Twenty-eight players including one promising new member got the thrills to play last Sunday at Royal Ontario golf course because of getting a break from the weather, finally. The weather men forecasted a day or two earlier of rain and thunderstorm all day. Never happened. They could be wrong at times and their noses getting longer every time they gave a weather forecast and the opposite happened.  At twenty-five degrees Celsius, it was kind of muggy and very humid. We could not complain. We’d take this kind of weather phenomena any day of the week…..er every Sunday. That was sure funny when you looked at the weekly weather forecast for the past month showing every day with sun coming out and no sign of precipitation except, yes except Sunday.

Sunday’s golf banter: SGC got this golf course eaten alive by its members as indicated by low scores turned in by the players. How could I say that? It was haunting though for I knew some of the players who could not get it going on this golf course had for sure shown us yesterday as if they were playing on the final day Sunday at the US Open. One memorable score simply aghast the membership when someone carded a net of 62. Dave Nelson who skipped the GTAA Interleague Tournament a Sunday ago outfoxed the field with that low net tally. SGC could have used that kind of scoring at the GTAA event, could we not? Dave N. is considered one of those who possessed the sweetest golf swings we have ever seen. Nicely done.

 

It was deliberated yesterday that it was a Korean Sunday. Sam K. convincingly took the Nassau front while Seho O. with that magic drink of his, captured the back nine. Not to be outdone ReyMac got the overall.

In the sharpshooting contest, again it was Sam K. got his mojo going by firing the closest to the pin on hole 8. Joey C. who also was the first one to be closest to hole 8 but got beaten by Sam, won the par 3 eleventh.

Bring your A-game next week as it is Super Series Sunday and the culmination of race to month two. Good luck to all.

 

 

 

Congratulations to the winners. Thanks for the round of drinks.

Visit our Lighten up your day section and check the joke of the week. SGC encourages its members to check and learn the process of calculating golf handicaps. Please check the front page to access it.

2015 GTAA Interleague Tournament at Bethesda Grange Golf Course – over and done with. Players came and went – 137 of them last Sunday. First of all in behalf of SGC (Sierra Golf Club) members, a heartfelt congratulations to SOGA for winning the solid team championship. Extra appreciation to PHILCAN for hosting this year’s event. We all knew how hard it was to organize a participated sporting event like this one most especially without the cooperation of Mother Nature. SGC would like to thank PHILCAN President Junn Siao as well as his members for a job well done.

PROS & CONS at yesterday’s event: PROS – PHILCAN’s determination to continue to get going with this event that was plagued with rain all day. It was really pouring out there even before the shotgun start went underway but the downpour slowed down a bit throughout the round.  Mostly thought that this bad weather might cause a cancellation of this event and a re-schedule was in the offing but most of these probabilities were considered improbable. CONS – a number of different club members who did not bother lingering around until the ceremony was over. A slap in the face to a hosting club. Every participating player knew that this kind of event which happened only once a year was an all-day affair……or more. So please, spare us the excuses. Gone were the days of mutual respect and sportsmanship, you’d think?

SGC’s worthwhile effort to compete at last Sunday’s event was a tad fruitful after all. SGC was proud to thank majority of the members who showed up and supported this event. Golf as we all knew was not easy to compete as a team. So we looked at this on a different light – as an individual sport like as always. SGC bragged about the performance of two members who according to Junn Siao was the “best of the best” during the award ceremony as   he referred to the best gross score by a player. Jimmy Manguerra who posted an impressive gross round score of 77 romped away as the best player in the field. Guess who secured the second best gross? Our very own Rene Querubin who carded gross score of 80. Yes folks, these two SGC members provided the best one-two punch for the day’s event.

Other SGC individual winners: Rene Q. – Nassau overall net (67) score of class A;  Paolo B. – Nassau net (30) back corner of class A; Eddie I. – longest drive.

Ed I.

 

Congratulations to all winners. ‘Til then, see you next year.

Twenty-seven players couldn’t be wrong when they said that playing golf last Sunday at Maples of Ballantrae was almost ideal weather. Mother nature treated them with twenty-one degrees Celsius  temps – not so cold, not so hot. The golf course itself was another story though. Cement liked bunkers and most of the greens were jumpy with bald spot conditions. A cold front sweeping late afternoon start was no bothersome either as golfers always expected the weather to turn things around at any given time. I heard one of the players telling another player  “Stop complaining. Avoid hitting your ball to those bunkers. That’s all”. To tell you the truth, no one cared that much of the temperature & course conditions as everyone was raring to go after being futile a week ago due to a round cancellation at flooded Royal Woodbine golf course.

