SGC would like to thank and appreciate this member’s recruiting efforts. At the start of the season, Ed Ilao persuaded three people to join SGC’s summer past time and impulsively added another one of late. Ed proudly claims that because of his well-liked personality and swayed ability, almost half of current members were his recruits. A wild remote guess is that Ed sidelines as an employment recruiter for one of the job agencies in town. Don’t you think so?

SGC welcomes our newest member, Nayem Baig. Hang in there big fella.

We would like to encourage new members who are not too familiar with golf rules to try to learn and acquaint themselves with the subject by helping themselves to at least read and understand golf basic rules. Reading materials are widely available on golf online sites. But surely enough, it is no surprise to anyone that any SGC member would be glad to enlighten you most of these rules accordingly as we go about enjoying our season. There is never a  doubt of applying these worthy rules not to make it a pleasurable sport for you and me.

At twenty-one degrees Celsius with temps leaning more on the cooler side, the sun came and went abruptly. There was a bit of irritable intermittent rain showers that took over last Sunday at Station Creek golf course during the round. The showers did not last long though. Surprisingly, most of the twenty-six players that showed up plus two guests obviously tried to prelude a round of golf for the upcoming GTA event in three weeks.

It was not that easy playing golf that Sunday because of the wet environment that happened late in the day. It was no concern to one senior member who shot even par at the front nine. Ross Bautista carved out a net score of net 64 to win the day prize. Ross was the only one of three players that broke net of seventy. The other two were Jimmy Manguerra and Manny Marquez.

If so happened that there were handicap prohibitions, this guy would take us to the cleaners every week. Jimmy Manguerra signing his scorecard with a 75, bagged the best gross of the day.

Nassau corner winners: Talking about Manny Marquez, he racked up two birdies and seven pars on his way to a sweeping win, winning all corners – front nine, back nine and total net of 65. Two weeks ago, Manny winning almost a similar feat at Royal Ontario golf course by seizing the front nine and total net together with the day’s prize.

Closest to the pin contest: An aspiring new member, Louie Romero fired a well deserving shot on the 5^th hole while Ross Bautista added to his winning ways with an accurate shot at the 12^th hole.

Quote of the day: A senior member who found new gratifying life playing golf from the forward tees said, “I could outdrive anybody without hitting it yet from the red tees.”………..Fred Halili. More power to you, Fred.

Due to the advanced scheduling to commit to future events and coordinating the adversity of getting third party involvement, SGC commends the cooperation of members to make last week’s Station Creek event and this coming GTA Interleague tournament a success. Without your support, nothing is possible.

SGC welcomes four newest members to the fold – Bong Blanco, Steve Kim, Louie Romero and Mike Tang. There is no reason at all for them not to leisurely enjoy SGC’s friendly company every week this summer, meeting new friends and getting involved in social relations associated to playing golf. More pleasantries expected to come for these new members as SGC assures them high standard discipline bounded by regulations and rules of golf involving competition at its highest. Or just plainly playing golf for fun which is good for those with faint heart.

 

At twenty-eight degrees Celsius, last Sunday’s round of golf was a bit too much for the taking for a lot of the twenty-three golfers who played Lakeridge Links. While the scorching sun greeted us from tee off ‘til the end of our rounds, there was no complaining about mother nature this time around but the golf course itself. Whether it was the simmering heat or something else that gave no fruition to better score results, it was obviously the design of this golf course that prevailed, most specially the back nine. It was so long ago that SGC played this course and it clearly showed indicative to player’s not so ideal high scores. On top of it all, the hefty green fee with power cart did not help at all. We got one more round to come much later gentlemen.

Regardless of what unlikely predicament there was, someone would eventually win. And win he did, brilliantly. Ed Ilao coming from a two-week hiatus that was spent somewhere in the Caribbean, topped the leaderboard at Lakeridge Links golf course. Ed proceeded to reel off two birdies adding numerous pars, as he bagged both the best gross of 83 and best net of the day. No one else had posted anything below net in the 60s.

