Friday, June 13, 2008 Garcia: Frustrations in golf By Imee Garcia
ANNIKA Sorenstam and Sabine Ansbjerg were put together as partners in the Swedish Pro-Am golf tournament and met on the putting green for the first time.
After introductions, Annika Sorenstam asked her partner, "What's your handicap?" "Oh, I'm a scratch golfer," Sabine replied. "Really!" exclaimed Annika, suitably impressed that she was paired up with Sabine.
"That is correct!" said Sabine. "I write down all my good scores and scratch out the bad ones!"
Frustrations in golf. Yes, that's my topic today. Don't you just hate it when you practiced so many times at the driving range before a tournament and when you finally play your game is so horrific? I mean, really terrible! And you tell yourself, what a waste of time and money for all those buckets of golf balls and then not being able to play well at the golf course. Such a waste!
There are also days when your long game is just perfect. Accuracy and distance--superb! Fairways hit--95 percent! But when it came to your short game, you shank, you three-putt, and/or you cannot blast well from the sand trap. Sigh.
And you tell yourself, Why? Why?" "Why can't I have a perfect game when I know I can?"
What about the times when you joined a tournament--you play so well, and you thought you won. But you learn that you lost by count back. Ouch! Then you try to recall those silly mistakes you made, like miss a 2-foot putt. You are so frustrated that you feel like pulling your own hair or hitting your head with a golf club.
What about the times when you play using a brand new expensive golf ball-you hit the ball well but fades or draws a little and your caddy cannot find your ball.
I bet you feel your blood rushing through your veins and hot air coming out of your ears! That is why I never use brand new balls. My new golf balls are still in the box. I use old balls instead--even when I play in a tournament.
One time, I joined a WGAP LuzViMin tournament in Cebu, and when my ball fell in the pond, I got so frustrated! I told my caddy I felt so sad that my ball fell in the water. He told me "Ma'am, forget the ball, you have many balls in your ball bag, think about your game!"
You have to learn how to handle your frustrations. When you do that, you will be able to think clearly and find a solution to your problems. When you are of sound mind, you can now throw your golf set in the lake. Haha! Or better yet, throw yourself into the lake. Why blame the golf set?
Congratulations to the winners of the Palos Verdes Monthly Medal held last June 7-8. They are as follows:
Overall Gross Champion - Miko Samanodi
Overall Net Champion - Dominic Choi
Class A Gross Champion - James Noel Morente
Class A Net Champion - Lee Hyo Sung
Class B Gross Champion - Marlon Hager
Class B Net Champion - Pedro Emilio
Class C Gross Champion - Lucio Castillo
Class C Net Champion - Boy Limjuco
Class D Gross Champion - Alfred Tan
Class D Net Champion - Allan Reyes
Seniors Overall Gross Champion - Joe Marfori
Seniors Overall Net Champion - Rolly Lazarte
Seniors Net Champion - Jess Mercado
Ladies Overall Gross Champion - Milet Hamaguchi
Jun Golf (12 - 17yrs old) Champion - Mark Hamaguchi
Guests Division Overall Gross Champion - Ringo Licup
Guests Division Overall Net Champion - Severo dela Cruz
Guests Division 1 Net Champion - Martin Maghrabian
Guests Division2 Net Chamion - Antonio Batao