Sunday’s banter: It never failed that there was always someone who would make the best of the worst conditions and would get the last laugh. This time another Montilla topped Sunday’s tournament by carding a net score of 72. A younger J.C. Montilla following his big brother’s win two weeks ago staged a top prize for himself by winning the day’s award. JC M. must be feeling good as indicated by his net score that this golf course was surprisingly as pressing.

Nassau corners: A newly free from work obligations Rey P. as a retiree, took the front nine as well as tying Ricky R. for the overall. Coming from the abyss was Eddie I. who grabbed the back nine.

 

 

 

 

Closest to the pin: The ever consistent Ed P. seized hole number six as Seho O. who was aided by a ‘wonder liquid’ that he drank got the tenth hole.

 

 

 

 

Manny C. who regularly winning something like closest to the pin, shot an eagle on par five hole eleventh.

Sierra Minutes: SGC welcomes our newest member, Ron Wilson. A recruit by our 2010 POY champ, Paolo B.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Participating members in the coming GTAA Interleague golf tournament this Sunday are encouraged to arrive earlier than usual for registration purposes and for a quick huddle regarding SGC’s hosting this very same event next year. SGC wishes to thank members for supporting this event. Good luck and have fun.

Aside from being a difficult golf course, this Kaneff/Lionhead/Legend golf course was not played often enough by most of the members and surprisingly, even the location of drop areas were confusingly unknown to the players if there were any. So the best worse score had to win, correct? No excuses? Counting on guts, preparation, and ability, this course in a kind of macho talk would separate the boys from the men. Just jesting. In reality, this course could be had if this course was played on a regular basis. For sure some members with outstanding groundwork and course management would consider this course as easy, performance wise. Nothing impossible if you wanted it badly.

As suggested by one member – Bingoy P. – the next time SGC includes this course in our sched, foursomes and threesomes should be put in the same group with relation to tee boxes of choice. Makes sense to speed up the game as the location of tee boxes involved are peculiarly & widely alienated. SGC with lots of rational ideas will consider this set up to all courses that we play, we hope. Anything to speed up the game.

Sunday’s banter: As mentioned above, the strain to play this golf course made players sighing heavily after the round. Forty-eight percent of the players did not break the gross mark score of 100; noticeably high handicappers. What would this tell you? Yes, the long hitters were mostly the ones who broke 100; with only one player breaking 80 gross score. After everything was said & done only one player stood out to deservingly award the day’s prize by scoring the only net score of 67 – a number crunch. Mike Montilla, may I remind you as SGC’s 2007 POY and with his mojo going, garnered the lowest net of the day credibly. It was a long time coming, right Mike? There was golf god after all. Congrats for a job well done.

Nassau corners: Jimmy M. who was the only player to break 80 by carding a gross score of 76 took both the front nine & overall. RayMac playing in his first game got his back nine counted by staging his membership entry on time. This was the second time a member playing for his very first game won a prize.

Sharp shooting contest: Mike C. back from a long vacation got the closest to pin number three; Dave N. shot it the closest on hole number thirteen.

Super Series: The following players got richer this weekend – Jimmy M. (1), Manny M, (2), Eddie I. (3), Jojo D. (4). For curiosity sake, these players were only separated by just a mere stroke between them except for the winner. That how close it was.

Monthly winners: No one else could catch Ed P., erstwhile winner Jimmy M. took second place, & joining the group for third place was Ross B.

 

That was that for a fruitful Sunday. Congratulations to all winners.

Sorry folks but there was not much to write about. It was kind of hard to story tell if you were not around to play golf on a Sunday at Kingsforest golf course. No thought-provoking feedback from players to make this edition of SGC’s fourth round of the season something to get excited about. At least twenty-two players showed up including two guests.

Sunday’s winners: He’s baaaaaaaaack. First time out, first win. Sennix Bontigao opened his SGC season with a victory, marching to a best net of 71. He outclassed the closest player in his tail by mere two strokes. Judging by the high scores along with a small field, Sunday’s round must be quite a puzzle and at the same time a brainteaser to the players in attendance. Someone had to win, right? Kingsforest still got its legacy as one of the top courses in our schedule. Award yourself with the day’s prize, Sennix B. Well done.