Nassau corners: With a clutch performance, Ed Ilao seized the front nine and total net of 69. A third time for JC Montilla being mentioned in the winning circle grudgingly won the back nine with a clear margin.

Accuracy shots: Who else could shoot the closest on par 3 seventh hole but Ed Ilao? Jun Paculaba seemed to recover the old form from past years to win the water infested seventeenth hole.

ANNOUNCEMENT: SGC is requested by Station Creek management to pay one whole payment for 25 players and not by individual payment. So, for those members confirmed playing (Station Creek Participants) this Sunday at Station Creek, kindly make your green fee payment to Bingoy Peña by cheque or preferably cash. No credit cards please. Green fee: $79.10 with power car, taxes included.

SGC has announced earlier to confirm your attendance for the June 23rd GTA Interleague tournament that falls on a Saturday at Station Creek hosted by BIGAT association. BIGAT requires submission of number of participants by June 8th. Confirm your attendance as well as the entrance payment on or before June 7th to Bingoy Peña or Joey Cruz.

It is that time of year again to change SGC’s web site password for those paid members this year. Watch for further announcement via email.

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At nineteen degrees Celsius there was no weather forecast of rain at all around the GTA region. Were we getting the summer idyllic weather finally? As a matter of fact, with twenty-one players plus two guests, mostly were figuring out to get a share of Super Series weekend contest prize. We were greeted by blue skies that stuck around long enough for the sun to come out and gave us the ideal scenario to play a round of golf.

Sun was shining so who shone, performance wise at Royal Woodbine golf course last Sunday? SGC played this venue a million times in the past and could get the best of the players at most times. We seldom saw a consistent winner surprisingly.

Another tie for the winning day prize. This Sunday was the fourth time in five rounds so far where we had lowest scores in the 60s for the same feat provided by what else, two more players. Share and share alike, would you say? A couple of wily senior veterans – Sennix Bontigao and Seho Oh accomplished the exploit by signing net score of well-deserved 65. Seho who was knocking on the door for his first two rounds by placing second place in both occasions, righted the ship this time around. His co-winner, Sennix I gathered, had the best time of his life disheartening his three other players in his group by converting numerous par putt saves most of them not on makeable locations. More said of these two gentlemen later this page. Way to go seniors.

What could you say about Jimmy Manguerra? His consistency proved that most golf courses could be had with his performance of late. Together with Seho Oh, a sparkling gross of 78 for both, nailed the best gross score of the day. Admiration for Seho would not end here folks as there was a big, huge age gap between these two gentlemen.

Nassau Corners: All you had to do was try to score low and get the big ‘W’ to take care of everything, right? That what these two members did by separating themselves from the field with a runaway net 65. Seho Oh and Sennix Bontigao tied the total net and in dominance Sennix took the front nine, Seho grabbed the back.

Super Series: Both Seho Oh, yes there he was again, and Sennix Bontigao with an emphatic net of 65 sealed the victory. Sennix could now release a big sigh of relief after not hearing from him for almost a year. Coming in third place was Jimmy Manguerra while sharing fourth place were Bingoy Peña and Jess Velarde.

 

 

 

 

 

Par 3 contest: One of our habitual winners for this contest – Julio Rodriguez, did it again by winning the seventh hole. And of course, the hottest player of the day – Seho Oh came out the winner on fourteenth hole.

Month 1 contest: You snooze, you lose. Would you believe, it was hard charging Seho Oh again who got the previous leaders with aggregate three net score of 203. He got past JC Montilla by three strokes and Rey Plaza by whopping six strokes.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Seho and Sennix. What a performance. What a day for these two gents. We might as well call last Sunday’s as Seho day.

