Thursday, July 31, 2008 Chiongbian: Golf and the Rotary By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
GOLF has always been part of Rotary and vice versa. I like it because they are both my favorite loves next to number one.
Among the three loves, it takes care of my schedule for the whole year. And one might ask why golf and Rotary mix very well when they seem worlds apart. It is fellowship, of course.
In and in-between the two, there is great fellowship that is very hard to find anywhere else. There is a lifetime of friendship to be gained and found when you’re involved in these two activities.
Whenever there is a Rotary function, golf is always part of the program, be it the Rotary International conventions that are held everywhere around the world, or in our local Rotary District conferences and district assemblies. This is when my problem starts. When they schedule golf, it is generally in conflict with what is going on in the program.
In most cases, I am involved in both activities so I have to decide, which one to attend. This is when I am torn between two lovers, feeling like a fool, loving both of them is breaking all the rules. Not really, but it sounds intriguing to say it that I just had to sneak that in.
Today, our district governor Billy Parilla from the RC Matina Davao is visiting our Rotary Club of Cebu and the rest of Cebu Rotary Clubs next month.
There is no golf in the itinerary, so there is no conflict in schedule, yeah!
BRITISH OPEN. The Senior British Open showed us a different scenario than the British Open, where the Europeans showed the Americans how to play golf. In the Seniors Open, the Americans dominated the front page of the leader board throughout the tournament, with two Americans Vaughn and Cook battling it out in the end.
Vaughn won the first ever PGA/ European golf tournament of his golf career.
This only means two things—that aging American golfers can play well on the English golf courses, or maybe, the good American players have gotten older. What I could be implying is that patience, and not just determination, can make you score well on the British golf courses. If you look carefully, that is exactly what Padraig Harrington did. Respecting the course layout by laying up on his drives and going for broke on second shots to the green.
Our beloved Federation of Cebu senior golfers played their quarterly tournament at Cebu Country Club yesterday but many forgot about the tournament. Must be getting old. As for me, I was confused why they posted two different dates for the tournament and my guess is that it is easy to do when one gets older.
Did you ever notice that there are no ladies senior golf tournaments even in LPGA? Our national and local golf circuits don’t have it as well. They have the WAGP and the Southern Ladies Open that do not carry a senior’s division. I have seen some not-so-young golfers still play in these tournaments. These golfers complain that their handicaps are no longer as competitive as the youngsters’ but they never admit to getting older. What is the conclusion? Our ladies never get old, just us men. Oh, my prostate, bones and muscles are aching just thinking about it! Hahaha.
GOLF TIP. Chipping on an uphill lie generally ends up short of the hole. The natural answer is the ball will fly higher and have extra spin because of the slope. But the real answer is in your setup because the tendency is to lean into the hill and to play the ball back with your weight on the left foot
Instead, you should play the ball towards the front near your left heel. Follow the slope by leaning away from the slope putting your weight on your right foot. Most important is to press your hands ahead of the clubhead. Use one more club to compensate for the extra loft or land the ball closer to the pin if you use your usual wedge. Keep the shaft leaning forward thru impact with your hands and clubhead finishing low (don’t lift).
