Tag Archives: golf

Better than Phenomenal

26 Sep

My golf mojo is back after playing two rounds to rediscover my momentum for the game. By the third game on Saturday, everything fell into place. The distances were back, as were my other ability on the golf course.

My putting was better than phenomenal with the Peanut Putter. It was exceptional when I looked at the post-game statistics. I did only 26 putts, which was amazing! Never have I gone so low before.

While there were improvements with the tee-off, woods, and short game, putting was the main factor. Although I messed up three holes, putting made up for the mistakes, with ten one-putts and eight two-putts to score points. Do note there was not a single three-putt, a critical factor to return with a score of two under my handicap, based on the Stableford system.

It sure feels great to achieve this after the self-imposed two-week tattoo break. I hope I can maintain this momentum for the next few games.

Playing in the Rain

23 Sep

During rainy days back in the dinosaur era when we were young, we used to think that playing in the rain was fun but were told not to do so. If we did, we would fall sick, and that’s not good. And if we choose to defy this, just be prepared for the consequences, be it a scolding or punishment, for not listening.

Strangely, as we get older, do we follow these rules set out for us when we were young? Of course not! A case in point is yesterday.

I woke up to the sound of a slight drizzle in the morning. Uh oh, a golf day, and it’s drizzling. It continued when I left the house but let up a little to allow us to tee off.

But after two holes, the drizzle turned to constant rain, and we were soaked instantly! We decided to wait it out at the nearby halfway hut. Fifteen minutes later, the rain let up a little, so we resumed play. Woefully, it did not last, for it rained again after another two holes. Sigh, and the second wait was longer.

Taking shelter to wait out the rain

It was not the most comfortable situation, with wet gloves and grips, not to mention clothes and caps as well. The umbrella did not help, unfortunately.

The two pauses in between rain and game were disrupting the game momentum. Yet, we continued or tried to continue. The situation changed when it thundered, and it was not feasible anymore.

We had to stop because it was dangerous to be out in the open with lightning charges in the atmosphere. It was the shortest game I have played in a long time, with only six holes completed.

The myth of playing in the rain being fun has been proven wrong! It was not fun playing golf in the rain at all. Maybe I should have listened to myself instead of braving the rain to play on. I hope I won’t fall sick from this outing.

Lost Momentum

20 Sep

Following the self-imposed two-week break after getting the tattoo, I went back to playing golf today. Sadly, I seem to have lost my momentum. Nothing seemed to work.

I could not tee off, my iron shots were not good, and my short game was horrendous. Luckily the putting was okay, but it wasn’t enough to save the round.

The only way to recover from this slum is to play more! And play more, I shall, with games lined up for Thursday and Saturday.

A Break from Golf, Part 2

16 Sep

Having a break from golf is good and bad at the same time. While it’s nice to sleep in, sometimes I lose track of time. I am in this little bubble of my own without any rush. I am getting complacent, and it’s not healthy.

Day in, day out, there’s only the mundane routine. And today, it’s a public holiday, but here we are at home! Our plans for a getaway did not materialize. And we are lulling time away without a purpose. Sigh.

Well, the tattoo has healed well, so I will go back to playing golf next week to break away from this complacency. And at the same time, get back to a more meaningful and healthy routine, moving out from the unhurried bubble that has enveloped me the last two weeks.

A Break from Golf

13 Sep

I am enjoying the break from golf after getting my latest tattoo. It is advisable to allow the tattoo to heal, considering where it is on my arm. So best to avoid exerting repetitive motions, as in playing golf, the better and faster the recovery.

Actually, for a change, it is nice not having to wake up twice or thrice a week for the game. Sometimes the obsession with the game is too much. So much so that whatever injuries we pick up along the way will never heal.

Before getting the tattoo inked, I was experiencing pain in my right arm, a new injury I picked up when I was golfing so often. My game suffered along the way, unfortunately, and my arm never had any opportunity to rest. But now, with the tattoo excuse, it is a blessing in disguise, and my arm is getting the much-needed rest.

I will rest for another week before picking up my golf clubs again. The skin above my Snoopy tattoo is peeling this week, signs of the skin healing and regenerating itself. By the end of next week, the skin above the tattoo would have healed, and the injured arm would have recovered. I should be back in action!

