Griffiths 40, Tracey Skeppstrom 37c/b, Robyn McManus 37c/b; women’s stableford, 9 holes: Maddy Nielsen 24.
Tuesday, 12 October
Men’s stroke: A grade – Brian Jackson 66, Michael Nassereddin 69, Jason Norris 70, Neville Hazlett 71c/b; B grade – James McKean 66, Brian Farmer 68c/b, Graham Hillan 68, Gary Wood 70c/b; C grade – Michael Donnelly 68, Bill McCarthy 69, Michael Meltzer 70c/b, Jim Grant 70.
Wednesday, 13 October
Vets stableford: A grade – Barry Robinson 39, Geoff Foster 38, Brian Farmer 37; B grade – Tom Mulcairn 42, Ron Turner 39, Grant Holloway 38c/b; C grade – Peter McGrath 40c/b, Michael Tsolakkis 40c/b, Jim Toovey 40.
Saturday, 16 October
Men’s par: A grade – Rodney Vaughan +5, Ben Meredith +4, Michael O’Connor +3c/b; B grade – Grant Birkett +4c/b, Brian Farmer +4c/b, Ken Morrow +4c/b; C grade – Rod Allen +4, Jim Harpley +3, Neil Hamilton +2c/b.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 11 October
Men’s stroke: Paul Grant 69, Geoffrey Phillips 70, Robert Mayfield 71c/b; Birgit Wehrenberg 62, Fay Layton 67, Noi Pike 69.
Tuesday, 12 October
Men’s stableford: Phil Harrison 39, John Mulquiney 37, William Coman 29.
Wednesday, 13 October
Men’s stableford: William Jaede 40, John Betar 39c/b, Paul Liddy 39; women’s stableford: Liz Schouten 42, Lynne Williams 40, Joan Cairns 39.
Saturday, 16 October
Men’s stableford: C. J. Hudson 39, Tony Buss 37, John Gavin 36; women’s: Susie Lee 40, Silvana Phillips 38c/b, Ruby Jaede 38.
Sunday, 17 October
Men’s Sunday Series, stableford: Drew McMenamin 38, Gil Hoskins 36c/b, Bruce McCleary 36; women’s: Sandi Hoskins 32, Di Cutting 23, Beryl Rowan 21.
COOROY
Wednesday, 13 October
Vets 2-man Ambrose: Paul Nettles & Alan Pritchard 58.75, Tony Bernhagen & Kelvin Brittain 59.25, John Stewart & Andy Stewart tied with Don Esposito & Kerry Davies 61.25.
Thursday, 14 October
Women’s 4-person Ambrose (reduced to 9 holes): T. Cairns, E. Hunt, S. Zulpo & L. Dawson 26.32; J. Thorburn, K. Sawrey, T. Thomas 28.
Saturday, 16 October
Men’s 4BBB stableford: B. LeMoy and B. Price 47c/b, B. Clemow and T. Foster 47; women’s: Terri Cairns & Sarah Brogden 39c/b, Janelle Thorburn & Deb Macaulay 39.
