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Week In, Week Out

9 Jun

The days that go by feel so ho-hum. Day in, day out, week in, week out, it feels the same. Too monotonous the routine that I can go about it like a robot on repeat. There is not much excitement happening.

The desire to play more golf has seeped out of me with the unpredictable weather lately. We can get nice weather for one nine, and upon crossover, the weather goes downhill, that is, too hot for my liking or raining cats and dogs in a worst-case scenario. When this happens, the golf goes down with it. Hahaha.

Over the weekend, I played in my club’s monthly medal tournament. During the first nine, I played so well because of cloudy, cool conditions. All my shots were spot on, and I was one under my handicap at the turn. The back nine, sadly, was a different story. Too many strokes over. Sigh.

The sun came on full blast, and needless to say, the will to play good golf melted under the sun. It’s a lesson learned to continue to build my mental strength to overcome the heat and adversity of uncontrollable situations.

So, I’m taking a break from playing in the sun or rain for the remainder of this week. Perhaps next week, when I tee off, I will have a better mental approach. We shall see.

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Extended Weekend

2 Jun

It is nice to have an extended weekend with two replacement public holidays on Monday and Tuesday. But it throws the momentum off. Monday felt like Sunday, and Tuesday felt like a Saturday! It’s a weird feeling.

I played golf on Sunday and Tuesday, and Mother Nature had a little fun with us on both days. We gave up the last three holes when the rain started for the Sunday game, while on Tuesday, playing at a course outside and with five holes left, the rain came down in a fury and we didn’t have enough time to find shelter. I was soaked to my underwear. We decided to wait it out and did manage to complete the game.

The extended weekend saw many holidaymakers travelling. Some even took leave from work to stretch the holiday break. We opted not to be part of the crowd, hence, the golf and eating out because I deemed the home kitchen closed! Heheheh.

It will be quite some time before we have another long stretch of holiday break. So, making use of it and being happy about it!

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Too Much Activities

26 May

Lately, I have been playing golf more regularly, and with pickleball added to the mix, my weekly routine is quite packed. On a positive note, the wet weather has cleared up a little, and we were able to find windows for several uninterrupted rounds in cloudy conditions, which was nice. But it can also become hot and unbearable! Not easy to have everything go perfectly all the time. Sigh.

On a different note, the activities have stressed my body to the point where it has not had enough time to recover. I recently went for a lymphatic and sports massage instead of the usual aromatherapy massage. And the therapist told me my legs are overused! Dang. It makes sense now why they hurt all the time! Finding the right balance is challenging. Or is it age catching up with me, requiring more recovery time? It is definitely food for thought.

Perhaps it’s best to pace out the activities and not be a heroine, pushing myself to the max. Otherwise, the sports once loved and being passionate about will no longer be enjoyed, right?

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Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0, Part 2

19 May

The last two golf outings have been a blessing. I would say Mother Nature scored zero versus golf games that have racked up two wins thus far. The score is now Mother Nature-1 and Golf Games-2.

We had really good weather both times, cloudy and cool until only the last three holes when the sun decided to make an appearance. Now if only we had planned that Kampung Kuantan trip a week later. Oh well.

Despite such niceties, days when we are home, the house feels like an oven! And on a couple of occasions, it rained more than cats and dogs. I won’t complain because golf can go on without interruption, and I’m thankful.

I tee off again later this afternoon. Maybe golf can pull ahead with another good weather outing? We will find out!

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Mother Nature-1 Golf Game-0

12 May

We have been experiencing some rough patches of weather lately. As you know, it rains every day, and planning a golf game is difficult. Last week, my friends and I decided to play a morning game, as the pattern seems to be rain and thunderstorms mostly in the afternoons. So, we took a gamble and booked an 8.30 am tee-off at Royal Kampung Kuantan Club.

The drive to the golf course was just under an hour, and we arrived an hour early. It started to drizzle as we got out of the car. Since we arrived early, I decided not to register ahead but wait for the situation to improve. Hah! Wishful thinking.

Water, water everywhere! Same spot, inundated within minutes.
Flooded within a short time

The rain started coming down heavier than ever! Bummer. Pretty soon, the whole golf course became flooded, with the fairways blending into the nearby pond. From the golfer’s terrace, the putting green fared no better. Long story short, we waited for three and a half hours during the downpour. Mother Nature decided it was not a day for any outdoor activities! She goes one up against golf.

Lunch was crabs with mantou, prawns, baby squids, and Lala bee hoon

The rain was relentless! It was too heavy to get to the car, and too early to go off for brunch. Finally, when there was a window, we managed to get to the car and drove to Kuala Selangor for a comforting seafood lunch. It was the least to cap off a washout outing. I think golf needs to take a backseat for the time being until the weather improves.

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It’s May Already!

5 May

The old saying, time flies when you’re having fun is so true. Suddenly, it is May already. Last week, I had a packed schedule of activities. Amazingly, I could even pull it off with the horrible weather that we are experiencing.

Every day, without fail, it rains, making it hard to plan a round of golf, whether a morning or afternoon game. At least, the pickleball games are indoors, and whether it rains or shines, we are not affected.

Strangely, the daily downpour has been very localized, at least for us as far as golf is concerned. It may rain at home, right before we leave, but be dry at the golf course of choice. Like yesterday, for example. Luckily, we were able to finish the afternoon game in good time, although it rained a little, but not heavily enough to stop the game.