Nassau: Sennix B. with his virtuous performance grabbed the front nine as well as the overall; nice to hear from Manny M. by winning the back nine.

Closest to the pin: Jun P. playing in his only second game shot it closest on hole seventh while Rey P.  seized the fourteenth hole with a demure shot.

Rey P.

 

Thanks to fries and a round of drinks courtesy of Sennix B.

Congratulations to the winners.

Third golf game of the season and it was exercising while socialising, catching up with friends, and had a bit of friendly competition. Twenty-four players showed up at Royal Woodbine golf course last Sunday playing in a twenty-eight degree Celsius and of course not to mention the exasperating heat due to a strong case of humidity. Play was suspended for a while because of the threat of lightning but we were allowed to get back on to the course and finished the round.

Sunday’s banter: It was only the first group of four players that was able to finish the round completely before the play interruption because of the weather that got a bit worse late afternoon. It was in this group that one member had one stellar day. Jimmy Manguerra made his move with a stunning front nine of four under par, shooting in his second shot for albatross on the third par five hole and got himself a nice prize reward by making the putt for eagle. Mind you, Jimmy was putting for eagle at all par 5s that this course had to offer. He lived up to his billing as the best-ranked player in the field by signing a gross score of 69. Yes folks that was not a net score. In so doing, he joined a select group of SGC players who broke 70 in a SGC sanctioned event. Later he asserted that this was his golf’s Everest moment after understandably done in a tournament play. Sometimes you needed to tip your cap and would say ‘great playing’ to someone who did all that. I happened to be in the very same foursome watching in awe this kind of performance. Did somebody mention that this golf course was considered Jimmy’s home course? Why, you asked? He together with a few members are members of this golf course for twilight playing privileges. Does it matter….or not? It surely helped.

Nassau: Jimmy M. who else could win the front nine and the overall convincingly? Ed P.who got another win for three straight weeks now shared the back nine with Bingoy P.

Closest to the pin: Jimmy M. got it close four inches to the fourth hole while Jojo D. shot the closest to the tenth hole pin.

Thanks for the round of drinks from the day’s winner Jimmy M.

Congrats to the winners.

A day in a life of a golfer. Nothing but nothing a golfer wishes when it is time to come out and play golf but to catch a day with the sun shining brightly, feel a warm refreshing light breeze in the air and play without a chance of unfavourable weather conditions unexpectedly to occur. Well, weather temperature was close to that day when twenty-six players plus two guests showed up last Sunday at Royal Ontario golf course. Cloudy periods most of the day welcomed players with temperature warming up to comfortable eighteen degrees Celsius. Only hitch was the golf course surprised members with pricey green fee compared from last year. Anyway it was nice to see familiar faces playing for the first time armed with hope of a noble productive enjoyable year…don’t we all? Bless us all for the good health that is given to us.

Sunday’s golf chatter: This next story is merely a metaphor of unique achievements. Nothing else. In the1980 Kentucky Derby horse race which was the first leg of the prestigious Triple Crown, there was this only filly entree trying to run against the boys. The horse – Genuine Risk, not only won the race but she was just the second filly to win the notable event at that time. In the history of this race only three fillies up to now were able to win the derby. In our sport, golf that is, proves that gender means nothing when it comes to playing golf. This next thing is what’s going to get you. What could you say about someone who did not touch a golf club until game time? Most of us would say that there was no way you’d be playing at the top of your game and be number one result wise. It did not really matter folks. A win was a win. Lina Mayo brimming with a shot of confidence demonstrated that last Sunday by scorching the difficult course and the field by carding a net score of 65. She got rewarded with the day’s prize and left the boys behind her lost in her dust. Well done.

Nassau corners: Ed P. still fresh from a hot sweep a week ago grabbed the front nine while Bert C. took the back. Joey C. together with yet again Ed P. shared the lowest total score.

Appreciated a round of drinks provided by Ed P.

We are still hoping for these SGC regulars – Sennix B., Don D., Oscar J., Saed J., Rey Mac., Exe N., Jun P., & Julio R. – to come and join us.

Congratulations to the winners.

