Tag Archives: golf
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My Goodness!

20 Nov

The last time I traveled at an ungodly hour was when I was flying off to Paris with hubby and my older sibling. They were going for a meeting and I was going to see Mona Lisa. It was 2013. Since then, we’ve avoided such horrid timing where we have to leave for the airport in the wee hours of the morning.

Even my golf trips with my regular group is not at such an inconvenient hour. It is because this time, I am going with the Club to Kuching, East Malaysia and the whole group is taking a chartered bus from the Club to KLIA2. Such an ungodly hour has to be adhered to. Sigh.

What to do? I really don’t want to take a cab by myself at 4.00am in the morning to the airport, nor do I want to make hubby send me to the airport. But he’s nice enough to send me to the Club by 2.30am to hop on the bus, scheduled to depart at 3.00am, I cannot complain.

The group is scheduled to fly by 7.10am for three Interclub games. It will be a tiring but interesting weekend.

Chat

Blue Skies!

29 Oct

It is exhilarating to finally see the sun and feel some heat. The past several days, there has been a change in the weather. Strong winds and lots of rain. The haze is slowly ebbing away, slowly but surely.

School has been back in motion with M2 studying away in preparation for the postponed final exam but golf activities are hampered by rain this time. Can’t win them all but I am not complaining. Breathing is better, vision is clearer and blue skies are here! Yay.

Chat

The Haze

5 Oct

The thick haze enveloping the country has gotten so bad that the golf game I was involved in organizing for Sunday at the Club had to be cancelled. Although all the players showed up and the Club took the decision to close the course when API readings breached unhealthy figures,  everyone was reliefed; we don’t have to be out there, as much as we enjoy the game.

We don’t know how long we have to suffer in this horribly choking condition. At this point, there isn’t any reason in postponing the game to a later date because there isn’t any wind to blow the haze away. For all you know, it will still stay on not just in our country but the whole region.

There’s too much fine particles in the air. Sigh… What we seriously need is not rain but one episode or two of strong wind to blow the haze to high heaven and be gone!

Not a blue in the sky at all

Impromptu Escapade

21 Sep

It was an impromptu decision. Feeling very accomplished after the Endurance Golf Challenge and another round of golf after that Wednesday, we decided to go to Ipoh (again) for more golf and food for the weekend. The usual group made up the numbers with the inclusion of a new recruit.

We were to meet for lunch on Friday before teeing off at 1.30pm. Lunch was good and cheap; after the satisfying meal, we made it to Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort for our first game. The resort was not crowded at all, neither was the golf course. We literally had the place to ourselves.

The haze followed us and we had dull grey skies. But did it bother us? Well, it was very humid but the company was great. Although the fairways were good, the greens were a bit inconsistent. Nonetheless, we had a good time. After the game, which we finished very early, we showered at the Club and headed towards Tanjung Tualang for seafood.

We’ve heard many stories about the famed fresh water prawns, which we ordered. Boy, were they juicy! And helluva expensive too but you only live once, so best to just enjoy it! All in all, Friday was a good start.

Then on Saturday, we all had noodles for breakfast before our second game at Kinta Golf Club. This time, it was more challenging because the course was not very well kept and we had to contend with a lot of overgrow grass. We even had to be careful for there were monitor lizards, huge ones and little ones, everywhere! As if that wasn’t enough, we encountered a brown snake under the tree where my tee off landed. I lost that ball and had a stroke added for that hole. Darn snake!

Our games ended at an odd time and we ended up having a late lunch before heading back to the house to shower and rest. Time passed by quickly and before we realized, it was dinnertime! Hey, didn’t we just ate?

So out for dinner we went. Dinner stop #1 was at Cowan Street Chicken Rice and Beansprouts which were really good. We sat down, waited for ten minutes before our order was taken; then waited another ten minutes, the food arrived. Within twenty minutes, we were done eating. Talk about fast food, this is fast food! Then we walked over to another restaurant for Dinner stop #2!!!

Yes, we had two dinners. At the second stop, we opted for seafood. By then, I could feel my waistline increasing. Oh dear, my weighing scale is gonna scream at me.

Come Sunday, all the good fun came to an end. We woke up late, had a dim sum breakfast, followed by coffee at another restaurant before making our way home. The impromptu escapade was a good decision and I hope we will do another one soon.

 

At Clearwater Sanctuary

 
 

Oodles of noodles!

