I have played five games so far with my new set of Honma Beres NX irons. And I love them! My ball striking has been effortless, and the ball trajectory has been very high and far. I am getting better distances and control. The irons complement my current driver, woods, and hybrid clubs, and I should be playing better.
All my equipment is excellent—except for two things: one being the persistent cough that slows me down and leaves me breathless. And two, being my putting. It sucks! I switched to my TaylorMade Spider Mini not too long ago, after some disastrous putting with the Scotty. And you know what? Bad decision to switch!
In the last two games with the Mini, I did 37 putts each time! Thirty seven-effing putts. Man, that’s like six to seven additional strokes unnecessarily. The second-to-last round was the last straw, where I had three three-putts and two four-putts! I couldn’t get over this. Just two days earlier, I had three putts on five holes. Argh!
When I got home, the first thing I did was remove the TaylorMade Spider Mini and put back my Scotty Cameron in the bag. And sure enough, the last game back with the Scotty, I fared better. My next game is coming up on Thursday; let’s hope the improvement trend continues.
Over the weekend, my golf club held the 2025 Annual Championship for the Ladies, Senior, and Super Senior categories. It was a mixed-feeling experience. The Ladies and Super Senior categories teed off in the morning on Saturday, while the Senior category had their round in the afternoon. The Men category will commence this coming Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
All was good but hot! I played fairly decently and did not blow up any holes – no double-digit scores for the strokeplay event. Putting was good with the Scotty for 31 putts.
The next day, the categories swapped tee-off times, and the Senior category played in the morning. The other two, in the afternoon. And boy, oh boy, was it hot!
Despite the heat, I played much better on the second day. After we completed the back nine holes and crossed over, the weather changed and was cooler. However, don’t be deceived by the drop in the temperature!
As we approached the 4th hole and were about to tee off, an unexpected sudden lightning flashed! It was too close for comfort. We headed to the halfway hut nearby to take shelter, along with other players from within the few holes. But soon, everyone returned to the clubhouse immediately for safety. The rain came down fast and furious, and the siren came on.
The golf course was pelted and looked flooded, and the strong wind blew the sponsor’s drink tent onto the green at Hole 9! I have never seen an incident like this before.
Everyone had to wait out at the clubhouse until the weather improved. However, after some time, the Tournament Director and the Committee decided to abandon the second day of the 2025 Annual Championship tournament due to the weather, and scores from Day One for the Ladies and Super Senior would stand as the final results. While some players were unhappy, I was okay with the decision. The weather got too hot for me. The Senior category was not affected by the weather.
Looking back, my score from Day One compared to my past years’ participation was an improvement. And while I could have played well on the second day, I’m happy with my overall performance. It is over now, and I look forward to taking a break from golf.
It’s been a month since I last played golf! That’s a long layoff in my books. The trip to China took nine days; upon my return, I fell sick. And it’s taking a long time to recover from this bout of illness. It’s a potent germ from China. The plus side is that I lost some weight, which is nice because it’s so hard to shed a pound or two these days.
Exactly a month on, I played my first game today. How did I fare? There was some rustiness in swinging the clubs. The short game was horrid, but my putting was good, thanks to the ever-reliable Scotty Cameron putter.
All in all, it was a decent return. The tee-offs were respectable and even spectacular at times. But this could be the fairways being so hard, and the ball was able to roll some additional distance. The three- and five-woods were striking well, but it was the short irons that I had trouble.
Such is usually the case with a month’s layoff. All muscle memories are gone when gauging strength and distance. So I shouldn’t stress over this issue. I need to play more to get back my golf mojo, then I will be fine.
Lately, my golf game has not been the best. I have to confess the games played in Vietnam were underwhelming, especially putting. Then again, the erratic putting was due to using a new and different putter. I have to elaborate on this next time.
However, I was not too bothered by my performance. After all, the trip was more about enjoying the company, the sights, the food, and the weather. As an afterthought, if the weather during the three games had been more comfortable and not that cold, would the results have been different? Oh well, that’s golf for you—filled with ‘what ifs’ and ‘could haves’ and ‘should haves’ thereafter.
Subconsciously, I was careful not to aggravate my tennis elbow, so the shots I took were more cautious or held back. It’s interesting to note the cold weather may have helped prevent further flare-ups, so I am grateful for this!
