Although tomorrow is the last day of the Chinese New Year celebration, there is an overlap of festivities today, hence, a break in between with a public holiday. Nice.
It is Thaipusam, a Hindu festival celebrating the victory of good over evil. Typically, during this holiday, we would sleep in or do nothing. However, being a couch potato may not be a good idea, what with eating all those festival cookies and meals for the last two weeks.
I think once Chap Goh Meh is over, full-swing exercise, or better yet, full steam ahead to play golf. With all that time away from the golf course, I think I had enough rest to allow my tennis elbow to recover.
The threat of the monsoon rain last week did not materialize drastically to affect the golf games when I hosted a visiting friend. We were most fortunate to take in another two games. In total, we played three and a half rounds, the half being the first game that lasted only nine holes due to the downpour.
While it was fun to be playing so many games in good weather, the game performance went from bad to worse. Hahahaha. Could it be we were talking so much? I do admit the tennis elbow did act up now and then. Sigh. However, it’s not like the course was hard to handle – it’s my home course, and I play there week in, week out, three times a week!
I do notice that when I talk and laugh a lot during a round of golf, I don’t play well – the focus is not there. Oh well, it was more for the company, which was great. And we were fortunate the weather held up for the bonding time.
I’m glad I could host my friend for several games, rain or shine, and she has plenty of good memories to bring back when she leaves Malaysia. I look forward to future golf games with her on her next return trip.
We play pickleball once a week now. I find myself looking forward to it more than my regular golf games. Uh oh, does this mean I have lost my passion for golf?
There are various reasons for this new sentiment. It is the end of the year, and we are facing the rainy monsoon season! Golf is not enjoyable when the round is interrupted by rain and thunder. Then we have to wait out the rain. By then, the body has turned cold, and the momentum and mood are lost. Ugh.
It is even more unenjoyable when the siren does not go off, and collectively, everyone wants to continue playing in wet conditions. Ugh. I find wearing my raincoat to play very uncomfortable, but needed to stay dry. Then there are other challenges – wet gloves, slippery grips, heavy shots, and soggy fairways. The list can be endless! Ugh.
As pickleball is an indoor activity, covered and not subjected to crappy weather, it is a better option than golf, especially during this time of the year. And the best part is I can play with my left hand without aggravating my tennis elbow! Yay.
So, if I play less golf, it’s okay because I have an alternative activity to sweat instead of being a couch potato at home and perpetually glued to my iPad Mini.
After returning from Japan and taking a few days to rest, we went to Malacca with some friends for two rounds of golf. I wondered if I would play well after laying off for over two weeks. Well, I found out.
My tee-off was terrible—I kept pulling to the left most of the time for both games. And putting – oh gosh, it was exasperating. I didn’t play my best with such errand abilities. The only plus point for the short getaway was the group. We laughed so much, and it looked like this was what we did more than playing golf. Hahaha.
Unfortunately, my tennis elbow still hurts. Maybe that’s why I was conscious of the pain and was careful when golfing to avoid aggravating it further. But it was futile. Sigh. I should take a proper break to reset the body. And it’s a long road to recovery as far as the elbow is concerned. Boo hoo hoo.
Last week, a golfer friend asked me if I was still using the TomTom Golfer watch, and I said no. Goodness, it has been years since I stopped using it. After the watch kaput, I decided to move to an AppleWatch that does more things than just being a golf watch.
She asked because she’s still using her TomTom Golfer 2 watch. But recently, she received notification that their services would be shutting down soon. In other words, the watch will be useless once the support ends. Oh dear, how unfortunate.
I subscribe to the Hole 19 app on my AppleWatch for my golf games to give me all the necessary information and track my performances. So far, I am happy with the app. At one point, I tried GolfShot, SwingU, and Hello Birdie, and I like Hole 19 best.
While she won’t buy an AppleWatch, at least she’s getting a Garmin watch soon as a replacement. Goodbye, TomTom. You were good while you lasted.
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.
I feel like my schedule has been the same of late. Same old, same old, you know? But the week goes by so fast, even though the routine is predictable with the golf games, the chores, and the weather.
I find that there is no new excitement in my life. I even started playing a new game because the levels in Homescapes are released too slowly. I am always ahead of them!
For now, the most exciting thing thus far is seeing a new eatery review on social media, and we will make plans to try out the place. Like tonight, and I’m glad I declared the kitchen closed. Otherwise, it’s the same old, same old again.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic dwindled and became a thing of the past, our home activities have reduced to nil as going out and outdoor activities resumed full swing. Working on my DIY miniatures has decreased as I went back to playing golf more frequently. Likewise, hubby has stopped baking. I decided to keep the kitchen stand mixer in storage because there’s no use for it – no more baking by hubby.
Two days ago, M1 had the urge to bake. And out came the kitchen stand mixer after so long. I came home from golf to find these lovely melon buns sitting on the counter to cool. Not only were they gorgeous to look at, but they tasted good. Yum!
Yum, yum, yum!
Should the mixer remain available or back in storage after this? We have to see the urge. I should be thankful for the unexpected baked goods and not ask too much.
On Sunday, our final day in Jakarta, we had our Interclub game against members of Jakarta Golf Club (JGC). It was my first time playing in such an old golf club, established in 1872. Matured trees lining the side of the fairways made the course narrow and quite challenging.
The hospitable host welcomed us with a hearty buffet breakfast before teeing off. JGC is a walking course – and almost everyone walked, save for a few who needed the buggy. The mode of play for the tournament was Texas Scramble, which was very enjoyable.
Awesome prize but no Hole-in-One that morning.
The halfway huts provided all sorts of beverages for all golfers to enjoy that morning, and everyone took advantage of it! Initially, I opted for lemon juice, but as the weather got hotter, I decided a cold Bintang beer would do me wonders. Two Bintangs later, I was teeing off further with my “Bintang power” – and it did feel like my ball flew further. Hahahaha.
My partner and I had many good opportunities approaching the greens and putting, as our partnership worked well together. And we returned with a much improved second-nine score compared to the first-nine. However, our opponents fizzled out due to tiredness when we crossed over.
When everyone completed their rounds and returned to the clubhouse, a sumptuous buffet lunch spread welcomed us. But our entourage had a plane to catch by six (the earliest batch), so the program went by quickly, and we could leave the club by 3.00 pm. There was no outright winning club for the Interclub Texas Scramble tournament, only winning pairs, which was enough to make everyone happy. We had a police outrider again to ensure our two buses arrived at the airport on time.
This trip did not start well for me but ended on a good note. Each day, the games improved. I played my personal best game during the duel with the hubbies. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my micro group of golf buddies.
As for food, opportunities to try different things were scarce due to time constraints and transport logistics. Nonetheless, I managed with all the chili and spicy offerings, and more importantly, I did not experience any tummy ache.
Hotel breakfast was standard choices, but the chili condiments caught my eye! Soto ayam (top right) was a must for dinner.
While there were some shortcomings in managing 60 golfers, it did not put a dampener, and I can file this trip away on a good note. I await the next Interclub trip organized by my golf club again.
Angieneering 
Remarks