SO CLOSE and yet so far.

Those words describe the Tweed Heads Division 1 ladies in the Queensland state pennant finals held at Tweed Heads over the weekend.

Eight group winners from all over the state contested the pennant finals in two sections of four, with the winners to play off for title of state pennant champions for 2011.

The Tweed Heads ladies started well, with two wins on Saturday, 70-49 against West Toowoomba and 60-56 against Bargara.

They needed to win on Sunday morning against Pine Rivers to reach the final and they did, 55-53 in an exciting finish to a tough section.

The ladies final on Sunday afternoon between Tweed Heads and Section 1 winner Mooloolaba was watched by a large and supportive crowd.

With eight ends to go, after five rounds of pennant in just two days, the scores were locked at 53-all and the state pennant flag was in the balance.

But alas, the Mooloolaba ladies finished strongly to take the title.

It was a great effort by the Tweed ladies, who won the Gold Coast Division 1 pennant flag in October against tough opposition in Broadbeach, Helensvale and South Tweed Ladies.

The final scores were:

• Tweed Heads - Lauren Wilson, Alice Plowright, Pam Dearlove and Ann Maree Hardy won 25-19 against Shirley Mackaway.
• Tweed Heads - Kristy Thatcher, Val Cunningham, Ellen Joselin and Helen Bosisto lost 15-22 to Jewel Smith-Franklin.
• Tweed Heads - Marilyn Wright, Joy Oswald, Lois Hodsdon and Alison Ebsworth lost 16-21 to Mary Geary.
• Final Score - 2011 Queensland State Pennant winners Mooloolaba ladies 62 defeated Tweed Heads ladies 57.

GOLD Coast champion Division 1 men's pennant winners for 2011, Musgrave Hill, lined up in the same format as the ladies and started as one of the favourites to win the section and make the final, especially after winning the Gold Coast Flag against juggernaut club Helensvale.

The first match on Saturday morning was always going to be tough and Musgrave Hill overcame the strong Pine Rivers combination 49-46 for first point.

However, the tables turned on Saturday afternoon, when the Gold Coast Hillsmen lost by six shots, going down 55-61 to Maroochy Swan.

After Saturday the Swanies were leading with 2 wins + 19 shots, from Pine Rivers 1 win + 15 shots up, Musgrave Hill 1 win - 3 shots and Cairns 0 wins - 31 shots down.

In the final section round on Sunday the Maroochy Swan team, playing in its last pennant match, lost to Pine Rivers 45-63 for Pine Rivers to win the section with 2 wins + 33 shots up, despite losing to Musgrave Hill in the first round on Saturday.

The men's final between South Toowoomba and Pine Rivers was not as close as the ladies final played at the same time on the same green, with Pine Rivers proving too strong winning on two rinks for an overall margin of 15 shots, 63-48.

• Pine Rivers - Joe Woods defeated Steven Tong 22-15.
• Pine Rivers - Robbie Wild defeated Shaun Kiepe 22-11.
• Pine Rivers - Michael Brown lost to Chris Kiepe 16-22.

It was a great weekend of state pennant bowls, played in fine spirit by all clubs.

THE Ballina Summerland Series pairs and singles draws will be released early next week.

It should be another great field for this classic, time-honoured event.