How about this soaking wet Century Pines golf course last Sunday? Sun did come out at 24 degrees Celsius for twenty-six players but because of the rain fallout prior to that day, most players wished they could have worn rubber boots instead playing a round of golf. It was splish-splash as we navigated throughout the wet course, but a true golfer would never complain as long as there was a golf venue that would allow to play a round of golf. I heard tales about losing golf balls that were directly hit into the fairway. As a matter of fact, I found a deeply imbedded golf ball in the fairway mud that belonged to the one of the players ahead of us. Plausible water, water everywhere preceded every one’s mind on this golf course every time it rained due to poor drainage system. Aside from the muddy phenomena, SGC found out that the 11:00 o’clock AM pre-sched reserved way back two months ago was re-sched to 12 PM without notification from management. With a bad history from Kaneff every year, they seemed to surprise us again and again. I wonder if this happened to other organizations that played Kaneff’s golf courses?

Regardless of the wet golf course conditions, someone had to score better than anybody else. Although a few of those players who played undisturbed by the wet conditions, they drew attention by carving out remarkable low gross scoring as if they were walking on water – Jimmy Manguerra, Joe Lewis, & Bingoy Peña carding 74, 77, & 78 respectively. It was too bad not all of them could not be rewarded with the prize ‘cuz of handicap differentials resulting toward a net score that really counted. It is surprising at times indeed that you can be head to head competing with the golf elites. Everyone experiences that unforgettable moment when you are having a good day.

From L to R: Jimmy Manguerra, Bingoy Peña, Joe Lewis

The prize of the day went to Bingoy Peña with that noteworthy gross score of 78. He also won the Nassau back nine with net 29 and the total net score. The little-known Bert Cerrudo grabbed the Nassau front nine. Bingoy if I recall, broke the record for the monthly series with a total of three lowest net score last year with below 200 strokes. This moment was a big chance to write a few appreciative things about the winner of this day prize, Bingoy Peña while he was at the top of the world for a day. As any SGC member would agree with me, we would like to thank Bingoy and his wife Ely for opening their home to us as often as possible, whether it be a club meeting, karaoke, watching TV coverage of b-ball games & golf, or simply dining. Despite of the couple’s hard work and preparation to accommodate us all, we are always welcome to their beautiful home.

Par 3 closest to the pin contest: We haven’t heard from Manny Marquez for quite sometime now as he does not play regularly with us due to work conflict, but he made sure he got mentioned on this page by hitting the closest shot to the fifth sloping left pin hidden behind the front greenside bunker. The longer fifteenth hole also with the pin hidden after the left front bunker, was owned by Joey Cruz. Two weeks in a row for Joey.

From L to R: Manny Marquez, Joey Cruz

Congratulations to all winners.

ANNOUNCEMENT: SGC announces ahead of time the annually held BLIND PARTNER contest to be held tentatively on July 7, 2019 at Kingsforest. A final date announcement will be posted soon. This event posting is mainly for new members who are not aware of this contest; please read on. First, the good news. SGC will provide the drinks, hamburger sandwich & fries dinner or whatever the golf course kitchen is offering after the round, free of charge. Now the bad news. This event is mandatory for all members showing up to play with a contest fee of $20. SGC suggests and to make it clear enough, if you decide to show up that Sunday, joining the contest is a must. Your chosen partner is selected through a draw, that’s is why it is tagged as Blind Partner. So, you’d wish you’ve picked the right partner that submitted a low score as good as yours, or better. Top four with lowest total net score partnership win a prize. Other rules regarding this contest is posted on our web site – check the Local Rule. This contest is just a way to break the monotony in our 25-round schedule. SGC strongly recommends you join the fun. It is not appropriate to have guests playing at this particular event.

You were all aware of a proposal a week ago via email by one of the members, Jimmy Manguerra to change the new USGA rule about OB & lost ball issues. As we prepared to tee off last Sunday at Century Pines, the proposal was presented to the members present to get their votes. It was approved by majority of votes. It will be added & written to SGC’s Local Rule soon and will be in effect for the rest of the summer tournament.

