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Thursday, January 29, 2004
Chiongbian: Play golf for a reason
By Edgar R. Chiongbian
Tee time
WHY you should play golf? The students from the University of San Carlos Chemical Engineering Department came up with the answer to this question. This I learn from Rene Kintanar (RC Cebu and Alta Vista member) who forwarded me an e-mail from the usc-ches website.
Six points against one to provide the basis of the reasoning as follows: In the year 1923, 1) the president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
2) The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane. 3) The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home. 4) The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless. 5) The president of the Bank of International Settlement shot himself. 6) The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, committed suicide?
In that same year (1923), Gene Sarazen won both the US Open and PGA Championship. He played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95, and was extremely financially secure at the time of his death.
The answer is therefore to stop worrying about business; the market and other bull…t and start playing golf.
Another point of view is that golf as a sport allows one to play competitively at any age. An eight-year-old can start competing in the jungolf program and on the other end, senior citizens can continue competing until the age of 80+.
The sport is even divided into four categories, the jungolf, men’s, ladies and men’s senior to recognize the physical disparity between age and sex. The Federation of Senior Golfers and Cebu Country Club even provides a special category for the super seniors to keep those weak legs fit.
So to me this is the best and singular reason why anyone should take up golf. It is a lifetime of enjoyment that allows you to start at any stage in your lifetime. It is a sport anyone can play but not necessarily be good at. Hahaha.
In the professional ranks, avid golfers and sponsors were previously interested only in the PGA Tour, which reflects the inconsistency of the prize money between them and the PGA Seniors and LPGA. In the last few years the money gap has narrowed somewhat but I don’t think it will ever be the same.
The popularity of the LPGA, however, has gone up quite a bit and that is good news for Filipinos and Asians because our ladies are now winning the tournaments. The latest sensation, Michelle Wie, has been labeled the Tiger Woods of the LPGA. She may be the one that will break the ice between the PGA and LPGA. Only at 14 but I’m sure she won’t wait too long to prove them right.
How about some funny moments in the PGA: Did you know that a pro was arrested for slow play in the 1930 Los Angeles Open? The player was asked to speed up, which he refused so the officials disqualified him. He then refused to leave the course so they called the police who carted him away.
This will never happen in our local scene. We have marshals in our golf course but I suggest we rename them marshmallows because that is what they are.
In the 1974 English Open Amateur, Nigel Denham hit a shot that went into the clubhouse. Since the clubhouse was considered in play, he opened the window and hit an amazing pitch shot that landed 15 feet of the flag. He was later assessed with a two-stroke penalty – for opening the window.
And a big hand for Lee Trevino who said, “My wife doesn’t care what I do when I’m away – as long as I don’t enjoy myself.” For many of us, this is very familiar.
GOLF TIP: Most golfers think that the swing is half-finished after the backswing so they quit once the ball is struck and the result is a weak, off-line shot.
For distance and accuracy, you must accelerate through the ball and have a full finish. Think instead of the swing as only one-third finished at the backswing and the rest of the two-thirds is the downswing and follow thru.
(erc@skyinet.net)
(January 29, 2004 issue)
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