Sportswriters try golf

If you felt the Earth spun a bit faster late yesterday morning, it must be the effect of the whacking some members of the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC) gave our planet at the driving range of Alta Vista Golf and Country Club.

The SAC members visited the golf club yesterday to attend the press conference of The View Invitational 2010, but before that we brought them to the driving range to hit a few buckets of balls.

There was much pounding of the ground as the scribes tried to do a Tiger, not including the part where he crashed his car into a tree.

After the range, the tournament committee members of Alta Vista took the sportswriters around the course to make them understand the reason why the club’s annual member-guest event is called The View and on the first tee, they already knew why.

If not for the great view, many might have considered jumping into the ravine on the first hole when many a golfer would fail to launch his ball into the air to carry what appears to be a very long 150 yards to make it to safety.

Golf’s a mind game and the SAC members got a feel of such when we did a contest on the par-3 hole number 8, which has a lake guarding the left side of the green.

Most the balls that stayed dry went right. Yeah, far right as the sight of the lake seemed to have played games in the participants’ minds.

After three tries each, we had two players from CDN winning the nearest to the pin awards – Jonas Panerio for the men and Marsante Alison for the women.

I’m sure after that activity, my group of sports scribes would want to come back for more and you’ll probably notice how the Earth spins faster again soon with all the beating it gets from the golf clubs. Fore!

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Attention owners of sports stores, there seems to be a demand for softball mitts and equipment as I met at least three people last week looking for such.

I am lucky to have my own, which I got during a trip to Taiwan, but there are not too many good quality mitts that you can buy here. Well, not yet.

The reason for this sudden interest in the sport is the steady push that Jesse Bernad is giving softball and baseball as he organizes games for those who played the game in the past and hope to get a chance to swing a bat and catch a ball again.

I still have to get word about what transpired last Sunday, but the enthusiasm seems to be rubbing in on many former players including my former students at Saint Theresa’s College.

I’m not saying that softball will be the next big sport after badminton and running that got many to sweat it out again.

While I’m not saying it is the next trendy sport, it will definitely get a big push from the former players who now found a place and a group to play with.

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MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to those who turned a year older last Monday like The Freeman’s Lucky Malicay, Bienvenido Deogracias ‘Benjie’ Nacua, Francis ‘Noki’ Aquino, and Cavalier Simon Fernan III.

Belated greetings also go to Niño Roberto Gonzales, who celebrated yesterday.

Today’s greetings go to Cavalier Hamurabi P. Geonzon, Fatima Montesclaros, and Johann Chiongbian Young.

More power to all of you!