A witness again

CEBU - My whole life I only witnessed a hole-in-one once and that was ten years ago. I never had a chance to score one myself after 13 years of trying to ply golf, unless you count the one I made in a computer game.

Other people have scored several aces. Luck they say, but then maybe if you do it once, but if it gets to be a habit maybe there is really some skill into it.

Last Saturday, I got another call from my good friend Wellington Lim, who was playing golf at the Philippine Navy Golf Club. Willy never fails to report a spectacular feat no matter where he is.

What I actually think was more spectacular was not the ace that Willy reported, but the fact that it was the third one he witnessed this year unless you count that “ace” on hole No. 1 of Cebu Country Club where the ball got stuck on the tee marker after a drive.

Last weekend, it was Retired Rear Admiral George T. Uy, who aced hole number 5 of the Navy Golf Club. I remember this hole as close to the perimeter fence. It is uphill and 100 yards long.

Adm. Uy used a Toski 9-iron and a Top Flite D2 No. 4 ball for the feat that was witnessed by RADM Leonardo Calderon, Jr., Navy Capt. Chris J. Ramos, James Cang, and Willy.

Retired Admiral Uy is the president of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Savings and Loan Association Incorporated (AFPSLAI).

The two other aces witnessed by Willy were that of Andy Co at Alta Vista last July and Ramon Sebastian’s hole-in-one at Cebu Country Club last month.

I wonder when I’ll be able to score a real hole-in-one or witness another one.

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The town of Liloan will be hosting the Provincial Meet starting Sunday and I was told that Mayor Duke Frasco has prepared a grand sporting celebration in the town.

I so much wish to be there on Sunday afternoon and early evening to witness the opening rites, but work will have to keep me here at the office and I’ll have to be contented with seeing the pictures and reading the stories about the event.

I wish Mayor Duke and Councilor Bobby Motus, who has been working really hard to make this happen, all the best for the week-long event that would select the bets of Cebu Province to the Regional Meet set early next year.

I’m sure the town of Liloan will make this competition a memorable one.

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MILESTONES: I have a long list of people to greet for this column and I’d like to wish them all the best.

Happy birthday to my classmate Ray Felydette Martinez of Davao City, who turns a year older today as well as to my good friend Audrey ‘Apple’ Alturas.

Tomorrow, the birthday celebrators are Jojo Nazareno of Tambuli, my comadre Hayley Kwan-Faustino, and my fraternity brother and golf champion Andrew Cañete.

Monday will be a special day at Alta Vista Golf and Country Club as we celebrate the birthday of our chairman Matias ‘Bombi’ Aznar III. Tito Bombi is also hosting a tournament for a group of Malaysians from Kota Kinabalu and members of the club on that day.

The Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines will also be celebrating its seventh anniversary on Monday.

More power to all of you! – THE FREEMAN