Going away for a holiday is always fun. But, coming back to routine becomes a problem. I stopped playing golf the week before Chinese New Year, and being away in Bangkok stretched the layoff to two weeks.
Last Tuesday, I played my first game and discovered how off I was. I could not tee off and lost all my muscle memory. My long game was short, and the short game and putting were off. It was terrible.
Despite all the misfortune, I had fun because the outing quickly became a laugh fest instead. To resolve my problems, I adopted the ‘Hit and Pray’ strategy. Just hit the ball and pray for it to land somewhere safe (read fairway, not the rough, ravine, water, or sand bunker). Hahahaha.
I hope I won’t take too long to get my golf mojo back, for I have lined up several games for next week. Otherwise, the ‘Hit and Pray’ strategy will have to continue.
After all that medical calamity last week, I’m facing a slow recovery to get back on my feet. But I should not wallow at home in my misery. Instead, I decided to play some golf and get some sun. A little bit of Vitamin D might do me wonders. And wonder I certainly did.
I could not tee off because my rhythm was off. After nine holes, I managed to score a pathetic seven Stableford points! Never have I been so out of synch in my game. When an illness takes so long to overcome, all the muscle memory is gone, and the body is too weak to play decent.
I wondered if I made the right decision to return to golf so soon. Oh well, with another nine holes to go, I might as well plow on. After all, I had good company this morning.
Suddenly, things clicked, and before I knew it, I went from scoring zeroes to birdie, bogey, and birdie! Wow. What just happened? The birdies were on Hole 1, a Par 4, and Hole 3, a Par 5! Woohoo. I have never had two birdies in a game before. And it sure felt nice this morning!
The tonsillitis is gone, but there’s still some throat irritation, causing tiredness. It is a slow recovery indeed. With the weather getting hotter these days–gone are the continuous rainy days–I better be mindful more than ever to stay hydrated to take care of myself regardless of activities. Staying healthy is a number one priority for me these days.
The final preparation for the upcoming Iron Challenge tournament went well yesterday. I decided to stick with the 4-iron for all tee-offs (except the Par 3s) and second shots instead of using the 3-iron.
After I changed the grip, the iron felt more comfortable. Generally, ball striking with all the other irons was good, so I’m pleased. Distances are optimized once I slow down the upswing before striking the ball.
The putting still needs work because the greens on the Hills course are very different from the Lakes, and I’m not used to it. However, there’s no more window to practice, so I hope my judgment and putting ability will prevail. The Spider Mini is in the bag for the game.
I enjoy the Iron Challenge tournament because it tests my ability to use all the irons in the bag. Sometimes, when I depend too much on the woods and hybrid clubs, I forget how to handle especially the long irons. Participating in this tournament reels me back.
I’m looking forward to enjoying the outing and hope to return with a positive performance for the stroke-play game on Sunday. Wish me luck!
Recently, we bought some round magnets with the numbers zero to nine on them. Hubby thought they would make excellent ball markers on the green when we play golf. With so many available, we will not run out of them! Add in its magnetic feature – it’s the perfect golf accessory.
The perfect golf accessory?
Although I planned to cut down my games for the remaining days of 2023, I played one game last Sunday and brought three magnets with me, numbering three to five. I figured they would make excellent markers for the Par 4s and 5s when I placed the correct number to indicate my strokes upon reaching the green. Brilliant, right?
Then, as an afterthought, I added the number one and two magnets to account for the Par 3s. But things didn’t go as planned!
The fairways were soggy, and it was hard to stand firm. Even the roughs were soggy. We were only at the third hole, a Par 5 when the game went downhill; I could not get my ball out of the rough. Put it this way – I was not hitting my ball but chopping grass and splattering mud on soggy grounds.
It took seven strokes to land on the green, and I did not have a number seven marker. My flightmates had a good laugh over this! It never crossed my mind that the remaining magnets, numbering six to nine, are equally necessary! Hahahahaha. After that hole, several more holes also required a higher-numbered magnet than the ones I had in the pocket.
That morning, the golf game was more of a laugh fest with friends. It wasn’t even a decent round for the four of us – clearly, the course condition was unplayable, with the constant rain making the grounds soft and soggy. Sigh.
The numbered magnet is almost a brilliant idea for now. But it is only possible to use magnets number one to five when the course condition improves. Until then, perhaps it’s best to wait out the rainy season and enjoy the golf downtime.
With two weeks left before 2023 ends, I’m cutting back on my golf games for two reasons. Reason number one is the wet weather conditions. It rains daily, and being out on a soggy golf course is not enjoyable. The round of golf becomes more like a field-plowing exercise, chunking the shots constantly on the soft ground instead of playing proper golf.
Reason number two is the festive season of Christmas around the corner. This year, I’m playing more Christmas carols on my Spotify and indulging in Christmas shopping. It’s a fun season, and I am enjoying it.
However, I must highlight the last golf game that resulted in better than phenomenal putting. I’d take this highlight anytime! The score was not the best because of chunk shots on the fairways. Even at the tee boxes that were soft and soggy, I could not stand firm and ended up with several mis-hits. But putting with the TaylorMade Spider Mini made up for all the mishaps.
