Tag Archives: Octogenarian

Hats Off, Part 2

6 May

Two weeks ago when I played golf with the octogenarian, it made me think of my maternal grandpa. I don’t have many octogenarian friends and people of this age usually reminds me of the grandpas and grandmas of the world who should be sitting at home comfortably instead of out on a golf course.

Now my grandpa was one cool dude (grandma was the worrier) but he was also a scary one, at least for me when I was younger.

I remember I used to follow Mom to visit the old folks whenever opportunity came around. And it was always, always customary to go greet him before anything else. This scared me the most because he would be sitting at his usual recliner with the fan on at full blast, playing his cards, and I had to go interrupt his concentration to basically say, hi grandpa, I am here.

And he would look up from his cards, squint his eyes and peer at me. It was terrifying as I had to stand there, fidgeting until he acknowledged my presence. Then when he realized it was me, he would tell me to come closer and without fail, pinch my nose and cheeks to no end! Ouch. Painful and I was not allowed to yelp. This was my greet grandpa routine. Some things you remember for life and this was one of them. Every single visit, this treatment.

After the ritual, I was off the hook and then only to grandma I would go or out to see the chickens, the dogs or just hang out around the house.

Mom always said that I have good cheeks and a pert nose today because of grandpa’s loving touches. Hats off to grandpa, a brandy and whiskey-swishing dude, who lived life to the fullest until the ripe old age of 97. When he passed on, it was a celebration of life instead of death. God bless his soul. 

Tags: , ,

Hats Off!

21 Apr

Yesterday I played in my golf club’s Interclub friendly game. And I was totally demotivated by the usual lakes that I couldn’t cross, my phobia holes. It took a toll on my mental strength. Sometimes I can play well, other days not so well. Why? Is it the heat? Or the lack of playing? The nagging injury? Why doubt?

In fact yesterday was downright deflating, you could say it was the perfect horrid game example, all on me, nobody else. While the driver worked better than most, nothing else did. Imagine on a Par 5, I put the ball (on the green) on four but four putted for an eight. It was painful.

As I have said before, golf is a mental and painful game, evidenced by yesterday’s play. But having said that, golf is also intriguing and appeals to all ages amazingly. I think it is one sport that a person can play until their golden years. Like my flight mate for instance.

She’s an octogenarian! 80 year old lady and out-drives me on some holes! Amazing. What’s even more amazing is that she (and her visiting team) has played three rounds of golf already and she is still going strong! Yesterday’s game was their fourth and last game before they head back to Sabah. 

I take my hat off to her for her mental ability and endurance, and smack myself at my mental inability and doubt.

Tags: ,