Thursday, December 28, 2006 Chiongbian: The president’s cup By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
THE setting of the last golf tournament in Cebu for 2006 is the President’s Cup of Cebu Country Club and that’s on for this Friday and Saturday. Two days of a grueling battle of twosomes hoping for a lucky position on top of three divisions. Why lucky, because the first day’s score under the total aggregate format will be used only to rank the teams in their divisions for the final-day showdown.
The final day’s format on Saturday is the two-ball foursome, where all players hit their tee shots and the teams choose the better ball then proceed to play alternating shots until they hole out. And they start again on the next hole.
Two days, two men, two formats is the main character of the CCC President’s Cup. This has become very popular with the members and is a fitting of a year-end golf tournament that gives the members the fun and luck, without the pressure of winning.
Play the tournament the first day and wake up the next day to find your team in first place, what a thrill. Like always, there is a downside, the guys that played good could end up in last place and they will surely complain but nobody’s listening.
Happy New Year! Actually it is still few days away but we hope that by this time you already have made plans on what to do for New Year’s Eve. Cebu Country Club has their traditional Merienda Cena for New Year’s Eve, following the 6 p.m. mass at the ballroom on Sunday. And if you are like most people, you will probably end up afterwards at Casino Español for their traditional New Years Eve Costume Party that kicks in around 9 p.m.
The CE costume contest will start at 10 p.m. with bar chow &hot soup being served at 12:20 a.m. The party is non-stop before and after midnight until the wee hours to the beat of two live bands for your dancing pleasure. But remember costumes are required for entry so get in the act and make yourself look like someone else.
As a young lad growing up, I always wondered why my parents would go to Casino Español for New Years Eve, which didn’t allow children. I thought it was all about too much kissing at midnight. I attended this affair many times as an adult and wondered what ever happened to the kissing? Maybe it is too much partying that I can’t remember but I think it has to do with many people leaving prior to midnight to greet their families and come back when kissing time is over.
A very fitting ending statement to 2006 is from PD, a devote golfer and shower addict. He showers at the club whether he plays golf or not, or whether he needs it or not. He has something to say so let us hear him out. He claims that only the board and voting members, or otherwise influential persons in the club gets the fluffy and very white towels in the locker room.
I said, “ that very funny!” thinking that he was joking and he almost jumped out of his towel wrapped around his waist saying. “ I mean it. See for yourself”. So maybe you people in command can be more understanding and make the necessary adjustments and/or denials; whichever works!
PD added that this was not a problem at Alta Vista because all their towels are fluffy and white. I agree to some extend that our white towels do get gray in a hurry. Can we have cleaners to do a better the job? I saw this same experience of graying white towels on some of our first class spas in Cebu. Maybe PD has a point here. Let’s gripe and get new cleaners.
Golf Tip: Are you one of those that believe you’re not set up to hit long drives like other people. This may be true but you can at least try to reach your own best potential. Increase clubhead speed is still key to giving you more distance, and you can get it by doing things in your set up and follow-through rather than swinging real hard.
At address, flare your feet to help your body rotate freely in the backswing and follow-through. Make sure your knees are not knock-kneed but flexed forward to lower your center of gravity and give you a strong athletic position. Next, keep your right shoulder low and head back slightly for an inside attack and an on plane swing path.
As you swing down and past impact, you must extend your arms away from the body to help in releasing the club for more power. Always try to swing your shoulders and club around your body instead of going down and straight up. This will give you a powerful swing, good balance and will not interfere with your body movement.