However, upon returning to hot and humid conditions, I couldn’t strike the ball well for the few games I played. It was as if I didn’t know how to play golf anymore! What is happening? Sigh.
I hope I can fix my problem soon; otherwise, any upcoming game will be more down than up!
On the third day of our trip to Vietnam, we left Ha Long for Hanoi. The difference is immediate in terms of scenery and traffic. Hanoi was more congested, with more buildings, vehicles, and people. It was cold when the bus pulled up to our next hotel, within the Old Quarter.
After checking in, we went in search of food before wandering the streets to do some shopping. There were some good bargains, but I was selective and did not want to buy for the sake of buying, you know? It was my second trip to Hanoi after all – in the end, I bought two bags of aromatic coffee beans for my indulgence.
My new coffee beansStreet vendors, excellent Vietnamese restaurant, and pho by the road
The third golf game was, by far, the toughest. It was cold and misty, drizzling, and wet. Hilltop Valley Golf Club is not for the faint of heart. The low visibility made it hard to see where the ball flew. Despite the challenges, I was lucky to lose only two balls, unlike a few others, who lost a range from five to ten balls for their round! Dang.
Teeing uphill into the abyss and pray!
My putting was terrible throughout the three days, though. So bad, I have no words to describe. I can only kick myself in the butt for bringing a new, untested putter for this trip! Duh. What was I thinking? But I try not to let the putting mar my overall experience. My flightmates were fun, and it was good company.
Generally, golfing in Hanoi can be very enjoyable if the weather is cool and stays that way. It borders on discomfort when the temperature dips a little, making it hard to grip the golf clubs. Sigh, we are not used to such conditions.
Nevertheless, food is always the bright spot! Vietnamese food is very flavorful but not too extreme in its flavors or oily. Besides the food, Vietnamese coffee is the next best thing! I find myself drinking more coffee than my usual intake.
The famed Train Street, Hanoi beer, and a magnificent-looking black cockerel posing for photos
Now that this trip is done and checked off the bucket list, would I consider returning to these two places again? Of course! There are some more attractions that we missed out on because it was a golf trip above all. So long, Ha Long and Hanoi, we enjoyed ourselves despite the cold weather, but I’m sure we will be back.
I have never been playing better golf than ever. My distance has been far upon tee-off, second and third shots are good, and putting is accurate with the Scotty putter. When all departments are good, what more could I ask for? It feels very uplifting and wonderful. Everything seems to click because I have been winning when it matters.
I thought I had icing on the cake with the last game, returning as my club’s Best Pair with a friend, but it’s another cake with more icing on Saturday!
For months, together with my golf buddies, we planned the annual game for our Tuesday golf group. Being on the committee, we brainstormed, planned, argued, and discussed to ensure the tournament would be the best, being the third edition. There were a lot of logistics to consider when customizing items with the group logo for the goody bag, besides the running of the tournament itself.
Finally, the day arrived, and I’m pleased to say the tournament went smoothly without incident. We had 52 happy golfers, delighted with how things turned out. Although there were minor hiccups, I did not let this affect my focus on playing well, and I did! I thoroughly enjoyed myself despite no more beer available upon our cross-over. I thought my 35 Stableford points were commendable. Little did I realize it was enough for me to come out tops.
The fun and camaraderie continued during lunch. When the Prize Presentation came around, I was declared the Overall Champion! Woo hoo. How’s that for extra icing on the cake? I’m over the moon! Not only was I busy to the core, being on the organizing committee, but to come out tops in the tournament with better players amongst us was exhilarating.
Receiving the trophy from the person the tournament is named after. Taking the customary selfie!
I don’t know if this consistency can continue because I was exhausted mentally and physically by the time the weekend was over. I caught the sniffles soon after, so perhaps it is okay to take a break. I deserve one.
After last weekend’s Annual Club Championship disaster, I played two weekday games with redemption! I could not believe that I could not play golf. I had to purge myself of the horror.
Last Tuesday, I played at a different golf course, and everything worked! Golf is strange. I played one under my handicap for that day! I did 32 putts, so much better than the 43 putts on Sunday. I’m a happy camper with the recovery for putting.
Then, on Thursday, I returned to my club and played a round with hubby and his friends. Guess how I fared? I played to my handicap and 20 strokes better than the results of the ACC! Unbelievable. Redemption was sweeter as I managed 30 putts, which was 13 strokes much better!
Golf is strange – one can be demoralized and broken in a tournament. Then, on the next outing, one can heal with redemption. It’s a love-hate activity.
