Last Friday, hubby and I celebrated our anniversary a day early. A toast and happy anniversary to us! I had a Frozen Strawberry Daiquiri, and it reminded me of the first time I had this drink. Ahh, those were the days.
It was during the Summer when I was still in college for my final year. That year, I visited the bar with my roommate, who introduced me to this delicious cocktail. Back then, it only cost a dollar!
A brain-freezing Strawberry Daiquiri. Nice!
The drink I had on Friday cost more than that without question. Nowadays, I hardly drink cocktails anymore, but an occasional one for a special celebration is always nice. Happy anniversary to us again, and many more to come! Cheers.
It was the third day of our golf escapade. After breakfast, we left Forest City for The Els Club Desaru Coast for our third game. The drive was not too long, and we arrived early.
We found the golf club a tad plain. There was no grandeur in the architecture of the clubhouse. Maybe it’s meant to be like this?
As we arrived early, we could tee off earlier than our allotted tee-off time. Big mistake! There was a four-ball flight in front of us that was so slow and a two-ball flight behind us that was too fast! Ugh. And it started to drizzle. Sigh. The wind picked up, and my hands were cold. It was not the best experience playing at the Ocean course of The Els Club.
To our angst, the sand bunkers were flooded and looked like mini ponds on the fairways and beside the greens! Not nice. Hubby lost a ball in the flooded sand bunker. It was mildly shocking that maintenance was not up to par for an award-winning golf course. We’re not talking about one or two sand bunkers but several throughout the Ocean course.
Golfing on the Ocean course is supposed to be easy, but it was not in the best conditions to live up to it. Sadly, it was a forgettable round for us. I wonder if the outcome would have been different had we teed off at 12.30 pm instead of two hours earlier? Hmm.
There was some consolation when we checked into Four Points by Sheraton. The room was spacious and very comfortable. Dinner was equally comforting. The generous tray of Briyani rice and meat fulfilled the urge for carbo after two nights of dinner choices without rice. We have one more game tomorrow, and hopefully, the trip will end on a better note.
The Els Club, dinner and a huge green side bunker that was flooded
Last week, hubby and I escaped the doldrums of our daily routine for four days of golf! You would say that the golf part is the same, so how can this be different from the usual routine? When we play at other courses outstation, it’s exciting because the anticipation and expectation are different.
We left on a Thursday for Forest City Golf Resort. The drive was pleasant without too heavy the traffic. We detoured to a nearby town for a simple lunch at a coffee shop. Contented, we headed to Forest City for the 1.00 pm tee-off.
Played Legacy on Day 1, and Classic on Day 2
The golf course was pristine and in tip-top condition. We had a competitive round and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Dinner after the game was a good choice of chunky chicken satay and grilled fish. We requested that the spicy sauce be on the side instead of over the fish. We topped off the meal with hot ginger tea instead of beer. Nice.
Satay and grilled fish on Day 1, and burger and wrap for Day 2
On the second day, the situation changed though. We had an 8.45 am tee-off, and the pace was horrible. Every other hole and every shot, we were kept waiting. My momentum was out, I was angst to the core, and it was the worst game I played in a long while. Sigh. How can this be fun? Dang. I couldn’t wait for the game to be over. Double dang.
It got worse after that. Dinner was too heavy, and I was bloated. Ugh. An early night might be the remedy for the shortcomings. Thank goodness, the next day, we are checking out and headed to Desaru.
My golf club’s Greensome competition that concluded over the weekend had all the thrills of a challenging tournament. My regular partner and I were at it again, having played the first Greensome tournament earlier in the year.
That time, we won the Ball Sweep for the First Nine, coming in second place. So, how did we fare this time?
I had several days of rest to recover from my exhaustion in the run-up to the game on Sunday. Thankfully, it was not a washout like the week before during the Scramble competition. We started on Hole 16, and it was a conservative start, with two bogeys on the first two holes. But we fumbled by the third hole with a three-putt. Hrmph.
Despite the setback, we remained focused when we crossed over to the front nine, which was easier to manage. Our partnership clicked, our game plan was effective, and we played well.
Then disaster struck on Hole 13 with two errand shots by both of us. And we were left with a two-putt for a double bogey. But the ball lipped out when it struck the pin! Argh, it was painful – another three-putt.
We were almost out of holes to play, so the next two holes were critical for damage control. We had to make a par and a birdie to salvage a stroke back to remain three-under. Alas, we could only manage a bogey. The birdie on the last hole was a small consolation. But we took it in stride as we improved our performance this time.
And it was with mild surprise that we won the First Nine Ball Sweep again but in third place. Oh well, a reward is still a reward. Looking back, it was the two unnecessary three-putts that cost us.
A small consolation
Greensome is a fun competition, and we both thoroughly enjoy it. We look forward to bettering our luck next year because we know our mistakes and understand our strengths better. So, thank you, partner, for the improved results and fantastic partnership.
I have never been playing better golf than ever. My distance has been far upon tee-off, second and third shots are good, and putting is accurate with the Scotty putter. When all departments are good, what more could I ask for? It feels very uplifting and wonderful. Everything seems to click because I have been winning when it matters.
I thought I had icing on the cake with the last game, returning as my club’s Best Pair with a friend, but it’s another cake with more icing on Saturday!
For months, together with my golf buddies, we planned the annual game for our Tuesday golf group. Being on the committee, we brainstormed, planned, argued, and discussed to ensure the tournament would be the best, being the third edition. There were a lot of logistics to consider when customizing items with the group logo for the goody bag, besides the running of the tournament itself.
