Tag Archives: Heatwave

The Haze is Back!

11 Aug

It’s an annual thing – the haze is back! This morning’s last-minute golf game was played in a hazy environment. I was not supposed to play, but my original appointment was canceled. And since there’s nothing on the plate, why not just go for a round of golf?

The sky was pale and almost colorless; not a spec of blue could be seen. Thankfully, it was breezy, and this helped with the biting humidity and heatwave. I hope this hazy situation won’t drag on. Then again, having constant rain is no better for ardent golfers! I guess we have to deal with it in stride.

Perhaps I should focus more on pickleball, an indoor activity, for the time being, over golf, outdoors and under the heat, and now with the haze back in town. We shall see.

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Unfathomable Phenomenon, Part 2

28 Jul

The mind is a powerful thing. Today I decided to be more disciplined in my thoughts during the golf game. Week in, week out, I play so badly at my home club; it has created a lot of self-doubt and a loss of confidence. There’s nothing to lose this week except maybe the contributed pool money for the winners.

I manifested more positivity and made some changes to my approach. I also decided to use that big-ass golf umbrella instead of my usual minuscule one to protect myself from the sun and heat. Since I always collapse after the turn, I thought a bigger umbrella might help eliminate the discomfort. And it did help!

I tuned out the other players in my flight and focused on my approach for every shot. All these little measures and changes helped amazingly. The heat did not get to me, and the external noise from the chatter did not affect my swing or focus. Putting was good at 30 despite raking up three holes where I three-putted. A case of could-have and should-have. Oh well.

It’s funny how all these small adjustments seem to work out well. Why didn’t I think of these changes before, and had to endure so many rounds of unsatisfactory golf? So today is the first time after so many rounds that I finally managed to play under my club handicap at my home club! Wheee, a truly rewarding feeling.

To cap off the satisfaction, I was joint second runners-up in the group, and was duly rewarded from the pool money. Nice! The unfathomable phenomenon is basically a mind game, a test of mental strength, and I did well in today’s game. This is just as important as the golf swing and all. Fixed my mindset, changed my attitude, and focused on my approach. Now that I know what I should actually do, I hope to maintain the outlook and start playing better golf from now on. My next game is this Thursday.

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Unfathomable Phenomenon

21 Jul

Every week I play golf, and it has become routine. However, every time I play at my home course, I experience an unfathomable phenomenon. I become a nine-hole player, even though I play 18 holes. In other words, in the first nine, I play superbly, but in the second nine, I collapse.

Is it the course? The weather? Me? I cannot understand why I’m always like this. To illustrate the silly phenomenon, after my return from Johor, for two consecutive games recently—one during a club tournament on Sunday and the other a friendly social among my weekday group today—both outcomes were the same! The first half of the game was good, but the minute our flight crossed over and the sun came out, everything fell apart. So predictable! Hrmph.

Perhaps my mental strength melts away whenever the sun is out? I couldn’t do this and that, as if I were a novice at this game called golf. I really don’t understand. However, when I play at other courses, I play well. The perfect example being the recent game at Port Dickson where I achieved a personal best gross score. And it’s the same sun, and not like somewhere cooler, just a different state and golf course. An unfathomable phenomenon indeed.

But of late, the weather has been very extreme, so the heat does take a toll on me. And this shows in the golf score, unfortunately. I rest for a week before I try again next week. And knowing the weather and heat will take a toll on my mental strength, I need to prepare better for it. We will find out next week; stay tuned.

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Week In, Week Out

9 Jun

The days that go by feel so ho-hum. Day in, day out, week in, week out, it feels the same. Too monotonous the routine that I can go about it like a robot on repeat. There is not much excitement happening.

The desire to play more golf has seeped out of me with the unpredictable weather lately. We can get nice weather for one nine, and upon crossover, the weather goes downhill, that is, too hot for my liking or raining cats and dogs in a worst-case scenario. When this happens, the golf goes down with it. Hahaha.

Over the weekend, I played in my club’s monthly medal tournament. During the first nine, I played so well because of cloudy, cool conditions. All my shots were spot on, and I was one under my handicap at the turn. The back nine, sadly, was a different story. Too many strokes over. Sigh.

The sun came on full blast, and needless to say, the will to play good golf melted under the sun. It’s a lesson learned to continue to build my mental strength to overcome the heat and adversity of uncontrollable situations.

So, I’m taking a break from playing in the sun or rain for the remainder of this week. Perhaps next week, when I tee off, I will have a better mental approach. We shall see.

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It’s August!

2 Aug

My goodness, it is August already! And it’s so freaking hot, my brain is so numb being in this scorching weather. Not only am I feeling the heat, but the ants as well.

🐜 🐜 🐜 and more 🐜

There has been an increase in ant count on the kitchen counter lately. We think they are taking refuge indoors, away from the heat outside. Poor critters. As much as I find them a nuisance, I don’t have the heart to eliminate them. Maybe my brain is too fried from the heat and humidity to reason.

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Heatwave Alert

22 Mar

After returning from Hanoi, we have been experiencing a heatwave. It’s like a giant furnace here, unlike the nice cool weather we encountered a week earlier. But, being a diehard golfer, I continued my weekday golf routine, mindful to stay hydrated.

Dang, it was hot out on the golf course on Tuesday. My water intake, during and after the game, was more than usual to combat the heat and humidity. And luckily, the atmosphere during the Thursday morning game fared better, with less heat and some breeze.

The heatwave condition will be like this until mid-April before it subsides. Until then, the golf outings will continue, and water consumption will have to increase to stay hydrated if I want to be outdoors.

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Crazy Weather

5 May

It has been unbearably hot lately. The heatwave is just too much to handle. But it rains also, and when it rains, it floods. We are going through a spell of crazy weather now.

I try to do less, play less golf, and move less. The thought of sitting down and starting the next miniature does not even appeal, likewise using my brain to think, read, or write. Ugh.

The heat does crazy things to the mind, and my sloth lifestyle is returning! I hope this will not last because it is not productive.

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The Heat is On, Part 2

17 Apr

It has been hot and uncomfortable these past few days. And to make matters worst, the haze is coming back! Ugh. When it is so hot, many vulnerable areas will be prone to open burning, and this will lead to the occurrence of haze. I guess donning the mask again when being outdoors is best.

We are currently experiencing a heatwave due to less rainfall. Funny how quickly situations change with a shift in the weather pattern. Thankfully this would not last because we expect rain in the next few days. But until then, I am staying indoors as much as possible.

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Intense Heat

16 Aug

We are experiencing an intense heat wave of late, it’s unbearable. The biting heat certainly makes life uncomfortable and it’s no fun to carve in such weather, what more to do so out in the garden terrace with the sun in the background. When the wind blows, it’s as if we are standing in front of an opened oven with the heat gushing out. Phew.

Several months earlier when it rained, we’d wished for dry weather but we get dry weather now, we wish for the opposite! I guess we have to deal with the situation.

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A Giant Furnace 

5 Apr

It has been unbearably hot for us for the past few days. The atmosphere is like a giant furnace, but with extremely high humidity on top of the desert-like temperature. And this discomfort is without the haze. Imagine with the haze added, double whammy! Then again, I read somewhere the haze will be making its way to us soon. Sigh… and super sigh.

Although I did not check the temperature, it feels like it’s at least 36 degrees Celcius or more. Even when we are indoors, it’s uncomfortable.

And to think that M1 complained to me last week that with Spring here, it has been so hot for her at 20 degrees Celcius. Hah! Call that hot? Wait till you come back for your holidays!

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