Tag Archives: golf tournament

Golf Getaway

15 Jul

It has been ages since we last participated in an away Interclub golf game organized by our Club. Over the last two years of living with the pandemic, strict SOPs made interstate travel and activities with large crowds difficult. All these are a thing of the past now.

If I remember correctly, interstate travel has been allowed since May this year, and golf tournaments are happening again. There are fewer restrictions, although we still need to mask up, especially in enclosed public areas. So it is nice to represent the Club for the away game, going for the trip via a chartered bus.

We are traveling to Penang first for a social game amongst ourselves. Then on Saturday, the entourage will leave Penang and travel to Ipoh for the Interclub game. Ipoh again – just last week, we were there for lunch!

Well, it is a nice change to play two rounds of golf outstation and not have to drive. I hope the trip will be a good and memorable one. Good outing, good company, good games, and good food!

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Competitive Golf Again

14 Jun

Over the last two years, with the Covid-19 pandemic ravaging and upending the world, it was not just traveling and routines that got disrupted – sports and golf tournaments everywhere were canceled too.

At the onset, golf was not allowed in my country when the pandemic broke out. But soon, certain outdoor activities were permitted, and golf was on the list. Our golf club had to comply with the strict SOPs outlined by the government for golf.

On top of social distancing, players were not allowed to share the golf buggy. It was a single-player, single-buggy situation. And gatherings for meals before or after games were not permitted at the club, what more holding tournaments which draw a crowd, breaking social distancing rules. All these experiences and situations are now distant memories.

Finally, after a two-year hiatus of none competitive golf, golf tournaments are allowed again. And my golf club’s Annual Golf Championship resumed. Starting over the weekend for three categories – super senior, ladies, and juniors, it will continue for the next two weekends for the seniors and men categories. The thrill of high-level competition again!

I played over the weekend for my category over two days. What a battle it was. The adrenalin and pressure of playing high-level competition are totally unlike social golf. Every shot and mistake counts for your confidence and stress to do well. So how did I fare?

It will always be a what-if, could-have, and should-have situation.

Day One: what if I didn’t put the ball into the water on the approach shot on the first hole? What if I didn’t three-putt throughout the game for seven holes?

Day Two: how could I have dunked two balls into the water and returned with an incredulous ten for the Par 4, Hole 16? And I shouldn’t have four-putted on the relatively easy Hole 15, Par 3. But then, to begin with, I shouldn’t have teed into the water! The list could go on.

Disasters were aplenty, but there were some feel-good moments too. In the end, the bad moments far outweighed the good ones. All these are part and parcel of competitive golf. A little Lady Luck would have been better, and some calm nerves during the two days would have been helpful. Oh well.

I’m not complaining about the outcome of my participation this year; I merely need to build my mental strength to approach competitive golf better. And I need to trust my clubs and their distances more. Being unsure creates doubts, and this leads to disasters.

After all the golfing drama, the after-game camaraderie, drinks, laughter, and friendship with the other lady golfers mattered more than my performance at the Annual Championship. The occasion is now a cherished memory that was fun and challenging, and I certainly look forward to participating again next year.

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A Big Change

3 Jun

Last weekend, after the Texas scramble golf tournament, I decided to do something about my Scotty Cameron putter. I changed the grip!

Now, I have had this putter for years, but it is only recently that I am having consistency issues. And alternating my putter use of the Scotty with the Peanut Putter is not resolving my putting woes.

My Scotty Cameron has a Flat Cat grip now!

The Peanut Putter has a fatter grip than the Scotty’s grip. After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to upsize the Scotty’s grip to have the same size as the Peanut Putter. Although both putters weigh differently, having the grip size to be similar should eliminate problems.

So during my next game, I used my Scotty putter with the new grip. Initially, I was not used to it, and there were many two-putts, several three-putts, and even a four-putt. I was so irked to the core! I almost hated the new grip change.