 
 

Ready for battle at Kinta Golf Club

 
 

A hearty dim sum spread

 

Chat

Test of Endurance

17 Sep

Yesterday was a public holiday and both of us did the unusual; along with a couple hundred people to make up the 256 partcipants, we entered a 36-holes Endurance Golf Challenge, golfing from dawn to dusk.

We have never done something like this before so it was quite an experience. I figured if we were always going off for golf holidays playing three to four rounds for several days, why not try playing two rounds of 18-holes in a day instead of two days?

Initially there was concern over the haze that has enveloped the country badly. But yesterday, call it divine intervention or otherwise, there was respite and we actually had good weather. We could see some blue sky and conditions were ideal for outdoor activities.

Food stalls were set up for every three holes to fuel the participants with food and energy drinks. And we had the use of the buggy which was a good thing. If not, we would have exceeded the walking quota for the rest of the week! Also, I think I would have to be stretchered off the course sometime towards the end of the game. But this did not happen. Phew.

It was a good outing despite the usual frustrations when faced with the usual challenges of the golf course. The company was good as always, the grub provided were in abundance and the weather was not an issue.

Twelve hours later, sapped of energy but feeling very accomplished, we did it! We endured the 36-holes challenge from dawn to dusk. I take my hats off to us and to all the participants. This morning, my shoulders ached but the legs have recovered. Would we dare to repeat this experience? Hmm…

The Shoe Queen, Part 2

15 Sep

I love buying shoes. When I was in college, I had 14 pairs of shoes. A sneaker for every occasion then, I am no different now.

Lately, I find myself buying a pair of golf shoes every three weeks! It’s terrible. I’m sure I have more shoes now than my college days. After all, I work, I play golf and I do a whole lot more than just attending classes. 

Let’s see… there’s my Ferragamos (the Vara and the Artiste), my Reebok gym shoe, Adidas tennis shoes (more for walking than tennis), the Blundstone boots, my other work shoes, weekend Rockport sandals, weekday Skechers, dinner high heels and of course, my golf shoes: the Footjoy, Nike, Dunlop, Adidas, Truelinks and my latest acquisition, the Skechers GoGolf2. Not forgetting my slippers. 

Gosh… that’s a lot of footwear. I reign as the undisputed Shoe Queen!

Now I know where my girls inherited their fetish for shoes.

  

My Uneven Tan Lines

3 Sep

It’s amazing what a great getaway can do for a person. However my shoulder still ached but slowly and surely recovering, thanks to the comforts of my bed and pillow. I am definitely one of those who does not appreciate down pillows of five-star hotels and resorts.

The getaway also saw my uneven tan lines become even more pronounced. Although under cloudy skies, three rounds of golf while donning Bermuda shorts outdoors can lead to various shades. I cringe every time I look in the mirror and see the unevenness. 

Initially, I thought I could even them out, vegetating by the poolside after each game. But alas, we never had the opportunity. And although our private little plunge pool was nice, it was shaded and no sun even peeked through the covers of the patio. How to work on the tan?

I think the next vacation should not be a golf outing but one to the beach to really work on the tan. 

Mountain Creek Golf Club

1 Sep

Mountain Creek is tough. I think among the three we played during this trip, this course is by far the most challenging. 

Narrow and a lot of blind holes, it didn’t help that my caddy was inexperienced as well. To the point of useless, I found myself in several dire situations upon tee off and she was incapable in every aspect. Oh well…

Can’t have it good all the time I guess. But overall, we had a good time. Will be doing lunch at the clubhouse before the three hour plus journey to the airport.

Thanks for the memories, Khao Yai. I think we can come back again.

   
   

An Early Day

1 Sep

It’s a first to wake up at 5.15am for this trip. We check out of the lovely Botanica this morning and will play our last game at Mountain Creek Golf Club. The hotel has been excellent and very attentive to details; they will provide our breakfast box-to-go without us requesting for it.

Looking forward to the rest of the day.

  

We’re Going Home Tomorrow?

31 Aug

Gosh, the thought that by tomorrow this time, we would have landed at KLIA and on our way home makes me realize how short the vacation has been, how fast time flies!

Yes, tomorrow will be our final game at Mountain Creek Golf Club with an early morning tee off.

The massage earlier helped worked out the kink in the shoulder and back in the room, the coolness of the aircon just lulled me to almost doze off. But we still have to get dinner. We sent the driver off because Concierge suggested for us to dine at the Thai restaurant located in Greenery Resort which is closeby instead of going out to search for one. We can just use the buggy service.

Definitely we will call it an early night because tomorrow will be a long day. But I am not complaining. It’s been an awesome anniversary getaway!