By Peter Owen
Grathan Leatherbarrow, who these days is just as passionate about hickory golf as the modern game, scored a unique double last week – taking the Cooroy club championship as well as the vets championship.
Grathan played steady golf on Tuesday to claim the vets title in a three-man, three-hole playoff – one stroke ahead of Andy Stewart and Keith Harkins.
Andy Stewart could perhaps consider himself unlucky. Leading after the first two playoff holes, he pulled his drive on the par five 18th into trees, could not find it, and had to return to the tee to play a second ball. He made a double bogey seven.
Then on Saturday, Grathan shot a final round 77 to take the outright club championship by two strokes from overnight leader Lee Grainger. He tallied 306 for his four rounds, compared with Lee’s 308.
Buoyed by those victories, Grathan’s focus turned to hickory golf.
Grathan and clubmate Jason Norris drove to Brisbane on Sunday to compete in the Queensland Hickory Championship at Brisbane and Royal Queensland against some of the world’s best exponents of old-style traditional golf.
Only a few months ago, Grathan shot rounds of 79 and 73 at Cooroy, setting a hickory course record along the way to win the Bobby Jones Trophy – an event contested by golfers using only the old wooden clubs.
Paul Korczynski was Cooroy’s B grade club champion, while Bruce McLean took the C grade title.
Katherine scores fourth LPGA ace
Noosa’s Katherine Kirk made the fourth hole-in-one of her LPGA Tour career when she aced the 120m 12th in the second round of the Cambia Portland Classic in Oregon at the weekend.
Kirk, 39, who made the cut with rounds of 75 and 72 in the weather-affected tournament, used a pitching wedge to record her first hole-in-one for more than four years.
“I put a good swing on it and landed about two feet short right of the hole and released in,” she said. “I thought I hit it too hard but, obviously, it was enough. I was happy to see it go in and not have to putt.”
For the hole-in-one, tour sponsor CME Group will donate $US20,000 to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Just as importantly, it kept alive Kirk’s chances of finishing in the top 100 of the Race to CME Globe standings, and retain her playing privileges on the world’s richest golf tour.
Kirk shot an excellent three-under-par 69 in the final round to finish the tournament 26th on level par.
Before the Cambria Portland Classic she was 98th in the standings, having endured a year that falls far short of her expectations. The season, however, extends until mid-November.
Runaway win for Rungratree
Rungratree Cox, the lowest handicapped player in the field, played four solid rounds to take this year’s Noosa ladies club championship.
Rungratree, a nine-handicapper, shot rounds of 84, 84, 83 and 87 to win by 25 strokes from Tash Baker, with Mandy Webb third.
In B grade, Sandra Gallagher (395) was the champion, while Dorothy Charlesworth (423) was C grade champion.
GemLife hasn’t given up on Cooroy
GemLife, the successful operator of retirement resorts whose bid to establish a property on the Cooroy golf course was rejected by Noosa Council, is sparing no efforts in preparing its appeal to the Planning and Environment Court.
A group of environmental scientists, contracted by GemLife to prepare reports for the court, recently visited the golf course in preparation for a hearing, expected to be determined next year.
As part of the development proposal, GemLife has pledged to deliver numerous benefits to the golf club, including a new golf clubhouse, pro shop, golf buggy storage for 40 carts; new sealed, 100-space car park; new entry road and course improvements.
It has also guaranteed 246 new golf memberships (one for every dwelling in the GemLife resort) for a period of 10 years.
Championship for club golfers
It’s an opportunity for a player of any ability to win a golf championship. All that’s needed is an official golf handicap, a little confidence, and a desire to test your skill on a great golf course.
The A, B and C grade championships are played at Noosa Springs over 54 holes from November 26 to 28. They are open to amateur golfers who have a registered handicap – and you don’t have to be a club champion to enter.
There is a welcome cocktail party on Thursday, November 25 from 5pm to 6pm, a presentation on the Sunday afternoon, and every player receives a Peter Millar gift pack.
For those wishing to stay at Noosa Springs for the event, a series of accommodation packages have been offered, starting at $82 per person per night (quad share).