Finally at long last, we got the golf weather provided by Mother Nature with twenty-eight players including two guests last Sunday at Royal Woodbine golf course. It was a cool twenty -three degrees Celsius and the funny thing about it was, rain came pouring down right after the last group of players submitted their respective scorecards. Someone was watching from upstairs, didn’t you think? We welcome these members as they showed up to play with us for the first time – Fred Halili, Jun Paculaba, and Ron Wilson. Glad to see you all back. Members were still buzzing about the new USGA rules most specially the OB & lost ball issues but SGC maintained its position on imposing the rule of no more hitting provisional shot regarding these issues. This is becoming old news folks, as we are on our sixth-round next week already.

From L to R: Fred Halili, Jun Paculaba, Ron Wilson

Abundance of anxiety existed as last week was the culmination of monthly and Super Series week. Too early to tell but if you are not named Rey Plaza, you are left in his dust with his extraordinary numbers for the past three weeks now. When quantity meets quality, Rey Plaza is both – quantity by winning the day prize three weeks in a row; quality by carding a net in the high 60s. . Let me see, Rey shared the lowest net of the day with a newbie, Fred Bataclan with both carding net score of 69. He also won running away the Month 1 contest as well as the Super Series 1 plus the Nassau total net. Wasn’t this great?

Fred Bataclan, a former Philcan member, equaled the lowest net of the day with 69 giving him a share with Rey Plaza the day prize and the Nassau total net as mentioned above but also giving himself a solo prize of the Nassau back nine. Played with this guy two weeks ago and I noticed his alarming high GIR every time he teed off most specially on par fours. A well-rounded player, I reckoned.

Other Nassau winner included JC Montilla who’s got a habit of showing up just about when the first group is about to tee off, won the front.

How’s your accuracy shot? In the closest to the pin contest, Joey Cruz’ nice shot on the seventh par 3 got him the prize while another smooth swinging veteran member Dave Nelson claimed the longer fifteenth hole.

From L to R: Joey Cruz, Dave Nelson

Congratulations to the winners.

Dreadful. Awful. That was the case last Sunday at Royal Ontario for SGC’s fourth round of golf. We were almost mid-May and the weather continually not giving this part of the region a change for the better that much. The miserable weather battered the course for almost the entire day, with incessant, sputtering droplets of rain together with gruesome wind that made it in low six degrees Celsius. The cold weather deteriorated from bothersome to brutal as our round was finally abandoned.

Actually, admiration to those players who showed up but gave up teeing off that day and decided to go home. A few of them who were not deterred by the situation, still got off to start the round but never quite finished. As a matter of fact, only two players bravely finished the round. No other player submitted a full scorecard.

What else is new? Oh yeah, unless you are out of town somewhere in remote boondocks, Toronto is still buzzing about the Raptors going to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Thanks to that amazing shot by Kawhi Leonard with 4.2 seconds to go in game 7 that eliminated the Sixers. Toronto is not dubbed “LeBronto” anymore. GO Raptors GO!

PGA Championship one of four majors this Thursday with you know who is playing. Good forecast of average 20 degrees Celsius on that final Sunday with zero precipitation.

What about our Super Series Sunday at Royal Woodbine? 16 to 23 degrees Celsius with 70% precipitation, partially cloudy & sunny.

See you there and please confirm your attendance by Wednesday.

Facts of life: Aging – by definition, it is the process of getting old. Are you thinking of extra candles on the birthday cake, the little lines in your face you notice in the mirror? Listening to the sound of cracking body joints with every movement? Like the rest of us, we feel not that good. On the other hand, age also brings wisdom and balance. Lots and lots to consider the benefits that come with age. For those of our fellow SGC members who are struggling to cope with health issues and not able to join us play golf and compete, we all hope to see you all and join us play. So, to Ross Bautista, Pat DeOca, Fred Halili, Ed Ilao, Bong Munson, & Jun Paculaba, in behalf of the rest of SGC members we wish to get you playing sooner than expected. And as well as others who have business commitment and other related family & priority reasons like Sam Kim, Lina Mayo, & Ron Wilson who were unable to shoot their first tee shot with us yet. We miss you all. SGC also relishes the idea of getting the support and still playing with fire in their hearts, our young at hearts – Sennix Bontigao, Joey Cruz, Mar DeVeyra, Exe Navarette, Seho Oh, Bingoy Peña, Rey Plaza, Ray Macapagal & Jess Velarde. You all look great.