Another summer season to look forward to. Opening round at Century Pines welcomed twenty-one players with a feeble temperature of twelve degrees Celsius at tee time with the sun coming out intermittently out of cloudy periods. The wind did not help at all going to the back nine by making it a single digit temperature. This year for sure we lost a few members but rumours swirling around that horde of new members are hoarding around to join SGC this year. This one we ought to wait and see. Looks promising this year to greet members with new local rules, prizes, schedule, promises of new swings, game plan approaches together with a lot of chatter that transpired during the winter season. Some went out of the country to try warmer golf climate elsewhere. Before we go any further, SGC in behalf of the members would like to once again congratulate our last year’s winners:

POY (Player of the Year) Jojo Dizon

Senior POY Ricky Reyes

MIP (Most Improved Player) Jojo Dizon,

Lowest Gross Champion Jimmy Manguerra

So much for all the hoopla, what ensued last Sunday?

According to this SGC member it was two years ago when with a rational of thinking that his current golf swing looked dreadful to win, he asked the aid of a very “dear” friend to change things around. He said his sweeping improvement at the end of last year helped him in the season opening round of SGC’s new golf season. This member’s performance last Sunday was with a good amount of confidence. Ed Peñas remembered in particular the wisdom of calm as he was able to sustain down the stretch at Century Pines golf course. Ed awarded his heavy load of work the past two years with a win, carding himself the lowest net of the day of 65. He became the first recipient of the day’s lowest net prize which the membership voted back in to the list of prizes this year. It was a startling sweep as he took all of Nassau corners. We’d like to know who this friend was that abetted him with his swing.

Look Ma, no hands…..er keys. A funny thing happened at the golf course. This next story would tickle your fancy. No intentions of making fun or offense to players involved but this was just for clean fun of storytelling.

Mar DV. got locked out of his car at the parking lot of the golf course – a BMW mind you – keys, golf clubs, personal belongings and all inside the car. CAA was called but could not unlock the car. Car dealer was sought as well but to no avail either. Finally for the last resort Manny M. was nice enough to let Mar used his cell phone to call Mar’s son to come over to the golf course for the extra key and helped him get out of his misery. It was getting close to tee time so Joey C. announced to members that Mar could share clubs with his group – Pat D., & Eddie I. – because of his situation. Agreed, no penalty whatsoever. It turned out that Mar was finding it hard to adapt to using unfamiliar golf clubs in the front nine. I guessed nobody could blame him for that. Luckily his son arrived to unlock his car in time to get his golf clubs for the back nine. But surprisingly, lucking out Mar again struggled with his swing from the sudden club switch with his very own clubs in the back nine. To make the story short, somewhere during the round, on one of the holes, Mar was teeing off from the white tees when he mishit his drive that dropped close to the red tees. Eddie I. ready with a quip said wittingly to Pat D. “There you go Pat, you outdrove Mar without even hitting your ball”.

Sorry Mar, but you’re a good sport.

WANTED: A volunteer to run the par 3 closest to the pin contest. Responsibilities: Designate which two of par 3 holes for the contest; collect money for the contest before a round. SGC would like to thank Bong M. for running this contest for years.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Next Sunday, May 3, 2015 is the deadline for membership fee as well as the entry fee for the senior contest. Bingoy P., SGC treasurer, awaits you Sunday at Royal Ontario.

Password change to all sensitive materials posted on our website is due to change after this Sunday at Royal Ontario.

Stay healthy folks, see you this weekend.

A 15 mph wind made for a very chilly day with temperatures in the 12 degrees, but it was not nearly as bad as the forecast on what  was supposed to be a wet, gray day like the days before last Sunday. Feared not though, if you were looking for a lot cooler temps it did not happen last weekend but the scenic escape, none was better than traditional aerials of golf’s landscape at the Kingsforest golf course. If you really love golf, you also understand the game struggles to grow beyond its niche without worrying about weather conditions as long as you are well prepared whatever circumstance may prevail. A myriad of players still remained in the hunt after the last GAME of the season. Playing or not, what else to watch for in this Sunday’s to set you up for what should be a big boy weekend of golf. So much at stake, we all knew it. Pressure in its eminence, the margins were small, and the variables were big.

