The CIMB Classic 2014 : KLGCC

Plenty of updates to come in due course.

But first, day 1 gets underway and an unexpected player on the Asian tour takes the club house lead. Swede Rikard Karlberg was out in the 1st group teeing off from the 1st tee and his flawless round of 7 under was enough to set pace, early.

The weather was hot and the sun was scorching. Playing conditions were good until the sound of rumbling thunder suspended play after 1pm. Play resumed later after 3 and the crowd had reduced considerably by then but I still had a fantastic day seeing the stars in action and getting autographs.

I will be posting pics on Instagram so check #gordonmccloud for more updates. 

Another early day tomorrow, so I am signing off for now.

The case of the crooked left arm.

I was eager to hit the fairway after the disappointing outing at Damai the week before.

Last Saturday, we teed off at Kelab Golf Sarawak where we took on the Matang and Santubong 9. After a hearty breakfast we made our way for our a.m tee off time.

As mentioned earlier, I sort-of figured out what the problem was. This.

 "Apa ini" simply means "What's this??!"

It's a good thing there was a photographer on the day snapping the participants. Just look at the form.. or rather the left arm. A total collapse, much to my chagrin. In hindsight, I wasn't keeping my left arm straight and I wasn't maintaining the 90 degree / L shape on the downswing. As a result, I was casting / releasing the club way too early - thus the fat shots. (Would be happy to hear any other comments)

So I made a mental note to keep my left arm straight (for starters) and true enough, I wasn't hitting it fat. In fact, I was topping the first few iron shots! But the striking improved thereafter and I was much happier with my iron game. 

However, on a day when striking had improved, I was inevitably let down by abysmal putting. 

Perhaps it was the after effects of putting on the greens at Damai, but the putter was ice-cold and I just couldn't sink any putts. I was 2 - 3 putting on every other hole and that was pretty sad to see. All things considered, I was still pretty pleased to find out what went wrong. 

In other news, I have decided to put the Titleist 913 D2 back in the bag and I am still coming to grips with it. 

Another week of golf!

Friday is finally here and that means, it's golf day tomorrow! 

We will be playing at Kelab Golf Sarawak in the morning and I am hoping for good weather. Hopefully, I will play a better game. I will be happy just to sort out my ball striking.

After that, it's just a few more days before I head off to KL for what is shaping up to be a golfing extravaganza! Firstly, will probably try to squeeze in a round during the afternoon of 29th. Not sure where yet, but we might either tee off at Tropicana or Glenmarie, which takes me to item 2 on the itinerary.

After our round of golf, my kaki, Kenny has kindly arranged for us to attend an exclusive preview / demo session at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club, of..... 

the new Titleist 915 range of drivers, woods and metals!

Woot woot! These babies will only hit the stores in November so I am totally stoked!

Then bright and early the next day, it's the golfing event of the year. Day 1 of the CIMB Classic!

What a week it's going to be. Getting a little dizzy just thinking about it.

Now excuse me, while I .. erm .. attend to some work.

SEDC CHAIRMAN'S CUP - It's go time!

Photo credits : Damai Golf and Country Club

A couple of weeks ago, a kaki of ours, Edwin asked if we would be keen to join the SEDC Chairman's Cup tournament at the Damai Golf and Country Club on 18.10.2014. We thought it would be fun to join as a group and so we did. 

Handicap cut off was 24 and there were plenty of prizes up for grabs. Playing below 96 couldn't be that hard, or so I thought. 

After my last golfing trip in KL, my game was starting to get consistent and I was particularly pleased with how I was striking the ball. Much less fat shots and the swing felt good. I was playing confidently and managed to shoot below 96 consistently (I play to hdp 26). 

But, for some reason, the dreaded fat shot started to creep into my game again (amongst other problems) the week before the tournament and I was rather concerned. Went to the range once during the mid week to try and sort it out but the problems were still apparent. 

There was a good turn out totaling 20 flights.

When Saturday morning came, the morning rain and grey overcast set the tone of what was to come.

I was grouped together with our resident pros, Edwin, Daryck and Ski and our shot gun start meant we would tee off from hole 2 on the Mountain 9. 

Suffice to say, it was a day where nothing went right and one I would rather forget. I ended up playing a deflating score of 101 (+5). 

Driving was inconsistent (On 3 holes, my 1st drive went out of bounds), iron play was rubbish (I was hitting it fat even with my trusty PW), duffing chips and putts were wayward. What disappointed me was knowing I could have played much better. Cest'la vie.

On the upside, we had a lot of fun joking around and teasing about winning the cattle worth RM4,500.00 (which was one of the hole-in-one prizes, I kid you not) 

But all wasn't too bad. One of our kakis, Lee Lee managed to play 3 under and grabbed 6th prize in the nett score category so there was plenty of cheering from our table during the prize presentation. 

