Coming back for more

A week in Davao City for the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub gave me another golf overload.

Overload not in terms of rounds that I got to play since I limited myself to only two for the media tournament, but I had so much about golf in terms of time spent at the golf clubs and thinking and writing about the game.

I wish I would have the luxury to spend as much time for the game as my colleagues like Mike Besa, the associate editor of Swing Magazine, which is now the official Philippine Golf Magazine.

Mike's job takes him to many places around the country, not to count other parts of the globe to write about courses, the game, the equipment, and many more. The guy also plays with a single digit handicap, 8, I believe, so playing the tougher courses is often not as agonizing for him compared to us duffers.

There are also the players who spend most of their waking hours at the courses honing their shots if not helping others get better. Golf is not just their passion, but also a career that they have to devote time to.

At times I probably wish I had a better game. I wish that I'd spend more time at the course than any other place, but then I too have to spend time with the other sports that I also have equal passion for.

This does not however diminish my love for the game that at many times has lifted my spirits, but also at maybe ten times more instances humbled me and torn my ego to pieces.

But I still come back for more. It must be the high that you get off a good drive or maybe that one which you get from a fairway shot that leaves you a short putt for a birdie or how about a long putt that you sink or is it the company?

There are definitely many reasons to stop playing, but then so much more reasons to go back. Look at the PAL Interclub. People just keep coming back every year for more.

By the way, I learned that a popular hotel in Cagayan de Oro City is already fully booked for next year's PAL Interclub. This was probably the reason why PAL's Jun Canton, who takes care of the media every Interclub, had to quickly find a place to book our group for next year.

We just ended this year's event, but we are already looking forward to the next one.

* * *

It was another good and bad year for the Cebuanos in the Interclub. Good because Cebu Country Club won the Founders Division title for the fifth time in six years and bad since the other teams just could not make much impact yet.

Cebu Country Club did very well on the third round, which catapulted the team to the top of the standings and took it all the way from there.

Alta Vista almost had it again, but just lost steam in the closing round. Mactan, on the other hand, looked a little lost in the Founders Division after it was moved one category higher since it had less than the required number of players with PAL Points Averages.

No matter how good or bad the team has done, this does not mean it's over since the players are already out to do better next year.

Emir Abutazil, who plays for Alta Vista, but is based in Cagayan de Oro is excited to play in courses that he is most familiar with.

I'm sure, this early the Cebu teams have plans to practice in next year's host clubs - Pueblo de Oro and Del Monte.

I heard my compadre Ramon Sebastian raring to do better and also Toby Florendo and Victor Gocela of Alta Vista.

Cebu Country Club skipper Ramontito Garcia, who has 26 PAL Interclubs under his belt, will soon also start his team build up. I overheard him giving tips to Jojo Tiongko on what to do during the game and practice rounds.

Well, an exciting year ahead looms. So, let's hope Cebuanos will do much better next year.

Honestly, aside from the fact that the victories of Cebuanos make us proud, we also enjoy writing about triumphs more than defeats.

See you guys next year!