It maybe not to a golf pro’s degree but SGC’s POY is the ultimate measure of personal gratification and merit. Something to brag about when it comes to questions like “Have you ever won anything?” Winning the POY is the pinnacle. Who is the Player of the Year? By the numbers, by the money, by consistency, by any fair measure of the whole season, the player who has a better summer season than anyone else. What that means is when you get a chance to win, you better take it because it doesn’t happen all that often. The calm and measured way Jojo Dizon went about playing his golf this year, Jojo entered every weekend in contention again and again that was where the story began. He had occupied that spot for the better part of a year. Yes, but ultimately, it was the finish that mattered and that was what Jojo Dizon did in great fashion by finishing his great quest winning the POY award. I asked him what made the difference for his accomplishment and this was what he said:

“All I can say is I would like to thank Jimmy M. and Manny C. for teaching me on my golf swing (I owe it to them) before the season started especially Jimmy for having the patience; he didn’t give up on me and also for the whole Sierra golf Club”.

Well said, indeed.

Another award of the year no doubt could serve as SGC golfing highlight of some significance is the Senior POY. We all do get old, do we not? Even in their twilights, these senior members are sure to have more than a few flashes of brilliance left in them. It was truly amazing, and a privilege to witness at the highest level of golf being seen in a different light. Even though not everyone could win, SGC would like to thank all the seniors who entered and participated in this contest. Way to go seniors!  The best intentions don’t always equal the best actions. Take for instance the case of one cast away member from years ago who came back and joined SGC this year. He was told that he was going to go through SGC’s new member handicapping process first to get officially tagged of his official personal handicap. Knowing that his first games were all throw away, he still entered the Senior POY contest without hesitation. Guess what? Ricky Reyes staged a good platform, self-belief, and good timing that couldn’t have been better, paid immediate dividends by winning the Senior POY.

Food for thought: We are all proud to reach out for the unfortunate people that got hit in the southern Philippines by the devastating typhoon last year. Members were quite fast enough to react and donated humanitarian aid to those affected by the typhoon. Thanks to all who donated. I cannot forget bragging this SGC’s modest feat to my classmates and friends from back home and in North America. SGC is not just a golf club, thank you very much.

Thanks to all SGC volunteers for the hard work and contributions who made this year another successful year. You know who you are.

Congratulations to all winners.

And we were then, as we are now.

Have a safe winter. Goodbye to everyone.

October. Autumn leaves changing color. Cold temps. To most golfers like us at this time of year, we expected colder temperatures. But wait; at twenty-five degrees Celcius last Sunday at Kingsforest golf course, we were blessed with that warm idyllic weather aside from the slight breeze humming over our heads. Thirty-three players sweated it out but approvingly no complaints whatsoever as far as the weather conditions were concerned. How could we? Game one of two games of Grand Finals just concluded and a lot at stake for the grand finale next Sunday including Super Series Sunday, Most Improved Player, & Monthly not to mention the most coveted of them all SGC titles – POY and Senior POY. For most of us who are not contending for the above mentioned awards, we are still invigorated of winning other prizes such as Nassau corners, closest to the pin contest and the bragging rights of scoring the lowest net. Why not so?

SGC welcomes once again new members this year. They proved that after their agonizing initiation stage – handicapping process, adjusting to new acquaintances et al, they participated in joining SGC’s fun contests and winning – the  Don Cs. the Brian Ks.,  the Rickey Rs. to name a few. I believed we all went through this process at one point, did we not? One veteran golfer who just joined us this year, Ross B. finally showed his true grit with his savvy golf skills to win in 16 & under format contest. Ross would be one of those to be reckoned with in years to come – contending, if not winning most often than not.

Nassau: We have a mainstay member who has the most peculiar ability to pick the right time to get his golf game in tip top shape whenever he wants to. Sennix B. signed in a net of 69, the only score of the day that was in the 60s earning him solo 50 points. He won the back nine and total convincingly. Jojo D. who is always in the hunt nowadays got the front nine with a gross score of 39. Now try to beat that people. Nice.

Exe N.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 & under Nassau format:

Front:  Ross B.

Back:  Ed I., Oscar J., Exe N., Rene Q.

Total:  Ross B., Jojo D.

 

Closest to the pin:

4 –  Dave N.

7 –  Don C.

15 –  Oscar J.

17 –  Mar DV.

 

 

 

 

 

Kindly check all scores for other results, standings and who’s making a move at our regular web site.

Congratulations to all winners. Good luck to all this week.