Post tournament, I sort-of know what went wrong with the swing and have been spending the last two evenings hitting those practice golf balls in the garden. If I am right, I should see significant improvement the next time I am on the course.

In other news, only 9 more days to the CIMB Classic!

CIMB 2014 - Confirmed field

The field list for the CIMB Classic 2014 has been confirmed. Check it out here.

Although, if I am being honest, I can't help but feel a little deflated. It's not exactly a weak field, but it ain't the strongest field either. Rather 'meh' if you ask me.

If we take a look at the official rankings for 2014, only 3 players from the top 20 will be making the trip to KLGCC.

Sergio Garcia (No.3) is the highest rank in the field. Billy Horschel (No. 13) had a stellar end to the season and Hideki Matsuyama (No.20) make up the trio from the top 20. 

I was hoping to see Phil, Rickie, Bubba, Jimmy Walker (amongst others) make the trip but I will put it down to post-Ryder Cup fatigue. In Phil's case I am sure he has his sights on capturing that elusive US Open and complete the grand slam. Plus, he did speak about selecting tournaments to be in the best shape. 

That said though, there are still a number of great players in the field which include major winners Jason Dufner (who is coming back from a neck injury), 2012 Fed Ex cup winner, Brandt Snedeker, defending champion Ryan Moore (Trulinks shoes FTW!) and evergreen K.J Choi. So in spite of the above, I am still looking forward to a great two days watching the stars in action. (And that's how you turn a frown upside down).

CIMB Classic 2014

The Sime Darby LPGA just came to a close yesterday with China's Shan Shan Feng rallying with a stellar round of -8 (total 4 day score of -18). 3rd round leader Pornanong Phatlum settled for 2nd place, 3 strokes behind.

Managed to catch some of the action on the golf channel and it was fantastic to see the LPGA in our own backyard, or the East Course for that matter at the prestigious KLGCC.

With the Sime Darby LPGA crowning a new winner, we look onwards to the CIMB Classic which will take place from 30.10 - 2.11.2014. KLGCC will host the event once more and stars of the PGA and Asian Tour will 'golf' it out over a 4 day period. The tournament is a no-cut event which means there will be plenty of golf for the spectators.

A few notable stars who have committed early are non other then 2014 fed-ex cup winner, Billy Horschel. Joining him will be world no.3 Sergio Garcia, WGC-Caddilac Winner and American Ryder Cup team rookie sensation Patrick Reed, 2013 CIMB Classic winner, Ryan Moore and the Memorial Tournament winner, Hideki Matsuyama just to name a few. I expect to see alot more stars play, so here's hoping we will see a formidable field.

I attended the event last year (after winning a season ticket on their Facebook page) and it was fantastic fun.

If you have never been to a PGA tournament, don't miss this once-a-year chance to see the stars live in action. Watching it on the telly is NOTHING like being there yourself. For starters, just watching the players on the range was an eye opener. I couldn't believe how they were hitting their irons so effortlessly and LONG. 

Managed to catch alot of the action and got plenty of autographs too which was very sweet. Just check out the picture slideshow on the right.

Oh, that's just me getting Phil's signature. Just make sure you are in line and Phil will take the time to sign for everyone.

Tickets are now available for sale at ticketek and CIMB credit card holders get a nice discount too (25% for all cards). I will only be attending days 1 and 2 this year (am attending a friend's wedding on day 3) but it will be worth it. Can't hardly wait!

Golfing in KL : Part 4 - Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA)

After playing at Seri Selangor, we managed to squeeze in a round at KGPA before my departure (talk about hardcore). 

KGPA is a 27 hole course, featuring the Hills, Lakes and Forest nines. Memberships are available for civil servants, the general public and expatriates. Info here. The Hills and Lakes nine is a par 72 course measuring 6,091 metres. KGPA's website is rather outdated imho, but the course layout page is worth mentioning. 

Just click here and you will get a course layout, yardage measurements, short introduction, a picture and get this, an aerial view video of the hole (for holes 1 - 3 only so far).

Green fees are very reasonable as well. As I recall green fees for visitors during the weekday was only RM90.00 but I forget if that is inclusive of the buggy fee. Half buggy fee is RM45.00 so it's still reasonable in my books.

We started off on the Lakes 9 and the first thing I will say about the course, elevation and there was plenty of it. 

Elevated tee boxes and elevated greens mixed with undulating and narrow fairways. As a first timer on the course, it was quite a challenge when it came to club selection. Found myself under and over clubbing a number of times. A few greens were tough to read but on the whole, speeds were consistent and manageable. Course conditions overall, were good.

Like Seri Selangor, the course is within the city. I can't remember which hole, but there was one on the Hills 9 where the under construction MRT tracks were literally 10 - 15 meters left of the OB. That said, apart from those few holes, you really don't feel like you're playing in a city club. Landscaping was pretty good and there was plenty of lush greenery. 