When we crossed over to the back nine, I told myself to reset my approach. So I tweaked how I held the putter for a better feel. And it worked!

Instantly, the putting feel was better, and I made par for four holes in a row comfortably, something I have never done before. The adjustment was so simple! All in all, I made five pars in nine holes alone! So yea, I am more than pleased with the change in fortune.

I hope this positive streak will continue tomorrow when I play the Monthly Medal tournament at my Club tomorrow morning.

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Putting Woes Again, Part 2

31 May

It is hard to gauge my putting performance from my most recent golf game. The game was not a typical one but a Texas scramble format, and the score was the result of the efforts of both players from the partnership.

So with the format being such, it’s hard then to determine how my putting statistics were because we each would take turns to hole out if the other did not.

But I’m certainly not complaining because we had a terrific combination and played an astounding 16 under our combined handicap. There were occasions we fumbled, but this did not affect the result.

I guess a few more games to adjust and fine-tune to rid myself of putting woes with the Scotty, then only I will decide what to do next.

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The Perfect Ball

25 Apr

Last week, a golfing friend scored a Hole-in-One. We were thrilled for him when we heard the news. It got me thinking, when will my turn come for this elusive Hole-in-One? I have yet to achieve this feat despite playing golf for so long.

Perhaps it is the choice of the ball used? I have to admit ball choice was never a priority for me before. I used to play all sorts of brands to find the perfect ball for my game. New balls, used balls, hard balls to soft balls, the Hole-in-One is never within sight.

When I did commit, TaylorMade Distance+ was my preferred choice. But over time, I found the characteristics of the ball not suitable for my ball striking. The TaylorMade Distance+ Soft is no better. So I decided to stop using this brand.

The leading brand Titleist, favored by the pros, is too expensive for a social golfer like me. Although Titleist has a range of balls with different characteristics, it is not my go-to choice. Price aside, it does not suit me because my swing speed does not maximize the ball’s capabilities. In the end, it would only create frustration more than pleasure when playing.

So these days, I play with three brands mostly that are soft in characteristic – Srixon Soft Feel, Bridgestone Extra Soft, and Wilson Duo Soft+, as these soft balls suit my game better. However, I wouldn’t try the different ranges in each brand because, as I have mentioned earlier, my swing speed does not maximize the ball’s capabilities.

Often, social golfers neglect the choice of balls used, like me in the past. The focus is usually on the clubs, especially the driver, to tee off further. Next is the putter, but never the balls for the game. A golfer should understand their swing speed to make the right ball choices, but let’s not get into this. It can be endless and subjective, not to mention very technical too.

When I started to limit my ball choice to the three brands, my game improved by leaps and bounds, and it was gratifying. I have won some side money a fair bit during friendly matches but no Hole-in-One. Yet.

Since my friend struck his Hole-in-One using a Srixon ball, perhaps I should eliminate the other brands and stick to just Srixon, to increase my chances at this elusive achievement? Hmm. It’s a good thought, and hopefully, my turn at this feat will happen soon. And if indeed this happens, I have found my perfect ball for my golf game.

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Lady Luck Strikes Again

1 Apr

Sometimes when we join golf tournaments, it is not just the will to want to play well but to gain competition experience to be a better player. How to manage our emotions on the golf course, have good course management, know our ability and hit shots sensibly, yet at the same time, play without fear. To win a club-organized tournament is icing on the cake and a booster to our confidence.

But being social golfers, our competitive drive is not quite at that level to win tournaments. So we aim for the next thing, which is to win the lucky draw during the prize presentation after the game.

Last Sunday, after returning from Forest City a day earlier, I participated in the Greensome tournament organized by my golf club. My partner and I started well but faded midway. It was a case of could-have and what-if. Our combined handicap was 15, and we returned with a three-over for our net score, far below other pairs that played better and scored well under their combined handicaps. Oh well, it was a good experience.