Another rain threat forecasted, another dud of a weather with temps on the cooler side of things at nineteen degrees Celsius. Nicer. Twenty-one players plus two guests got lucky at Royal Ontario last Sunday that started the day with gloomy dark clouds hoovering around but guessed what, a spray of sunshine happened as we played on in the afternoon. Most of us preferred this kind of weather singularities rather than having a super warm atmosphere, did we not?

How was this for showing up in his ever first round with SGC? Unlikely to be a contender for the day’s prize, Manny Marquez who sparsely played a year ago surprise everyone by showing up, tripled his first three holes with a taste of two birdies plus a few pars in his round, still managed to finish at top of the world with the lowest net score of 65. Talked about not losing hope and confidence later in a round after that early misgivings, huh?

Worth mentioning: How about the effort of these two members signing other net scores in the 60s – JC Montilla and Bingoy Peña? Respectively they posted a net round of 66 & 69.

 

 

 

 

 

Jimmy Manguerra posting five birdies altogether in his round helped himself sit at best gross of the day with remarkable 78. Nice to see that familiar swagger again in him.

This latest round of golf so far unlike the previous three rounds did not yield any ties concerning best gross and net scores. Felt like It is going to be lonely at the top.

Nassau corners: Manny Marquez almost got a sweep winning all corners…. almost. With net 65 Manny convincingly bagged the total net as well as the front nine. Ron Wilson another member playing in only his second game of this early season, fired pars in his last six holes by grabbing the back nine.

Closest to the pin contest: One member showing up for the first time as well, Pat Deoca shot the closest on par 3 eight hole while Ross Bautista winning this contest for the second time let loose a wonderful shot at the hard pin location eleventh hole.

 

 

 

 

 

So far three members playing sparingly won something during the four-game stretch. Realizing that first timer is a charm adding that maybe in consciousness resting a bit may be good for your game?

Monthly contest: It is getting tight up on the leaderboard folks. Almost five players are continuing to catch up with the leaders – JC Montilla & Rey Plaza with three net score of 209. Bingoy Peña, Seho Oh, Jojo Dizon, Jimmy Manguerra, & Mike Montilla, are within three strokes or less behind the leaders with only one game to go.

Super Series concludes this Sunday, your last chance to join.

That’s all folks. Many thanks to the round of drinks from the winners and the deeeeelicious ‘9/11 phone call’ chicharron brought by Jess Velarde.

Congratulations to the winners.

Announcement: This is quite important. Please note that we will take attendance to our round of golf on June 3^rd at Station Creek this Sunday at Royal Woodbine. Being a private golf course, their policy of submitting confirmed number of players eight days prior to our game is a must. If you commit to play and not able to show up, SGC has no choice but to pay the green fee in your absentia. The green fee then is taken out of your deposit. You may not be able to play if you did not confirm. So kindly make your commitment between now and this Sunday at Royal Woodbine to Joey Cruz, Rey Plaza and me either by email or our web site.

For a while last Sunday at Royal Woodbine golf course, there was a threat of intermittent rain for darker clouds were imminent in the horizon. At nineteen degrees Celsius, it was the sporadic sun that came up instead and the rain never came. Not until twenty-one players plus three guests finished their rounds – what a lucky break from mother nature.

Are the golf courses becoming less and less challenging this year or players are significantly getting better? In this equation at this early stage of our summer past time, I’d say perceptibly it is the latter. Three different golf courses SGC had played so far, I never seen low scoring unveiled by players producing a lot of ties with the same low scores as well. The renaissance men, big hitting Ross Bautista and Joey Cruz prevailed in the partially soak laden course landing themselves the best gross score of the day, signing an 81. What an honest to goodness performance by these two men.

 

 

 

 

 

Prize of the day came about to another renaissance man, Bingoy Peña who grounded out a sparkling net of 66 alongside Mike Montilla, SGC’s two-time POY champion year 2007 & 2015. Noticeably after the round, few members distinctly saw an ear to ear wry smile on Bingoy’s face as he was turning in. And it stayed ‘til we left the premises. And on to his sleep because of more to come? There’s a lot of ways to skin a cat, so they say.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nassau event: As promised, more to come for Bingoy P’s efforts last Sunday by staging a winning front, back and total but he was not alone in all categories except the total net score. Jojo Dizon shared the front with him, while two other effervescent seniors – Mar DeVeyra & Seho Oh earned back nine ties with him as well. Good shooting, seniors.