Finally, the day arrived, and I’m pleased to say the tournament went smoothly without incident. We had 52 happy golfers, delighted with how things turned out. Although there were minor hiccups, I did not let this affect my focus on playing well, and I did! I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite no more beer available upon our cross-over. I thought my 35 Stableford points were commendable. Little did I realize it was enough for me to come out tops.
The fun and camaraderie continued during lunch. When the Prize Presentation came around, I was declared the Overall Champion! Woo hoo. How’s that for extra icing on the cake? I’m over the moon! Not only was I busy to the core, being on the organizing committee, but to come out tops in the tournament with better players amongst us was exhilarating.
Receiving the trophy from the person the tournament is named after. Taking the customary selfie!
I don’t know if this consistency can continue because I was exhausted mentally and physically by the time the weekend was over. I caught the sniffles soon after, so perhaps it is okay to take a break. I deserve one.
It is nice when we play golf and win. It is nicer when this winning repeats itself. During my weekly Tuesday golf with my group, I returned as the champion for two weeks. What brought about this change in fortune after the disastrous Annual Club Championship outing not too long ago?
My glasses. My prescription glasses were giving me problems because the prescription was no longer correct for my vision. And I find it irritating when I play golf, especially when putting. The vision was blurred, and this affected my concentration. But all this discomfort is a thing of the past with a pair of new glasses.
The icing on the cake was the Interclub match over the weekend against the visiting club, Royal Perak Golf Club. It was a four-ball Best Ball format. My partner and I returned as the Best Pair from our club. We both played well, taking turns to score points on each hole. Both of us combined for a best-ball score of 47 Stableford points! Woo hoo.
A dozen new balls! Nice
I’m glad I discovered and rectified the problem affecting my golf performance over the past few months. The game is enjoyable again because I have a clear vision and better concentration to play well and win.
It was a golf tournament that I was looking forward to participating in, having missed out on it last year. The Poh Kong Ladies Golf Series 2.0 promised to be better, but was it? Quite the contrary.
I carpooled with a friend to KLGCC, the premier golf course hosting the event. We arrived early, but there was no organizing crew in sight nor any event directional signages setup, save for a makeshift backdrop at the buggy station.
So we had no choice but to wait. By 6.30 am, there was some activity and people. We quickly joined the queue to collect our tournament things before it got longer. It wasn’t smooth, as there were a lot of puzzled looks and frowns. And so it began, the disorganization of the situation.
When my turn came, it became chaotic because I was not assigned a locker! How can this be? What a stark boo-boo for a tournament of this level. I was not the only one, as I found out later.
I patiently waited and waited. I collected my goody bag from the next counter, then waited again for advice on my assigned locker. It never happened.
It wasn’t even seven in the morning, and already I was riled and cursing. What a horrible experience before tee-off. I walked off to have my breakfast and returned afterward to resolve the mystery of my missing assigned locker.
A crew member approached me to locate my assigned locker together, but we couldn’t find it in the changing room. At this point, I don’t know what to say! She suggested we go to the gym’s changing room to locate my assigned locker. Let me tell you, it was futile.
I decided to keep all my things in an unassigned locker at the gym to save myself further distress. It was pointless to be a headless chicken before a golf tournament.
While the golf course was enjoyable, and my flight mates were good company, the disorganization of locker assignments in the morning marred the experience.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel by an unexpected achievement. I struck gold figuratively when I achieved the Nearest to Line (NTL/gold bar) Novelty with my ball landing four inches from the rope in the middle of the fairway. I didn’t expect a cheer-up feat after all that morning chaos.
I have mixed feelings about this golf outing. Was my locker issue resolved eventually? No. Stay tuned to find out!
After last weekend’s Annual Club Championship disaster, I played two weekday games with redemption! I could not believe that I could not play golf. I had to purge myself of the horror.
Last Tuesday, I played at a different golf course, and everything worked! Golf is strange. I played one under my handicap for that day! I did 32 putts, so much better than the 43 putts on Sunday. I’m a happy camper with the recovery for putting.
Then, on Thursday, I returned to my club and played a round with hubby and his friends. Guess how I fared? I played to my handicap and 20 strokes better than the results of the ACC! Unbelievable. Redemption was sweeter as I managed 30 putts, which was 13 strokes much better!
Golf is strange – one can be demoralized and broken in a tournament. Then, on the next outing, one can heal with redemption. It’s a love-hate activity.
I am most impressed with myself with the longevity of this. When I started this in 2013, I wanted to write better by keeping a journal, not just for me but also to share my adventures. Never had I envisioned that it would go on for so long.
I want to thank my readers who have joined me on my adventures and experiences. Without you and the support, it would never have gone on. Happy anniversary to me, happy reading, and thank you from the bottom of my heart!
The Annual Club Championship at my golf club is tomorrow! I hope I won’t get butterflies in my tummy for the first tee-off. Last year, I missed out because my niece’s wedding ceremony was on the same day. And me, being the only aunty from her dad’s side, the wedding was far more significant than an annual championship golf tournament.
Well, this year, there are no weddings or other important occasions – I will be playing the two-day event despite an increase in the tournament fee. Besides not wishing for butterflies, I hope the weather and course conditions will be good.
It rains every evening, the thunder rumbles louder than usual, and you can feel the electric charge in the air. In the mornings, it is very humid, and the heat is intense, not comfortable on a golf course. Good weather should be cloudy with some breeze; good conditions mean the fairways are not soft and the greens firm.
Whatever the situation, managing the mental and physical, besides the game and approach, is essential for a good outing. I will not analyze too much but bask in the Annual Championship vibes. Wish me luck!
Angieneering 
Remarks