“I love you more than you love golf”, says the note on top of my golf set. I noticed that piece of paper at 4:45 in the morning on my way to play golf on the 14th of February.
A tough choice. But the romantics on me prevailed. I dropped my bag at the backseat and start up my car. I cannot afford to be late with my Heart’s day date, an early morning tee off with my cousin Willie and his Alpha Phi Omega fraternity brods at the Rancho Palos Verdes.
That’s how brutal golf is. It will test your character and sense of priorities but as they say “all is fair in love and golf.”
It was fun playing again with my cousin Willie Urbiztondo and Ed Badiola who travel all the way from New Jersey just to play golf in Davao. With his fellow APO brods General Joji Segovia, Jun Crisostomo, Cecil Cadiz, Edwin Cayamanda and host Jumbo Sotto we celebrate Valentines with heave of sighs on missed putts, expletives on jabongs, OB and shank shots, but united in laughter on a fellow golfer’s misfortune. That’s how unfair Palos Verdes golf is. You hit a perfect drive down the middle of fairways but there’ no guarantee for a good next shot. It’s hard to establish a level stance on an uneven and undulating grounds. Expletives again.
We cooled off after the round of golf with some bottles of beer, inihaw and kinilaw at the resort of their fellow brod who owns the Pool House Fernandez in Indangan, Buhangin Davao City.
“What happened to your handicapping system?” asked my cousin Willie as we partake the sumptuous lunch prepared by our host. This writer answered back by referring him back to the previous column I wrote about the matter.
“I’ve heard that many golfers cried unfair. No details were given in the latest posting of the NGAP WHS but instead its only names and handicap index unlike the GHIN (Golf Handicap Information Network) which we use in the US. It has details. Your system should be improved.” Willie added.
Cheers on that Willie. That’s our wish, us locals here in Davao and to the rest of the members of the more than 111 golf clubs in the country.
Golf is a big tourist attraction in the country. Davao City has three golf courses to offer with varying characteristic and beauty. Davao is a golf haven if you are a serious golfer and its proximity around the metropolis is a big plus. The furthest golf course is only about 30 minutes away from Davao downtown.
And so I went home at the end of the day to sum up my Valentine’s day. Soft bed in an air conditioned room, hot soup for dinner and a warm shower?
I slept on the couch of the living room. Alone with electric fan, no dinner and an ignoring wife who locked me out of our bedroom door.
All is fair in love and golf? You tell me.