Dinky, Meet Snoopy!

9 Sep

Wednesday was an eventful day because I was finally getting my tattoo. Although I anticipated pain after my last experience with Dinky, I didn’t feel any during this inking session.

It was only after the session that I felt a tad painful, but the sensation lasted for just two hours. I must laud the tattoo artist, for she was very gentle and good, putting me at ease. The health and hygiene measures were very impeccable to feel assured and safe.

I’m very impressed with the work. I guess there’s no explanation required on my choice this time nor introduction, except perhaps only to say, “Dinky, meet Snoopy!”

My latest!

A Nagging Pain

22 Aug

I have been having this nagging shoulder pain for some time now. It probably came about from playing golf. Too much golf? Hmm. There are days when I am doing house chores, and the pain suddenly strikes when I use my arms too much. Ouch.

As a result of this nagging pain, my golf game has suffered. I find my ball striking distances have reduced. Sigh. Perhaps less golf to allow the muscle to heal? Then again, to do fewer house chores as well? Hmm. What a thought! Well, here’s wishing myself a speedy recovery.

Readjusting the Schedule

19 Aug

We are officially no longer empty nesters now that M2 is back. We are slowly adjusting to having another person in the house as we were so used to being just three. Everything needs readjusting – from my golf schedule, planning meals to cook, to doing the house chores.

Suddenly, there’s an extra person to feed and more laundry to do. But the addition means another person to fuss over with love, and at the same, help with house chores. Nice.

With the children growing up, we need to readjust our schedules to adapt to the changes. And so far, so good.

What a Haul!

15 Aug

We did not play golf over the weekend; instead, we went fishing! The last time we did this was probably almost three decades years ago. Gosh, it has been a long time.

The idea to go fishing came about when the family got together over dinner and talked about doing outdoor activities. And since fishing is an activity M1 and my niece never did, why not let them try? A check off the bucket list for them.

The drive took forever. “Are we there yet?” I asked. Hahaha. It was a catch and release fishing pond near the airport, KLIA. The operator guaranteed five strikes per rod for the hour or your money back! Wow, how good is that?

The catch and release fishing pond

So my sibling, niece, and the three of us spent the late Sunday afternoon fishing. And we had such an exuberating time!

Getting ready for some action

Within minutes, strike one occurred, followed by another, and another! We had two rods, and the girls were delightfully having a blast. We adults could not resist the adrenaline rush and joined in the fun in the end. Why not? The day’s fishing haul made the activity look so easy and appealing.

Look at their impressive haul!

I must say my fishing record was never impressive. My biggest catch was a grass carp which was nothing of these massive-sized groupers in comparison.

Our haul and the inside of a grouper’s mouth!

Within the allotted time, the five of us caught 17 groupers! And we had several that escaped because we did not reel in fast enough. It could have been more, but 17 bites were more than what we anticipated.

The unexpected adventure turned out to be an exhilarating experience for everyone. The day was cloudy, the place was peaceful, and everyone had a very satisfying but tiring workout fighting the catch. Will we do it again? We may, but with the other young adults in the family who have not had this checked off their bucket list.

Rain, Rain, Go Away

5 Aug

The weather has changed again! It has been wonky and unpredictable. Whenever I check the Weather app on my iPhone XR so that I can plan my schedule if I am doing laundry or going out, it does not seem accurate at times, unfortunately.

On Tuesday, I had a morning golf game at a golf club some distance away. I checked ahead to ensure the weather would be nice for a pleasant outing. The app showed that it would rain only by noon, after which we would have completed our round of golf. But it rained when I left the house and continued to rain before we could tee off.

We ended up playing in the drizzle for the first nine holes. The course was beautiful and challenging, the greens fast, but the condition was most undesirable. We were wet, irritable, and did not enjoy the damp condition! But when we crossed over, the drizzle subsided and was cloudy, so everyone’s mood changed for the better.

With the change in the weather these days, planning is not easy. If you have something to do and the weather is hot and dry, do it. Don’t plan too much in anticipation of the oncoming rain, if any, because plans will go awry, and it can be time-wasting.

But for golf, if it rains before or after teeing off, we either wait it out or play in the rain. Worst case, we have to abandon the game. Luckily, we did not have to do this on Tuesday. I hope the weather will be kinder for my next golf game.