 

 

 

 

 

Accuracy shot contest: Yeah, it was him again Bingoy P. took the honours of shooting the closest on par 3 hole seven while Ed Ilao got the best shot at the longer par 3 hole fifteen.

 

 

 

 

 

A sophomore member, most known for never laying up attitude while playing a long hazardous hole, Jess Velarde took care of firing an eagle on par 5 ninth hole. Way to go.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to the winners.

Compared to last Sunday’s SGC opening round of golf at Century Pines golf course, temps at Carlisle golf course were cooler at around ten degrees Celsius accompanied by howling winds. We got the sun beaming down at us thankfully. Amazingly enough, nineteen members showed up plus four guests.

Let us have a look at who’s who after the round.

Jimmy Manguerra, who withstood the cold and windy conditions surged ahead miles away from everybody else with a gross score of 76. Jimmy also won the day’s prize together with Rey Plaza netting a score of 70. A slim stroke behind breathing down their necks were Ed Ilao and Seho Oh.

The way Month 1 contest is trending it seems that one player, Rey P. is running away for now with two games in the record books with his torrid pace in as many starts. If Rey P. keeps it up with two best net score of 135, he will break Bingoy Peña’s record of best three net aggregate score he set up last year at below 200 with 198.

Nassau corners: Bert Cerrudo won the front nine. Three people tied winning the back nine – Jojo Dizon, Jimmy Manguerra & Rey Plaza. Again, with a both net of 70, Jimmy M. & Rey P. tied to grab the total net score for the day.

Closest to the pin contest: Bong Munson got the closest on North par 3 hole 4 while Dave Nelson shot it so close on South hole 7 that he thought he got an ace.

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to the winners.

Announcement: Confirm your attendance for next Sunday at Royal Woodbine with 11:00 o’clock AM tee time. Joey Cruz will announce new local rules regarding Royal Woodbine before the round.

We have some new individuals taking attendance in the person of Rey Plaza and Joey Cruz replacing Jimmy Manguerra. SGC is gratified to Jimmy for his many years of doing this job.

 

With mother nature putting us uncomfortably in a situation where SGC’s opening day was in peril with not so ideal weather – snow on the ground and wet conditions, golf courses threatened not to open their facilities. As a matter of fact, the golf course that was scheduled for our second round of golf the following Sunday’s round made a definite cancellation. Luckily, after scrambling and searching for another venue to get a replacement, Carlisle golf course took us in with not much ado. We finally got a break at the last minute for our first round with a playable 15 degrees Celsius, with the sun shining brightly. Century Pines succumbed to open that Sunday and welcomed seventeen players who withstood the uneasy scenario.

So, Century Pines course condition was not that perfect, but we played on. Who got it going early?

Joey Cruz’s best gross score of remarkable 78 reminded us of keeping his foot on the gas the rest of the way last year by winning three majors.

Well, not so fast though. Scoring the best gross score could get you bragging rights but it was the net score that tabulated as the one that counted in this league. We have two players carding the same net score of a whopping 65 – JC Montilla & Rey Plaza thus, deservingly winning the day’s prize. JC Montilla, the 2011 POY champion who we did not hear from a lot last year had risen from the abbeys to claim the honors. Is he giving good sign of things to come? You bet ya. Rey Plaza is one senior member like that good battery that keeps on ticking. A prominent contender who inaudibly got his mojo going when nobody seemed to expect him to be up there on the leaderboard.

Closest to the pin contest: In the accuracy shot of the day arena, Ross  Bautista won the par 3 hole 5 while Jojo Dizon shot the closest on hole 15.