Playing in the championships costs $339 (for visitors), $114 for Noosa Springs’ members and $279 for Links Hope Island members, social and reciprocal members.
To book your accommodation package phone 5440 3332, or email resort@noosasprings.com.au To book your spot for golf, download a registration form at noosasprings.com.au, email golf@noosasprings.com.au, or phone the golf shop on 5440 3325.
Club competitions
NOOSA
Monday, 13 September
Women’s stroke: A grade – Rungratree Cox 74, Jennifer Eborall 77, Tash Baker 78; B grade – Tina Hammant 70, Marg Colwell 71, Trish Strang 72c/b; C grade – Susan Griffths 71, Kay Evans 73, Jill Hill 74c/b.
Tuesday, 14 September
Men’s stableford: A grade – Grant Baker 41, Greg Collins 40, Ken Robinson 39, Neville Hazlett 37c/b; B grade – Jim Lawrence 39, John Osmaston 38c/b, Dean Jeffrey 38, Bruce Davidson 37c/b; C grade – Daryl Bates 40, Frank Hull 38, Alfie Bartlett 37c/b, Alan Orton 37.
Wednesday, 15 September
Vets stableford: A grade – Anthony Ryan 42, Pete Blair 37, Alan Meredith 36c/b; B grade – Tony Jackson 40, Rodney Gillard 37c/b, Graeme Caffyn 37c/b; C grade – John Kingston 42, Neal Moloney 38c/b, Edwin Forth 38.
Thursday, 16 September
Women’s stroke: A grade – Orawan Millar 74, Barb Allen 76c/b, Tash Baker 76; B grade – Marilyn Leslie 73c/b, Judy Patterson 73c/b, Gail Murden 73; C grade – Kay Evans 72, Dorothy Charlesworth 74, Trisha Dunn 76c/b.
Saturday, 17 September
Men’s stableford: A grade – Peter Freyer 39, Tom Loveridge 38, Simon Coates 37c/b; B grade – Greg Smith 36c/b, Harry Roberts 36, Mark Ostwald 35c/b; C grade – Cooper Liddell 40, Terry Dale 39c/b, Greg Hinson 39. Women’s stableford: Paula Jeffrey 35, Allana Moore 33, Arlene Penlington 31c/b.
NOOSA SPRINGS
Monday, 13 September
Men’s stroke: Kevin Perkins 70c/b, Arthur Johnstone 70c/b, Alex Wyer 70c/b; women’s: Claudia Cohn 64, Debra Oates 67, Dee Pugh 69.
Tuesday, 14 September
Men’s stableford: Robert Dutton 37, Frank Youngleson 36, John Mulquiney 35; women’s: Berenice Holmes 26, Diane Pherous 21.
Wednesday, 15 September
Men’s stableford: Douglas Oates 41, Peter Foulsham 39, Niels Farech 38; women’s: Carol Yancey 37c/b, Janet Young 37c/b, Fay Layton 37.
Thursday, 16 September
Men’s stableford: John Mulquiney 35, John Taylor 34c/b, Brett Le Moy 34c/b.
Saturday, 18 September
Men’s stableford: Greg Taylor 43, Brian Clark 41, John Moloney 38; women’s: Penny Bailey 40, Karen O’Brien 38c/b, Rowena Faerch 38c/b.
Sunday, 19 September
Men’s Sunday Series, stableford: Gil Hoskins 38, Drew McMenamin 37, Raymond Brown 34c/b.
COOROY
Tuesday, 14 September
Women’s 2-person Ambrose: Wendy Morse & Kaye Gilmour 70, Jenny Tucker & Janine Wynwood 73, Juanita Langford & Sue Thompson 73.5.
Wednesday, 15 September
Vets 2-man aggregate stableford: Matt Saunders & Darryl Ayers 77, Graham Laing & John Butler 74, Gary Webster & Laurie Meade 70; men’s stableford: A grade – Bronco Price 37; B grade – Ray Lally 39; C grade – Matt Saunders 45.
Saturday, 18 September
Men’s stroke: Div 1 – P. Carroll 71c/b, G. Leatherbarrow 71; Div 2 – G.Anderson 69, J. Norris 70; Div 3 – P. Palmer 67, M. Saunders 70.