After the recent Interclub trip to Jakarta, I now focus on my club’s Annual Championship, which will take place over two days on the Hills and Lakes courses. So far, I have put in two games to fine-tune my weaknesses.
And it must be something I did, for I can see the difference. I have gained back my distance upon tee-off, a timely confidence booster. And shots with the woods and irons are good, likewise, my short game.
Furthermore, putting with the Scotty has been reliable for the last few games. So, I am ready to take on the challenge, having missed the tournament last year. My only minor setback is the right heel, which will ache if I exert too much. I have to manage.
On Sunday, our final day in Jakarta, we had our Interclub game against members of Jakarta Golf Club (JGC). It was my first time playing in such an old golf club, established in 1872. Matured trees lining the side of the fairways made the course narrow and quite challenging.
The hospitable host welcomed us with a hearty buffet breakfast before teeing off. JGC is a walking course – and almost everyone walked, save for a few who needed the buggy. The mode of play for the tournament was Texas Scramble, which was very enjoyable.
Awesome prize but no Hole-in-One that morning.
The halfway huts provided all sorts of beverages for all golfers to enjoy that morning, and everyone took advantage of it! Initially, I opted for lemon juice, but as the weather got hotter, I decided a cold Bintang beer would do me wonders. Two Bintangs later, I was teeing off further with my “Bintang power” – and it did feel like my ball flew further. Hahahaha.
My partner and I had many good opportunities approaching the greens and putting, as our partnership worked well together. And we returned with a much improved second-nine score compared to the first-nine. However, our opponents fizzled out due to tiredness when we crossed over.
When everyone completed their rounds and returned to the clubhouse, a sumptuous buffet lunch spread welcomed us. But our entourage had a plane to catch by six (the earliest batch), so the program went by quickly, and we could leave the club by 3.00 pm. There was no outright winning club for the Interclub Texas Scramble tournament, only winning pairs, which was enough to make everyone happy. We had a police outrider again to ensure our two buses arrived at the airport on time.
This trip did not start well for me but ended on a good note. Each day, the games improved. I played my personal best game during the duel with the hubbies. And I thoroughly enjoyed my time with my micro group of golf buddies.
As for food, opportunities to try different things were scarce due to time constraints and transport logistics. Nonetheless, I managed with all the chili and spicy offerings, and more importantly, I did not experience any tummy ache.
Hotel breakfast was standard choices, but the chili condiments caught my eye! Soto ayam (top right) was a must for dinner.
While there were some shortcomings in managing 60 golfers, it did not put a dampener, and I can file this trip away on a good note. I await the next Interclub trip organized by my golf club again.
On the third day in Karawang, we played our second game at Lotus Lakes Golf Club, and it was a late morning tee-off. The cloudy atmosphere was perfect for golf, so the umbrella did not come out. The company was enjoyable, but the game was challenging, whereby we ladies were battling with our husbands. Losers had to buy drinks.
There was much back and forth. We fought hard to narrow the gap from three down to one down, but running out of holes to win. That morning, my short game was sensational, likewise my putting. I was on fire! We had to win the last hole to call the duel a draw.
At the last hole, there was a lot of drama. You could tell the fight was very intense. My partner’s hubby sent his ball into the water on the right with his third shot. Then my partner sent her ball to the water on the left as well! Oh no.
Hubby and I were on the fairway, 60 meters from the green. It was a Par 5, and anything can happen. And it did! Hubby unexpectedly chunked his fourth shot to three feet in front. Gaining confidence from his misfortune, I sent my ball flying towards the pin and landed four feet from it! Yes, maybe we can still pull it off and win.
Soon after, the other two were on the green with their fifth shot. It was a do-or-die situation at this point. But I had a slight advantage over the rest, being the only one on the green with my fourth shot.
Hubby struck his ball but missed the cup, creating an opening for us!
My turn to putt. My line was perfect as my ball rolled towards the cup. But it stopped two inches from falling in. Nooooooooo. I tapped in for a bogey. What a bummer.
My partner two-putted for a seven, like hubby, but her spouse rammed his ball into the cup from six feet for a bogey to square the hole. And we lost.
The adrenaline was exhilarating! What a game, what a duel. I played my best game that morning. Golf can be arduous, but it can be rewarding as well, despite the circumstances sometimes.
Angieneering 
Remarks