Remarkable Bradfords keep on delivering

For someone who technically died earlier this year, Maroochy River stalwart Doug Bradford has a lot of life left in his 85-year-old body. This and more from the Sunshine Coast golf scene.

Golfers Doug and Heather Bradford won Sunday’s medley fourball stableford event at Maroochy River. Picture: Nicholas Falconer

For someone who technically died earlier this year, Maroochy River stalwart Doug Bradford has a lot of life left in his 85-year-old body.

As he has done almost every Sunday for the past 53 years, Doug partnered his wife Heather in last Sunday’s medley fourball stableford event at Maroochy River.

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And, as they have done many times in a fabled career of playing together, they won.

This time, however, the win came in spectacular fashion, the Bradfords scoring 51 points and giving nobody else a chance.

“It should have been ever better,” said Doug, ever the perfectionist.

“We collapsed a bit on the back nine.”

The Bradfords’ definition of a ‘collapse’ is scoring just a regulation two points on each of the tricky 13th and 14th holes – an aberration of sorts that merely delivered a dent to an otherwise remarkable card.

Doug and Heather, 80, scored 26 points on the front nine, and 25 on the back for a memorable victory.

Doug joined Horton Park in 1965, three years before Heather became a member.

They were pioneers of the club, regularly joining working bees to clear scrub, seed fairways and, laboriously by hand, build a golf course for the Sunshine Coast.

Over the years Doug has slowed down a bit.

He’s had trouble with his back and shoulders, had his left hip replaced last year and has three stents in arteries leading to his heart.

“A few months ago I passed out and technically died,” he said.

“Heather saved me. She called an ambulance and I went to hospital. Somehow I recovered, but now I’ve got a pacemaker in my chest.”

All of which adds lustre to the Bradfords’ Sunday success, and hints at how many more events this remarkable couple would have won had Doug remained fit and healthy.

Aces are easy for Margies

There’s something about Margie – at least at Headland.

Two women, both named Margie, scored holes in one in last week’s ladies Ambrose event – Margie White on the eighth and Margie Howard on the 14th.

For Margie White, who used a ‘heaven’ wood, it was her fourth hole in one, having previously holed out at the fifth at Headland following earlier aces in Darwin and at Keperra.

Margie Howard’s first ace, shortly after she joined Headland almost two decades ago, was also at the eighth.

Immanuel Gardens resident Mary Haddon celebrated her 100th birthday in style on the golfing range.

100 not out, and going strong

Mary Haddon, Maroochy River’s grand dame of golf, turned back the clock last week when she scored 37 points in the ladies’ stableford competition, only to lose the event on countback to her friend Leonie Winter.

Not bad for a woman who celebrated her 100th birthday last month.

And she came so close to winning outright.

Mary ‘wiped’ the 18th hole, scoring zero points on a tricky par four that requires hitting an approach to the green over a waterway.

Remarkable Mary, who seems to just ignore the ageing process, regularly plays golf twice a week, and hosts a monthly luncheon for Maroochy River members who, like herself, are widowed.

Invincibles celebrate

The Invincible Junior Tour’s annual presentation dinner will take place at Noosa Springs on Sunday.

It’s a time for tour members and their families to dress up, enjoy each other’s company, and

celebrate what has been a challenging year.

The festivities will immediately follow the Tour’s final tournament of the season, the Gold Cup of Cups, an event contested by those juniors who have excelled at tour events throughout the year.

Dino Degotardi was 15th in this week’s Tasmanian Amateur Championships.

Degotardi 15th in Tassie Amateur

Noosa Springs’ Dino Degotardi was 15th in this week’s Tasmanian Amateur Championships, an event dominated by visiting Queenslanders.

Degotardi (76, 71, 73, 72) finished eight over par 292 – 19 strokes behind runaway winner, Louis Dobbelaar, of Brookwater, near Brisbane.

Atherton’s William Florimo was second, with Adam Hawkins of Palm Meadows third in the 72-hole event, at Mowbray Golf Club.

Queenslanders filled the first four positions, and seven of the first 10.

51 points wins Invitation Day

Ngaire Kimball teamed with Noosa’s Lindy Owen for a stunning win in the Maroochy River Ladies Invitational Day at Maroochy River last week.

The two players combined brilliantly for 51 points in the fourball stableford competition that teamed visiting players with a Maroochy River member.

Owen was on the card only six times, but her contribution certainly counted.

She birdied the par four second for four points, then birdied the 10th and parred the 11th for a total of nine points in just those two holes.

Merran Dobson and Caloundra’s Priscilla Berry were runners-up with 49 points, while Lindel Forsyth and Christine Broeckx, of Caloundra, were third on 48 points.

MUCH-LOVED: Kevin Aspland passed away on Friday, November 13. He and wife Eileen would've been married 70 years in December.

Headland loses a friend

Headland lost one of its longest-serving members when Kevin Aspland died last week.

Kevin, a teacher who retired in 1987 as deputy principal of Maroochydore State School, was 93 and had been a Headland member for more than 50 years.

Aspland and his wife Eileen, who won seven ladies championships, were Headland foursomes

champions in 1977.

Aspland is survived by Eileen, sons Tony and Michael, seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

Ladies take spotlight at Noosa Springs

It’s a date in the diaries of many female Noosa golfers – the Noosa Springs Ladies Golf Series, where golf and glamour get together.

The ladies play 18 holes of golf in the morning, and follow up with a gourmet champagne lunch in the clubhouse.

And this year there’s something extra – the chance to win a half-day session at one of Australia’s best day spas.

The second of this year’s series – shortened because of COVID-19 – is on Tuesday, December 15.

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, $89 for social and reciprocal

members, and $99 for visitors.

Everybody who plays receives a $20 discount on any future Spa package.

Peter Senior will play in the Noosa Legends Pro-Am next month. Picture: Attila Csaszar

Legends coming to the Coast

Some of Australia’s most experienced golfers, including Peter Senior, Peter Fowler and British Open runner-up Mike Harwood, will play in the Noosa Legends Pro-Am on Tuesday, December 8.

It is the start of the Legends Tour’s Sunshine Coast swing, abbreviated this year due to COVID-19.

The visiting veterans will take on a strong local contingent, including Brad Burns, Glenn Joyner and Noosa’s Mark Tickle and Simon Tooman.

The event, which will be played at Noosa Golf Club, will be followed by Legend pro-ams at Twin Waters (December 11) and Maroochy River (December 13).

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