Embarassed by a 10-year old Konglong!

Today was the first league game at Laguna National.

I got a shock when I saw my playing partner. A 10 years old 8 handicapper from Warren Country Club named Jin Cheng.

Had a chat with his family, who are PRs from China and learned that he has picked up golf for about 3 years. The whole family was there to support his tee off.

And the parting shot from his mother to me was "Do take care of him!!!"

My God, that was a huge responsiblity.

Sure enough, this boy is talented. He bogeyed the first hole and I double-bogeyed. That set the stage for the rest of the game. His average drive is about 180 and he can chip and putt.

At the 2nd fairway, I hit from the fairway and waved to him to move the buggy to the green. When I reached the green, the other 2 flight mate told me he cannot drive. I had to run all the way back to the buggy.

Then it rained heavily but the course was not closed. I asked if he had umbrella or rain coat, he said no. I offered my rain coat to him but he politely declined.

By the time the game was abandoned at the 8th hole, he was 5 over, I was 8 over. The result for this round won't count. Thank God.

I hope I am not paired with him for the next game. I don't want to be embarassed again.

Watch out for this boy in the future!

Chi Keen's Vegas Strategy

Today my flight decided to play Vegas, mainly because Chi Keen said he has not played Vegas before.

After 14 holes (Navy 5), I think Chi Keen was probably about $80 down, he asked what he needed to do to recover. So we worked out the strategy for him:

1. Depend on yourself
2. Depend on your partner
3. Pray to God

While we were on the tee box of Navy 6 (Par 3), Huat Siong was preparing to tee off. Just as he was on the downswing, there was a huge explosion. It sounded very much like live-firing, probably a tyre puncture on ECP.

Huat Siong promptly pulled his short to the left, into the fence. He asked for mulligan. Guess what Chi Keen said?

"Act of God". No mulligan.

Then Chi Keen hit a perfect 3 irons to about 4 feet from the pin. He birdied the hole for $30+. I was happy to depend on this partner then.

On Navy 8, I hit a perfect 2nd shot into the green, about 5 feet from the pin. CK then followed with an equally perfect 2nd shot to about 6 feet from the pin. He birdied, I missed. Another 27 points recovered.

So here you go. The secret for playing Vegas, Chi Keen's Strategy.

Tiger defeated in 2nd Round Accenture

Red hot news. Tiger was defeated by Tim Clark 4 and 2 in the 2nd round of the Accenture World Match-play.

AWOL

I have not been playing with you guys at NSRCC lately.

Firstly, I have been following Dr Pete's instruction to get more rest. Lately have been lacking in sleep so I tried to catch up.

The other reason is that I have to put in some games at Sembawang with my SGA League team mates. The first game will be at Laguna on 1st March, this coming Wed will be our practice game at Laguna Master.

Today is another training round with 3 konglongs, Div A Captain, Div B Captain and a pro (Jonas' friend, Hong Soon).

Played bad in the front 9, 42. Vegas was down 50 over points at $2 per point. Played a strong 2nd 9 at even par with 3 birdies. Luckily, managed to turnaround the game with 30 over points positive. Phew!!!

Lets hope I can maintain my game for the first match. Wish me luck!!!

Taking Stance in Bunker and Then Changing Clubs

Taking Stance in Bunker and Then Changing Clubs

Q. A player takes his stance in a bunker and firmly places his feet in the sand. He then leaves his position to change clubs and thereafter takes his stance a second time. Is the player considered to have tested the condition of the hazard, contrary to Rule 13-4?

A. No. Rule 13-3 allows a player to place his feet firmly in taking his stance in a bunker or elsewhere. There is nothing in the Rules to prohibit changing clubs or taking a stance twice in a bunker.

Dick survived the onslaught of the "Kong Longs"

Last Sat, i was slotted ti play with Richard (16) and the two "Kong Longs", Covette (9) and Jonas (14). Many felt that i would be slaughtered especially by the two "Kong Longs" but on the contrary, I survived quite well.

I started with a double bogey and a triple bogey on the first two holes of the Airforce course and i soon thought to myself that the prediction seems to be true especially with Jonas scoring a birdie on the first hole. My play seems to come into place when I parred hole 3, 7 & 8 completing the course in 48. On the Navy, I played a bit more steadily scoring a 44 with a gross score of 92. No bad for playing with a heavily pressured flightmates.

Lesson learned: Do not fear the odds but faced the eventual as they comes.

FAQs - situations of Golf Ball lodged in tree

FAQs - situations of Golf Ball lodged in tree

Recently there was a posting in Goofy Blog for the above and while just surfing the PGA website I chanced upon the decisions by the PGA. It makes an interesting read. Check it out below!

Ball Unplayable in Tree and Player Opts to Drop Within Two Club-Lengths

Q. A player’s ball is eight feet off the ground, lodged in a tree. The player deems the ball unplayable. May the player proceed under option c of Rule 28 which permits him to drop a ball within two club-lengths of where his ball lay unplayable?

A. Yes. The player would be entitled to drop a ball within two club-lengths of the point on the ground immediately below the place where the ball lay in the tree. In some instances this may allow the player to drop a ball on a putting green.

Ball Dislodged from Tree; Circumstances in Which Player Not Penalized

Q. A player whose ball is lodged high in a tree wishes to dislodge it by shaking the tree or throwing a club so that he can identify it and proceed under the unplayable ball Rule. Is this permissible?

A. Yes. The player should state his intention before taking such action to avoid any question being raised as to whether a penalty would be incurred under Rule 18-2a.