I guess when time flies by so quickly, the weather shouldn’t be a deterrent to having fun. We have to learn to circumnavigate the situation. This week, the same busy schedule is in place again; rain or shine, the fun continues!

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A Slow Gallop?

3 Feb

Suddenly, it is February already! Good gracious me, where did time go? This year, the Lunar New Year falls in February, and we are doing a slow gallop to usher in the Year of the Horse. Or is it a slow gallop? January has flown by.

What started as business as usual, as far as routine is concerned, has been thrown into disarray! The follow-up medical last week had us waiting for almost seven hours. The doctor had 50 patients ahead of us, remember? It was not a good idea to do our blood tests and see the doctor separately. We should plan to do both on just one day. Oh well, now we know, right?

Then the weekend golf was weather-interrupted. The Interclub game, organized by my golf club over the weekend, was a washout because the skies opened up gloriously and dumped a whole lot of rain. This unexpected downpour came after a period of hot and dry weather leading up to the Lunar New Year. And typically, this festive time is hot and dry.

It’s been a while since I last played a round of golf that was incomplete. My flight had six more holes to play, while some other flights had fewer holes left than we did. Nonetheless, everyone ended up drenched from top to toe. My golf shoes were soaked through to the inner sole, and my golf bag and clubs had to air out for over 24 hours when I got home. That’s how bad the situation was.

Well, golf games and activities aside, the focus should now shift to preparing for the Lunar New Year, which is just two weeks away! Gosh. Where do I even begin my preparations?

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Business as Usual, Not

27 Jan

Last week, I thought it would be business as usual after the festivities, holiday breaks, and travel. But one week in, I misread the situation.

My activities (pickleball and golf) are affected by my scheduling and health issues. No big scare, so nothing to worry about; just my annual medical check-up. It was deferred from last year, and the follow-up appointment needs to, well, be followed up. 

Now, my doctor is very popular at the medical center. More than half the patients at the waiting lounge are waiting to see him. On our last visit, after waiting more than four hours, we couldn’t wait any longer; hence, we rescheduled the appointment for today. And there are 50 patients ahead of us! Yikes.

Is it normal to have 50 patients ahead each time? No, usually there are about 30 ahead of us. The situation is not business as usual. The good doctor had been on leave. And upon his return, all the appointments piled up, ours included. Oh well.

The situation calls for practicing patience, so we have to be patient patients. Hahaha, so lame.

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Business as Usual

20 Jan

You know the holidays are over when routine kicks in once again. The girls are back to work, and our weekly activities are business as usual. I did not realize we actually took a five-week break from pickleball. With the festivities and long holiday stretches towards the end of last year, and our recent New Year trip to Chiang Mai, that is quite a stretch!

Last week, we played our first pickleball game for the new year, and it felt good to sweat despite the cool air-conditioned court. There were nine of us, and two courts, at two hours each! No wonder everyone worked up a sweat. Hahaha.

The weekly golf games have also resumed. This year, I’d like focus on participating more in events organized by our club, such as monthly medal games and tournaments. It will be beneficial to build my mental strength by competing in these games rather than just playing casual matches with friends. It doesn’t mean fewer social games, but more club-organized games. A busy year ahead, and I’m looking forward to it.

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First Trip of the Year, Part 2

13 Jan

Last week, we flew to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for three rounds of golf. It was just the four of us: hubby and I, along with two friends. The weather in Chiang Mai was excellent! I’m glad we chose this destination over Jakarta for our trip when we were deciding where to go.

The temperature was around 14 to 15 degrees Celsius every morning, which made it wonderful to play in such comfortable conditions. By noon, when we finished our game each day, it was still cool. And being buggy to the ball on the fairway for all three courses, we hardly broke a sweat.

At Alpine Golf Resort
Chiang Mai Highlands and Summit Green Valley

We played at Alpine Golf Resort, Chiang Mai Highlands Golf & Spa Resort, and Summit Green Valley Chiang Mai Country Club. All three courses were enjoyable, yet challenging as well. And for the first time, after-game foot massage was unnecessary for the whole trip! Amazing.

The highlight of the trip was definitely the food—there were so many palate-pleasing gastronomic delights! Then again, on this trip, we ate at Michelin-level restaurants, something we never did when in Bangkok. Somehow, Chiang Mai’s cuisine has more finesse and flavor than the options in Bangkok. However, this is unfair to say because I have yet to visit a Michelin-level restaurant in Bangkok. Can’t compare apples with oranges, right?

At Ekachan Ethnic Thai Cuisine
Wantan noodle choices and Vanilla Coke!
At Baan Landai Fine Thai Cuisine

Anyway, besides the two Michelin-level restaurants, we had noodles in a roadside shop and food from a food court in Nimman Square. To cap off the wonderful trip, the shopping after golf was so satisfying! I cannot recall the last golf trip being so relaxed and carefree. I have added several new golf shirts to my wardrobe.

Doi Suthep temple
Wat Rajamontean

All in all, every aspect of the first golf trip of the year was excellent! From the company, the golf courses, the sights, to the food and shopping, I am blessed to kick off 2026 with a memorable start. More to come? Definitely.

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