But all is not lost as there’s the lucky draw after the prize presentation! There is still hope to win something. And win we did, woohoo! Lady luck has been kind to me, this being my second time in three months winning something at the lucky draw during competitions. The first time was iron covers; this time, a golf travel bag.

And now that borders are opening for most countries and traveling abroad is picking up, the travel bag will come in handy, not that I don’t have one already, for a golfing trip abroad. But my recent experience at Forest City Golf Resort has superseded any travel ideas abroad for golf. Then again, we’ll keep our options open. Thailand?

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Phenomenal Putting

14 Mar

Lately, I have been alternating my putters for my golf games. This routine started right after a club medal game in October last year when I three-putted five holes, and I was so disgusted by it. The Scotty Cameron Squareback was put aside immediately for the Peanut Putter for subsequent games.

Things worked out fine at the beginning. But when the Peanut was not performing to my dismay, making too many three-putts, I had to retire it to make way for Scotty again. So I found myself alternating my putter choice now and then, and this pattern has been ongoing since. One putter can work like magic, but when it falters with time, it makes way for the other. Putting is not just a skill by itself but also a recalibration process periodically.

Despite switching now and then, my putting has improved, and it shows. In my latest game yesterday, I was phenomenal putting from all distances, making ten one-putts! My flight mates were left speechless many a time, witnessing my clutch putting. I was, of course, elated at my ability. Not often enough do I perform so well. I hope this streak can continue.

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Challenge Deferred

21 May

Earlier in April, I talked about the Iron Challenge in my golf club and was excited about the tournament. For a couple of games, I even resorted to using only my irons to practice and kept the driver, wood, and utility clubs out of the bag. It was going well, and the mind frame was ready until the recent lockdown.

This morning, I looked at my calendar and realized the tournament would have been tomorrow if it wasn’t for the lockdown. Somehow, I overlooked removing the event from my calendar. And how unfortunate that it has been postponed again for the second time.

I hope when the pandemic situation becomes more manageable and the lockdown lifted, we can go back to playing golf. And hopefully, the Iron Challenge tournament will be reinstated. Is this wishful thinking as cases are soaring beyond control?

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Iron Challenge 2021

19 Apr

Last year, when the Covid-19 pandemic burst onto the scene, it caused a lot of disruption to daily routines, schedules, and plans. And it was a mess as far as my golf club was concerned with their golf calendar for the year.

Many club competitions had to cancel to uphold the social distancing to curb the pandemic. And being at the club to play golf was also prohibited for the first month of total lockdown.

Luckily, the Iron Challenge, a tournament I participate in every year, was held right before the lockdown implementation. This year, the golf calendar is slightly better, and the club has held several tournaments already, but in strict adherence to the SOP outlined.

The Iron Challenge, initially slated for early March, has been rescheduled to be held on 22 May, and I am excited to sign up for the tournament again.

With a month to go, it looks like I have to change my playing strategy to prepare myself. So all the wood and utility clubs have to make way for the long irons. The long irons being the 6-, 5-, and 4-irons. We shall see how my preparation goes. Stay tuned on this.

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A Rescue, Part 2

6 Apr

Just when we thought the situation was going well for the little birdie we rescued, things went awry. We had our usual weekend golf game, and as always, I would check with the halfway hut attendant who adopted our feathered rescue on its well-being.

Initially, little birdie was cared for by him, but he gave it to his brother because the brother wanted the bird. And since brother dearest had a birdcage, he agreed.

But he questioned the decision of leaving the birdcage outside the house. Brother dearest explained that it was too hot inside the house for the little bird. And if hung outside, it’s not so warm and more comfortable.

Unfortunately, this proved to be a terrible decision as the birdcage went missing the next day! The little birdie was bird-napped! Dear, oh dear.

While I am mildly upset, I’m just appalled at the fate that has befallen our feathered friend. I hope whoever swiped the birdcage is a true bird lover and would provide for the little birdie with just as much love as the attendant and his brother.

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