Ball Dislodged from Tree; Circumstances in Which Player Penalized

Q. A player could not find his ball. Believing the ball might be lodged in a tree, he shook the tree and his ball fell to the ground. He played the ball from where it came to rest. What is the ruling?

A. The player incurred one penalty stroke under Rule 18-2a for moving his ball. He should have replaced the ball. Since he did not do so, in match play he lost the hole and in stroke play he incurred a total penalty of two strokes — see penalty statement under Rule 18.

Ball Dislodged from Tree; Replacement of Ball Not Possible

Q. A player, believing his ball is lodged in a tree, shakes the tree in order to dislodge it. His ball falls to the ground. According to Decision 18-2a/28, the player incurs a penalty of one stroke under Rule 18-2a and must replace his ball. Suppose, however, that the player cannot replace his ball either:

(1) because the spot where it lay in the tree is not determinable, or

(2) because the ball fails to remain on the correct spot when replaced, or

(3) because the player cannot reach the spot where the ball lay.

How should the player proceed in each of these three circumstances?

A. Rules 20-3c and -3d would normally cover circumstances (1) and (2), but these Rules do not contemplate a situation such as the one described. Accordingly, in equity (Rule 1-4), in the first two circumstances the ball must be placed in the tree as near as possible to the spot from which it was moved, and in the third circumstance the player must proceed under the unplayable ball Rule, incurring an additional penalty stroke.

Ball in Tree Identified But Not Retrieved Deemed Unplayable

Q. A player’s ball is lodged high in a tree. He identifies it with the aid of binoculars but is unable to retrieve it. Is the ball lost, in which case the player must invoke Rule 27-1?

A. No. Since the ball was identified, it was not lost — see Definition of “Lost Ball.” The player may invoke the unplayable ball Rule (Rule 28).

Ball in Tree Visible But Not Identifiable

Q. A player is certain that his ball is lodged high in a tree. He can see a ball in the tree, but he cannot identify it as his ball. Is the player’s ball lost, in which case he must proceed under Rule 27-1?

A. Yes.

Striking at Tree Branch to Move Ball Lodged Higher in Branch

Q. A player’s ball is lodged in a tree branch beyond the reach of a club. The player swings at a lower part of the branch with a club for the purpose of dislodging the ball, and the ball falls to the ground. Has the player made a stroke?

A. No, because the player did not strike at the ball — see Definition of “Stroke.” The player incurred a one-stroke penalty under Rule 18-2a (Ball at Rest Moved by Player) and must replace the ball.

Since the spot where the ball lay is unreachable and the ball therefore cannot be replaced, the player must proceed under the unplayable ball Rule, incurring an additional penalty stroke — see Decisions 18-1/9 and 18-2a/29.

Playing by the rules

Last Sunday, I was caught in a situation where I had to use the rules to my advantage.

At the famous Sembawang "Bell Hole", I tied off nicely into the middle of the fairway. But due to the fairway being dry and hard, the ball ran a long way to the right and ended up right behind a big tree and next to the bell stand.

There was no way I could have hit forward. I could have chipped out sideway without hitting the bell stand but I chose to take a slightly bigger swing and end up hitting the stand.

So I got a relief for unmoveable obstruction, got onto the green in 3 and 2 putted for par.

From a potential bogey to par, playing by the rules.

5th Goofy Cup

Div A and Challenge Trophy Winner - Vincent Loh


Div B Winner - Nie Yin Kee
The 5th Goofy Cup was successfully held in RCC on 29th Jan 2009. We had the biggest event thus far with 84 golfers.

The game was played on a beautiful cloudy day on the immaculate Lake Course with pins tucked at some of the most difficult positions. Luckily the green speed was not particularly fast, at 7.5 on the stimpmeter.

This year we decided to have 2 divisions so that the golfers with higher handicaps have a better chance of winning.

The prizes and lucky draws were partly sponsored by some very generous contributors whose name you can see in previous post.

For the record, the winners of the various prizes are:

Division A (Hdcp 18 and below)

1st : Vincent Loh
2nd : Tan Huat Siong
3rd : Gerald Ng

Division B (Hdcp 19 and above)

1st : Nie Yin Kee
2nd : Billy Foo
3rd : Samuel Ang

We also decided with award 2 trophies for the most improved golfers and deservingly, they went to Philip and Huat Siong.

Due to the success of the 5th Goofy Cup, we have already started planning for next year's event. We will be holding the next event at TMCC Tampines Course with a short gun start. The organising chairman for next year is Mr Robert Koh, a popular choice as voted in by the outgoing committee.

We want to thank all sponsors and participants for the success of the 5th Goofy Cup and look forward to the next one at TMCC.

Gong Xi Fai Cai!! Huat Ah!!

Watch out with the young plants the next time when you are out in the course

BUTTERCUPS AND GOLF BALLS

Towards the end of a day at the golf course, Dave hits his ball into the woods and found it in a patch of pretty yellow buttercups.
Trying to get his ball back in play, he ended up thrashing just about every buttercup in the patch.

All of a sudden . .. .POOF!! In a flash and puff of smoke, a little old woman appeared.
She said, 'I'm Mother Nature! Do you know how long it took me to make those buttercups? Just for doing
what you have done, you won't have any butter for your popcorn for the rest of your life: better still, you won't
have any butter for your toast for the rest of your life...
As a matter of fact, you'll never have any butter for anything the rest of your life!!!
Then POOF! . .. she was gone!

After Dave recovered from the shock, he hollered for his friend, 'Fred, where are you?'
Fred yells back 'I'm over here in the pussy willows.'
Dave shouts back, 'DON'T SWING, FRED!!
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T SWING!!!