EIGHTY

May 21 - As you know by now I am into golf. I still suck at it (current handicap about a 22 but I continue to plug away after some 30 years. We live across the street from Apo and I would like to play about 5 times a week. I haven't been able to get into that routine yet but am hoping too soon. My best round in life is an 84 and when I left Florida I was fairly consistent there shooting between 88 and 93. Right now I am playing from the back tees of APO Golf Club and managing some pars, bogeys and double bogey's which is not bad considering the additional 30 - 40 yards of length added to the hole back from the regular white tees. Despite the high scores, I am still getting on many of the greens in regulation or one off that so it is my putting that is killing me with many 3 putts on these lighting fast greens with some ridiculous breaks.

The pro is suggesting that when I move back to the white tees in a month or two, my game should be much improved and my handicap from there will be way down giving me consistent rounds in the low 80's. I can hardly wait. But that won't happen until I get better control of my drives which I still slice badly at times and focus more on my previous strong point my putting which has also gone down the toilet LOL In a nutshell I still suck!!! but there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am hitting the ball much better with my irons allowing me to get on the greens despite my driver slicing problem.All that's left are the greens. Another story.

Today I decided to try and capture some of the course in pictures. It is a very challenging course and even though it is completely flat it still requires more ball accuracy than most courses you might play. Unfortunately, the pictures don't do justice to the course veracity. Nevertheless, you can get some idea.

The front nine is a good one for the ego. A couple of challenging holes but for the most part pretty straight forward and tune up for the truly ball breaking back 9. And the greens can make you crazy with so many speeds and breaks.

380 Yard Par 4. The easiest hole on the course. A straight line to the hole. Almost impossible to find trouble here. A good first hole ego booster.

420 Yard Par 4. Slight bend to left. Drive up to the canal running across the fairway about 280 out. Must stay center or right. Anything to the left and you are blocked to the green by trees.

520 Yard Par 5. Not much too it. Keep your drive center or left. Trouble on right side.

185 Yard Par 3. You need to hit a fairly straight drive. Left are trees and right is sand.

380 Yard Par 4. Similar to the #3 Par 5. Stay center or left on your drive and then a straight beeline to the green.

560 Yard Par 5. The first real challenging hole among many to come. A sharp dog leg right. You must get your drive at least 260 yards dead center or left or you won't be far enough to clear the trees on the right leading to the green 240 yards away. Two canals on the fairway one about 185 out just before the green. If you place your ball properly an easy par or possibly birdie.

180 Yard Par 3. Nice elevated green with traps to the left and right and a canal about 150 out. Stay straight and you'll be fine.

375 Yard Par 4. Very challenging Par 4. Another one of those dog legs that require a precision drive. This one is a left so drive must go straight or to the right to get past the trees. There is also a canal in the running across the fairway about 200 out. 3 Wood or iron is suggested

400 Yard Par 4. Fairly straight forward par 4. Straight drive and then easy 2nd to the green.

385 Yard Par 4. Another hole that requires a straight to slightly left drive of at least 230 yards to get past the trees on the right. Too far left and you leave yourself a huge second shot to the green. Traps to the left and right of the green.

150 Yard Par 3. Over water tells the story. Not very intimidating to tell the truth. Try it from the back tees for more adventure.

450 Yard Par 4. Very narrow drive line to the fairway. Canal about 280 out. Straigh to slightly left drive a neccessity.

508 Yard Par 5. Two canals on this fairway. Stay straight to slightly left on the drive. Otherwise pretty straight forward.

394 Yard Par 4.

400 Yard Par 4

320 Yard Par 4

156 Yard Par 3

463 Yard Par 4

Playing golf here in the Philippines is really a different world. As I've mentioned countless times the Philippines is a great country to have people do things for you on the cheap. Labor is extremely cheap and plentiful. This has particular positive applications especially in things of a recreational nature. (yes massage and paid sex are cheap here as well! LOL. I only partake in straight massage)

For example, today I observed one player and this could easily apply to anyone including myself being able to benefit from this. I found it amusing and even a little weird for me as a western mentality not accustomed to being pampered in this manner. Anyway, I will leave judgment to you. This particular gentlemen happened to be the President of Apo Golf Club.

This is golf in the Philippines. He had:

1. someone to put on and tie his golf shoes;
2. a Golf Pro on the course to instruct him;
3. a Caddy to tee up his ball and then retrieve the tee after the hit, give him yardage, read his greens, clean his golf balls and clubs during and after play;
4. an Umbrella girl to keep the sun off;
5. a Ball Boy to retrieve any balls that went OB or into a hazard like water; (yes the boy will swim for balls hit into the water)
6. his own Golf Cart

Pretty amazing right. You know the expression "Don't Judge a book by its cover" Well even though this seemed very extravagant it wasn't at all relatively speaking. It was about the cost of a round of golf on a typical public course in the USA without a caddy, golf cart, ball boy or umbrella girl.

BACK<<<<<<<< >>>>>EIGHTYONE

2005 Home, 1a,1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,
2006 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,
200729, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54,
2008 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77,78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90,91
2009 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109,110, 111, 112, 113,
2010 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150