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My Longest Par Putt

14 Feb

My second golf outing was so much better. The distances were back, and at times, the tee-off was phenomenal. Slowly but surely, I think the muscle memory is coming back. Yay! And that morning, the weather was perfect, cloudy, not hot, and good company too.

I am slowly getting used to the TaylorMade Spider Mini putter. But I have to admit the wedge work was accurate most times and made putting so much easier.

As a social golfer, there is always that one highlight of the game that overshadows all others. The highlight of this game was my long putt.

It was a Par 5, and the tee-off was good. But the second shot with the 3-wood was a horrible hook and ended up not where I wanted it. Sigh.

I approached my ball to assess the situation. Luckily, the angle towards the green was decent. And it was at a distance where I could land the ball on the green with my 7-iron, and I did.

As I drove towards the green, the ball looked very close to the blue flag. Phew. But as I got closer, it wasn’t the case! Hah, distance illusion sometimes can trick you.

From my ball toward the hole, I took 27 strides, akin to almost 30 feet or thereabouts in length. I was very positive and felt that making par was achievable; if not, a bogey was just as good, given my horrible hook approach disaster.

The Spider Mini was remarkable in its speed and strength as my ball went straight into the hole! Woohoo! A par on the Par 5. I was in disbelief but elated.

After that, the perfect weather gave in, and the sun came out. It was hot all over, and I fluffed the last three holes. Oh well. It doesn’t matter. That one phenomenal putt is enough to savor and remember until my next game.

DIY Project #26, Part 2

13 Feb

Once the momentum kicks in to stay focused to work on the miniature, it’s a breeze all the way, a situation I had forgotten the past year when I derailed from crafting to do other things instead. It is nice when there are no hiccups or lengthy pauses to hinder the pace.

So, in less than two weeks, minus a few days of non-crafting, DIY project number 26 is now a complete piece and ready to join the others in the Ikea display cabinet. I hope I can find a place for it!

DIY project number 26
With the light on!

Number 26 is another bookshop that I seem to like; there are now three books-related sets that I have done – two bookshops and a study. There were challenges, of course, but they are nothing when one stays focused.

I will take a break for a few days before deciding which miniature to work on next for DIY project number 27.

An Impressive Return… Not!

10 Feb

I finally played my first golf game after laying off for a month due to my recent medical issues. All’s good with me now, and off to the golf course yesterday. Although it was only nine holes (I did not want to exert myself too much), put it this way – it certainly was not an impressive return! Hahaha.

All the muscle memory to hit the little dimpled ball was gone. The tee-off was wayward, and the second and third shots were all short. I have lost the power and strength to compress the ball to fly it. Hmm, a few more games should suffice to fix this, methinks.

The short game was decent simply because I started chipping in the garden for distances between three to 10 feet several days ago. Putting with the new TaylorMade Spider Mini putter was not too bad. There were more one-putts than two-putts, so this is good.

The outcome of my first game post-medical procedure is expected, non-impressive, and trying. I should not be demoralized and take heart that at least the short game and putting saved me some blushes. I should be back on track after a few more games!

Red Putters and Me, Part 2

7 Feb

Every day I was on the prowl looking for the TaylorMade Spider Mini putter. I was determined to get it, come what may. Perhaps it can bring better fortune and lesser or no three putts?

Thankfully, my search did not last too long. I stumbled upon the Spider Mini on a Singapore buying/selling site instead of a location further, thus saving time and shipping costs. The condition of the pre-loved putter is almost mint. Wow, what a godsend find!

My new baby! 🥰

I enlisted my cousin to close the deal on my behalf, and bless her; we lucked out with an additional 20 percent discount off the listed price. Yay! Every dollar counts because the Singapore dollar is much stronger than the Malaysian Ringgit.

And my dear cousin brought it along when she flew in to visit during the Lunar New Year festive holiday break. So now I have another beautiful red putter to add to my collection. The best part of this latest acquisition, it’s a 32-inch putter, just like my Peanut Putter. I love it!