I made 26 better-than-phenomenal putts! To break that down, it was 12 putts on the first nine and 14 on the back nine. There was even a silly three-putt, but the eight one-putt and a chip-in for a zero putt made up for the lone ugly blemish. The thing that helped tremendously was the short game. I was accurate and gave myself many opportunities to putt well.
I should hold my head high with this new putting achievement for this year and hope this phenomenal putting can continue. Maybe it’s the focus that creates confidence. I look forward to better-putting results next year!
Over the weekend, hubby and I attempted to do the unthinkable – playing four rounds of golf like a touring pro! Did we succeed? Well, almost.
The drive in one car with our friends to Sri Menanti Golf Club was pleasant, as there was hardly any traffic. The weather was cooling, and although our one flight teed off at almost 9.30 am, we did not feel any heat.
At 9.00am, the temperature was cool with the low hanging clouds at the clubhouse
The golf course was a gem of a discovery. Narrow, undulating, and unexpected, it was an enjoyable golf course. The best part – buggies were allowed on the fairways. Nice.
After the game, we had a hearty local lunch near the course before heading to Malacca for the night.
Come Sunday, the rest of the group arrived, and our second game was together with them at Ayer Keroh Country Club. Yet another round with the buggy on course, I didn’t feel the pain of walking because I didn’t walk that much! Such conditions help the body not to exert too much and be able to go on pain-free the next game.
The third game at Tiara Malacca Golf & Country Club was a taxing one despite being buggy on the course as well. The fairways were dry, the roughs were nasty, and the sun was a scorcher. Everyone felt the heat to the core.
I was constantly going into the bunkers, and it annoyed me to no end. Adding to my frustration was my erratic putting with the Spider after doing so well with it for the past few games. Sigh.
The three-day schedule pales in comparison to a touring pro’s. I hardly felt like one anyway when we had buggy on-course games. Despite this advantage, the will to go on was there, but the body and mind could not. We gave up the last game. Sigh. On a brighter note, we had good food each time and plenty of friendship bonding time.
Professional men and women golfers are remarkable athletes. While I aspire to be like them, playing several games in a stretch, if I cannot even handle three days of buggy on-course games, what more walking long golf courses for four days in a row? Hats off to them!
I was horrified to discover the grip of my Peanut Putter shedding when we were away for the last two games! It was fine just last week before the trip. I don’t know how or what happened, but I am dismayed by the unexpected deteriorating condition.
My heart breaksHurts to see the grip like this. Sniffle.
So, during the two games, I was extra careful not to aggravate the shedding any further each time I was putting. I have to say my Peanut Putter has been giving me some fantastic statistics lately. My putting confidence has grown with it in the bag for this recalibration effort in place of the other two putters.
Distances between one and four feet are very accurate. The putter does not wobble, and the ball-striking has been firm. And anything from four to 20 feet is mostly two putts to save the score.
Occasionally, there were some three-putts, but not as many as six or seven three-putts in a game like my other two putters’ erratic performances. The blemish is mostly misreads of the putting line and not the putter’s performance.
I would certainly like to continue using my Peanut Putter, precious as it is. However, with its condition like this, I have no choice but to retire it to prevent further deterioration. It is unfortunate and untimely when I am doing so well with it.
Perhaps I can find another from Amazon? I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Until then, the TaylorMade Spider Mini is in the bag, and I hope it will serve me well.
We drove up North, not to hubby’s hometown, but closer for a round of golf at Kinta Golf Club this morning. The last time we played here was ages ago, so it was a pleasant revisit.
The club’s initials, KGK – Kelab Golf Kinta, in the background
There were hardly any golfers, so the pace was good. However, memory failed us, as at several holes, we were unsure of which direction to go.
It was a hot afternoon game!
There was even one hole, Hole 6, where we couldn’t find the Red tee box! The tee box placements were a tad haphazard. And sometimes the buggy tracks disappeared!
Nonetheless, we enjoyed the outing despite the scorching heat. As we holed out the last hole, the threat of rain was about to start. We finished in good time! Phew.
The Peanut Putter did well in an unfamiliar golf course. I guess my putting recalibration is working out well. I’m happy. I hope I can sustain this for the next game.
Lately, I can’t get my putting right when my ball lands on the green. In the last few games, putting was my biggest challenge. I have no issues with my tee-off, second shots, or short game, but putting. I have been consistently inconsistent. Is it me or the putter?
I can do 30 putts in one game, but then for the next game, return with 38 putts. Last week, I had a 32-putt game, followed by my second 38-putts this morning. All within a week. There was even an appalling four-putt today on a Par 3! Four putts!!! Horrors. Where have I gone wrong along the way? My Scotty is failing me!
Looks like a refresh is necessary all over again to rid myself of such horrible putting stats. So, out goes my Scotty, and the TaylorMade Spider Mini will finally see some action. I hope my fortunes will be for the better with the change. We will find out at my next game. Fingers crossed.
The timing to travel south to Johore for golf is, unfortunately, not the best with the haze. But the trip was mooted before the weather conditions changed. Oh well.
We woke up at an ungodly hour of 4.15 am to meet at the club to go on the bus. At least we don’t have to drive because there are enough people to charter a bus.
On the bus now, I can feel the impending headache. Ugh. I hope I can play decent for the afternoon tee-off at Senibong Golf Club. We will find out.
Angieneering 
Remarks