How do you like them apples? SGC welcomes back after a year or two of hiatus, Manny Chea & Sopheara Tuy as well as four new members – Fred Bataclan, Roy Gomez, Joe Lewis, & Sangva Sok. Hope you enjoy your new company. So far, the number of paid members after last Sunday are totaling to thirty-two. Yes, we are growing.

Let’s get on with the competition. Last Sunday at Springfield golf course was surprisingly unusual. Why? Three things were on hand. One was the golf course announced the prohibited use of power carts due to wet conditions; secondly, the high numbers of players who showed up; thirdly, the ideal, beautiful sunny weather that got better with 20 degrees Celsius. What is the difference between half-empty tank and half-full tank? I’ll leave it with you. Rey Plaza is neither, mind you. After no bewilderment about Rey winning a week ago, he did it again last Sunday. So, with his full tank under his control, Rey signed his scorecard with a net 69. Not only he won the day prize tying Roy Gomez but garnered the Nassau front as well. Rey sure is front running way ahead the SPOY contest and POY. It looks now that he is a sure bet for the monthly award. Roy Gomez who just joined us this year surprised no one winning the Nassau back nine and tying Rey with total net score ‘cuz a few members knew him with his high caliber golf skills. Only two net scores in the 60s submitted yesterday.

 

Par 3 contest: Didn’t I tell you weeks prior that Julio Rodriguez seldom comes home empty handed every time he tees off? Julio did win again, hitting the closest on hole fourth. Another new comer Fred Bataclan who used to play with our GTA rival Philcan organization, smoothly got the fourteenth hole beating Rey Plaza’s shot by merely six inches.

Congratulations to the winners.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Password change on our website after next Sunday.

Although conditions remained surprisingly playable for much of the afternoon given the forecast of a cool eleven degrees Celsius last Sunday, the sun was out with a slight breeze over our heads but got warmer in mid-afternoon. Carlisle golf course was in pretty dry condition even with rain the past few days. Only fifteen players showed up and played, I guess no one could be blamed for not showing up because of the weather and the uncomfortable wearing of irritating layers of warm clothing. Well, second round of the year is in the books and here we go.

Another plenty left in the tank moment for Rey Plaza as he maneuvered a magical Sunday round. Little did we know that Rey’s pursuit brought him a day prize with a staggering net round score of 66 with no one else closer except Erland Ibañez with a net of 69. Rey must be instilling himself a wealth of confidence heading to third game of the monthly race as he now leads by three over Julio Rodriguez with a total of 148 with three games to go. With that win, Rey also grabbed the Nassau front nine and the total net. What a way to go Mr. Plaza.

Capturing the best Nassau back nine scoring went to Joey Cruz and Erland Ibañez both with a dashing net of 32.

 

Accuracy shot: We have a new sheriff in town…er I meant a new member with an intimidating array of precision swings, Joe Lewis (no, not that Joe Lewis the “Brown Bomber” ex-pugilist) fired the closest shot on the par 3 sixteenth hole. Last Sunday’s day winner, Julio Rodriguez did not go home empty handed by claiming the fourth hole.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Springfield Golf Club in Guelph area is our venue for this Sunday, and we were told by management that due to rain the past few days and this morning, the course is soaking wet most specially the back nine. We were told that they might stop the use of power carts if the wet conditions keep up. Springfield to let us know this Friday afternoon whether the use of power carts is possible.

This Sunday is your last chance to pay your membership fee as it was extended due to weather and other reasons. SGC’s bank account is not yet capable of money e-transfer, so please bring cash or issue a cheque. Scores for this Sunday and previous rounds are deemed null without membership fee.

UPDATE: Springfield just confirmed two hours ago that there will be no renting of power carts for this Sunday due to wet conditions, unless some drastic things happen. Springfield also offered $35 with pull cart tax included to those walking the course.