It’s been a month now since I last played golf. I am sure my muscle memory is all gone for the game. Oh well, better be healthy than risk any further problems.

When I am fully recovered and able to play golf again, this latest red Spider Mini putter will be in the bag instead of the Peanut or Scotty putters. I can’t wait.

A Sleep-in Day

6 Feb

It’s a Monday, a public holiday, and a rainy day. The weekend has stretched yet again to a three-day, with today being a replacement public holiday.

It is perfect for a sleep-in with the cool weather and doing nothing, and the thought of working on my miniature pales to the lure of the sofa. The Weather app is showing a rainy day until this evening. Going out feels like a hassle with the wet condition. So it looks like staying put is best.

Red Putters and Me, Part 1

3 Feb

I seem to have a thing for red putters. They are not only eye-catching, but they are also gorgeous, in my opinion. My Peanut Putter has a red two-way putter head and grip, while my Scotty Cameron has its iconic three red dots and a red plus symbol on the top of the blade head. It used to have a red grip, but I have since changed that.

My two red putters

Recently, before my medical problem, I had the itch to acquire another putter. Yes, a red putter but a mallet style for variation from what I already have. The Peanut and Scotty putters have been demoralizing, with many three-putt performances when I alternated them to get the putting mojo right. So a change would be good.

Sometimes it is not the equipment but the user that the problem exists; however, we choose to ignore this. Hahaha. Nevertheless, a change would be nice, and I have my eye set on the 2018 TaylorMade Spider Mini. It doesn’t matter that it is not the latest model, it is a beautiful and cute red putter!

And so my search began.

DIY Project #26

31 Jan

Feeling inspired that I finally completed the last miniature, I started on the next one immediately, project number 26. It should not take so long since I have to be home to continue my road to recovery from my medical issues.

DIY project #26!

I have yet to play golf, so it’s a matter of allocating enough time to the project daily. Then there will be progress. I find these DIY miniature sizes more enjoyable to do. Also, the completed set does not take up much space in the IKEA display cabinet. Nice!

DIY Project #25, Part 3

30 Jan

Finally, DIY project number 25 is a wrap! It took me six months, the longest ever, to complete a miniature set. And I had forgotten the sense of satisfaction and achievement upon completion because I had neglected my craft work for so long. So it’s nice to feel this positivity and accomplishment.

I should get back into doing my miniatures more this year. Last year, I was so busy with other activities and travel, and there was hardly any time for my hobbies. I did no carving, minimal felting, and only occasional miniature work.

My sweet little Jam Shop
Details of the shop

Perhaps this year, the priority is to focus on these activities again and have an enjoyable time.

Iron Challenge 2023

27 Jan

Sadly, I will be out of action for this year’s Iron Challenge, scheduled for this Sunday at my golf club, a tournament I play annually. I am disappointed. Boo hoo hoo.

Towards the end of last year, when the tournament date was open for registration, I was one of the early birds to sign up for it and was looking forward to it. I even started preparing myself for the challenge, playing my last few games using only my irons, no woods or hybrids for all my second and third shots save for the tee-off with the driver.

But alas, all the preparation has come to naught because of my medical condition recently. Sigh. I am supposed to be on the road to recovery, but I had a setback on Tuesday; it’s disheartening.

I don’t have the strength to move about; what more attempting to play golf? Swinging my irons like a warrior on the fairway will need Herculean efforts. And being a strokeplay tournament, I’m simply setting myself up for disaster if I participate.

So best not to be a hero when I am not ready physically and mentally; I should stay home to rest and get well faster.

Non-festive Weather

24 Jan

The weather has not been festive; it’s gloomy and raining, unlike the typically hot and humid weather during Chinese New Year. But it suits my mood.

My Jam Shop, DIY project #25, has been my bright thing so far. There are a few more steps to go before it is complete.

However, I am skipping a few things because I do not want to stress myself or add to the non-festive mood.