Thursday, August 12, 2004 Chiongbian: Rotary golf history By Edgar R. Chiongbian Tee time
ALL work, no play makes Juan a dull boy. So fellow Rotarians get your sticks and get ready to play – golf that is! The Southern Leg of the 18th Rotary Golfing Fellowship Foundation (RGFFP) tournament is underway and making divots at Alta Vista and Cebu Country Club.
The 36-hole competition ends tomorrow with the awards dinner in Teatro Casino at the Waterfront Hotel-Lahug. Rotarians from different parts of the country are here to participate in this one-of- a-kind gathering of Rotary Clubs; where winning is not the only objective but the fellowship gained from a fine bunch of golfing Rotarians.
Plus what can be more fitting to apply the four-way test but in the sport that is called the gentleman’s game. How can you go wrong! Of the 50 teams entered, the host club, RC Cebu Port Center, fielded the most at six teams. The second largest contingent came from RC Metro West Triangle of Quezon City with five teams and third was RC Bagong Bayan of Q.C. with three teams.
Did you know that the roots of RGFFP came from Cebu? As true as this is, it used to be called the PAL Rotary Golf tournament, obviously because of the sponsorship of Philippine Air Lines.
Since I wanted to get the story straight from someone involved in the organization from the very beginning, I asked for time from Vincent Villafuerte, to hear it per se from the horses’ mouth. But when I was ready to chat, he had already left the welcome cocktails hosted by RGFFP president Pocholo Borromeo. It was a good thing that another willing person, the current tournament chairman, Virgilio “Nonoy” Braga, was around to give us some view of the RGFFP story.
The origin of the organization, which evolved from a simple golf tournament in the name of Rotary with fellowship as its purpose, was held in Cebu in 1987. With the overwhelming success of the first golf tournament, the tournament was held again the following year in Cebu. The host of the first two events was a Rotary Club from Cebu.
Believing that the idea would prosper more in the north where the bulk of golfing Rotarians were based, the organizers brought the event to Manila and kept it there; rotating golf tournaments in Baguio, Canlubang and Mimosa.
Four years ago the Southern Leg golf tournament was introduced as part of the schedule and the debut rightfully held in Cebu. This has since been held in Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Bacolod and is back to Cebu again this year.
RGFFP has three distinct golf and fellowship events every year. The first is in January for the traditional golf tournament at Baguio Country Club and Camp John Hay. The second is the Southern Leg golf tournament in August and the third is the Asian Rotary Golf, which is scheduled every November.
The golf events for the Asian Rotary Golf is always outside the country and have been successfully accomplished in Bangkok, Phuket, Chang Mai, Kuala Lumpur, Bali and Saigon. This November RFFG is planning to hold the golf tournament at either the Mission Hills or Spring City in China. This is open to all Rotarians, so if you’re interested don’t hesitate to contact them. I am sure they will be more than happy to get you in.
GOLF TIP: How to hit your irons on downhill lies. Start by tilting your upper body parallel to the slope at address, and leaning your head and shoulders to the left (down the hill). Sixty percent of your weight should now be your left side.
Play the ball just behind the center of your stance with hands slightly ahead. Remember not to sway or else you will lose your balance and mishit the shot. Sweep through the ball instead of hitting down by making a wide takeaway and shallow backswing.
Don’t worry about power; you’ll generate that by a strong shoulder and hip turn, and by clearing your hips briskly on the downswing. The key to downswing is to “chase “ the ball through impact, keeping the clubhead low to the ground and straightening your right arm through the downswing.
(erc@skyinet.net)
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