Congratulations to all winners.

 

Sierra Golf Club in behalf of its members who live around the Greater Toronto Area, are overwhelmed to the carnage that happened in Toronto, around Yonge and Finch area. Our hearts reach out to those who lost their loved ones.

In behalf of Sierra Golf Club members, we all share the sorrow of those who perished in that bus crash. May they all RIP.

 HELLO WORLD, MEMBERS ARE YOU READY?

Are you ready for the coming summer season? It is quickly approaching and once again Century Pines Golf Club will host SGC’s opening game of the summer golf season. Two years ago, in 2016, this was the very same site where SCG won its then called Gemini Cup beating four other golf organizations for the GTA trophy. SGC’s aspirations to raise the cup in last year’s GTA rivalry was diminished largely by the lack of participation from its own players for reasons conflicting personal schedules. Who knows, this year’s June date may yield an agreeable setup to those in doubt attending. One question though about players inept participation: Quantity or Quality? I’d leave that to you. Regardless, SGC deserves to be rewarded with a heart felt winning attitude again from its members. Are you listening members? You decided to participate this year’s GTA tournament, mind you – think what you do, do what you think.

GUESS WHO HOSTS THIS YEAR’S GTA TOURNEY?

Amid GTA news, organizers just announced earlier during the winter season that another golf organization was seriously enough to join this yearly competition to be held at Station Creek Golf & Country Club hosted at this time by BIGAT organization. All I could tell you was, the newest entrant called their golf organization Double Blue – no, not the Toronto Argonauts football club. This organization has been around for awhile, so they say. I have learned that a few other GTA clubs had been wooing Double Blue to join this event for years now. The GTA committee decided that everybody is hitting off from the white tees except for the forward tees which are reserved for the ladies. Back to this year’s host, we are fairly thinking rationally if it is only appropriate to expect pomp and the circumstance that will go with marking this year’s anniversary as the last time BIGAT hosted with flair. Full surprises may be in the offing – we’ll never know. It attracts a wild sense of giving it a second thought about partaking in this exclusive one-time summer journey every time BIGAT hosts with grandeur and to me it is forthcoming, for sure. Not going to miss this one for my money’s worth.

GTA team colors are as follows:
o BGAT – PINK
o SOGA – ORANGE
o PHILCAN – RED
o SIERRA – GREEN
o TALAMAK – BLACK
o DOUBLE BLUE – BLUE

SGC AIMS FOR AN AFFLUENT 2018 – YEAR OF THE DOG, ACCORDING TO THE CHINESE CALENDAR

Looking forward to SGC’s expectation for this year:

Rumoured new members at least three of them;

More member participation in the GTA Interleague tournament;

Parity in competition for the three major trophies – POY, SPOY & MIP, which were all won walking away by one-person last year – a first of its kind;

Welcoming to SPOY contest those who are turning senior members this year and for those who are still thinking about joining this rich contest;

More volunteer work amongst members to benefit SGC’s run to a more enjoyable and enthused summer;

& Most important of them all – healthy members.

 JOINING US?

From my own point of view, there is nothing more than I wish for – the importance of youth involvement. Youth revolution idea boasts a lot of energy to everybody and benefits us with revived oomph. It could be more than a far fetch inkling but let’s face it, SGC is getting older as far as the average age membership is concerned. The emergence of some new talent and the revival of several old reliables that we expect to see may turn this juncture to a more stirring year for SGC. Everybody knows that a game of golf is one of the more expensive sports to play, as well as the extreme length of time to play a game – a non-ideal status quo for a sport to people who are just starting a family. At any rate, SGC is happy for what it has got. It is going to be a busy year ahead. Let’s get going.

Will a rejuvenated senior member or a surging veteran member be able to put on a major trophy? Or will one of a younger member in a horde emerge from the pack? We will see. It’s a new day, a new beginning.

Keep a sound mind and body. Spring just sprung. See you next month.