Thursday, November 13, 2008 Chiongbian: Why member-guest events are successfull By Edgar R. Chiongbian Teetime
THE annual signature golf tournament of Mactan Island Golf Club (MIGC) tees off today with almost 200 players signed up. Format is team play of one member and one guest, 36 holes modified Stableford.
In the winner’s circle will be one overall Champion (lowest gross, no pick-ups) and three winners in each of the six divisions—Class A (0 -12), Class B (13-19), Class C (20-24), Class D (25-36), Ladies and Seniors (total age of 120).
The awarding dinner will be on Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. at the MIGC grounds.
The idea of member-guest tournaments is to have a nice time playing golf with friends or newfound friends, win some raffle prizes and maybe the big one via a hole-in-one. This is a time to mix it up with other members and their guests in a friendly atmosphere of fellowship, and that is why these tournaments are very successful in the Philippines. After all, we are
considered as the most congenial group of people and the best hosts.
Winning may not be a priority in these tournaments but in the end, there is never a surprise. Some golfers still succumb to the adage that winning is everything! Tournament play at MIGC is a little different from the norm and I believe it is due to the condition, handicapping and the course layout. Therefore, the golfer who can score well or generally produce at MIGC will be anyone of its members. Let’s say, that home court advantage really does work here.
Anyway if you are the lucky one to find a hole-in-one on any of the Par 3’s, you will be guaranteed a KIA Sportage, Nissan March, Yamaha Crypton motorcycle or Homna golf. So don’t be short on the Par 3’s, make sure you have enough club to reach the hole or else you are defeating the purpose.
This coming Monday and Tuesday, watch or participate in the golf tournament rivalry between Ateneo and La Salle at Cebu Country Club (CCC). Wear blue or green to show your affiliation. Or wear blue-green and you will be a downright sure winner.
Then next Friday, another big annual event and charity work will be hosted by CCC, the 8th Charity Fun Golf hosted by the Cebu Friends Forever. No Bad Boys, just CCC’s best boys for a cause. Don’t forget to sign up for this worthy cause for the good of all our city folks. All proceeds go to Tzu Chi Foundation, Eruf and the Missionaries of Charity. The tournament fee of P3,500 is a cheap down payment for a C-30 Volvo automobile but only if you make a hole-in-one on any Par 3 holes, otherwise, you earn points in heaven.
SERGIO’S RISE. Sergio Garcia, after three attempts, finally wins a sudden death playoff, and gets the world No. 2 ranking by winning the $5 million HSBC golf tournament in Shanghai, China. Garcia has not won a major tournament and yet was able to climb to No. 2, just one below Tiger Woods. Sergio also finally got a playoff match against Oliver Wilson, a player with a worse record than him.
Although Wilson did very well during the 2008 Ryder Cup, he has been relegated to second place eight times. Let’s say that Sergio Garcia took on a slow boat to Shanghai and woke up as world No. 2. This proves one thing, that one tournament, no matter how big, doesn’t make a champion. It is winning regularly that does it.
Now that Phil Mickelson has been displaced from No. 2 to No. 3, he said he is determined to get it back on the next tournament and that will be at the Barclays Singapore Open this week at the Serapong golf course, Sentosa Island. The only problem is, Wilson will be there to avenge his defeat. Ernie Els, Ian Poulter, KJ Choi, Darren Clark are contending and Padraig Harrington, the back- to-back winner of two majors this year, said he seriously wants to win the Barclays Singapore Open.
GOLF TIP. How to hit a short shot to the green that has a bunker in front. Generally, the problem with coming up short and ending up in the bunker instead is due to the lack of clubhead speed. When you play this shot, you must know to open the clubface to add more loft to your club so when you hit the shot with more clubhead speed, the ball will travel the same distance.