 Again, had an enjoyable round but I felt a rushed towards the end as I had a flight to catch. 

Back at the club house, I had a chance to check out the locker room and showers. 

You need a key card to enter the locker room at the registration counter (after paying a deposit) which is a hassle but a good safety feature if you ask me. 

The locker room though aged was nicely air conditioned and there were plenty of good sized lockers and more then enough shower cubicles for use. Plenty of hot water and well stocked with usual amenities.

My ratings:-

Course conditions - 4/5 (fairways, greens and bunkers were in good condition)

Course difficulty - 4/5 (was comparing it to Seri Selangor and felt it was probably as challenging)

Caddy rating - Again, there weren't any caddies left when we teed off.

Club house facilities - 3/5

11/15 - Worth playing here regularly.

There you have it. 4 courses over in a week and what a week of golf it was. Two things I learnt from playing those 4 courses. 

Firstly, don't under estimate public courses (i.e Seri Selangor) it might just pleasantly surprise you. Secondly, KL golfers are a lucky bunch. With so many golf courses, one is really spoilt for choice.

Tis the season to upgrade your gear!

Watch out for retailers to slash prices as the big boys roll out their latest offerings.

Off the top of my head, The Titleist 915 drivers will be available for sale on Malaysian Shores on 14th November 2014 with a RRP of:

Titleist 915D2: RM2,200.00
Titleist 915D3: RM1,760.00 

More info here. 

I am really liking the design but I am sad to say I haven't really 'gelled' with my 913 - D2. The poor driver has been neglected this year (I have only used it a handful of times) but it's only because I have recently started to regain control over my driving (much less slicing, pop ups) and thought against changing from my Callaway Razr Fit (paired with the Graphite Design, DJ-6 shaft - stiff), which I am now comfortable with. 

I do wonder though why I even bought it in the first place. Anyone interested to buy a used 913 - D2 driver in very good condition? Lol.

Picture taken from www.pgatour.com

Then we have Callaway's latest offering, the Callaway Big Bertha 815 driver. More info here.

Picture taken from www.golfwrx.com

Personally, I prefer the design of the existing Big Bertha and Big Bertha Alpha (maybe it's the blue colour scheme). That said, Callaway promises maximum adjust-ability with its latest offerings, which will come in two variants. The Big Bertha Alpha 815 and the Big Bertha Alpha 815 Double Diamond (for golfers with faster swing speeds).

Am a Callaway fan (just check out my current gear) but I am little surprised with the new name. Why "815"?. I could be mistaken, but apart from the Xhot-2 or FT-9 drivers, Callaway have not associated similar numbers with their drivers. Sounds alot like Titleist to me and they have used it for ages. (907,910,913 and soon 915).

Can't wait to try out these babies when they hit the stores but they probably won't go in the bag. If you're like me, I prefer to switch every two seasons and the 913 - D2 is still very new. But who knows, if I somehow decide to sell the 913 - D2, that will make room for a new driver... decisions decisions.

Golfing in KL : Part 3 - Seri Selangor Golf Club

After playing at the prestigious KLGCC, we took in a round at the Seri Selangor Golf Club. A public course it might be, but don't let this 18 hole course fool you. It recently played host to the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters 2014 (an Asian Tour event) and in my books, any course worthy of hosting an international event is one to look out for.

Green fees are cheap which makes it a very popular course. With weekday afternoon rates of RM98.40 (inclusive of buggy and taxes on twin sharing basis) how could you resist.

Designed by Ross Watson, the Menteri Besar Nine and Presiden Nine is a par 72 course measuring about 6,374 meters. 

After a quick lunch at the golfers terrace (quality and variety was pretty good. I had the Penang Char Kueh Tiaw) we made our way to the tee box and were greeted by grey skies and strong winds. 

Concerned with the possible down pour we quickly warmed up and prepared to tee off on hole 10 (a par 4, index 2 hole) of the Presiden Nine. First impressions, why is the fairway so narrow?? water to the right made the fairway a tight target and just like clock work, I proceeded to slice my drive into the drink. Cest la vie.

Things got better on the second hole as I managed a sweet drive down the middle. But as we approached the green nature got the better of us and it started to pour. It got heavier as we reached the green and as the siren blew, we decided to search for shelter.

We weren't alone.

As we waited for the rain (which got heavier) to stop, I struck up a conversation with one of the maintenance crew and quizzed him about course conditions. Would it plug after the rain stopped? I asked. "No." he answered without hesitation. "Bola masih boleh roll lagi" he added. Now that's confidence, but I was skeptical to be honest.

After about half an hour, the heavy rain turned into a light drizzle and we made our way to restart at hole 11. Naturally it was wet but the true test awaited on the fair way. Fortunately my drive found the middle of the fairway again and lo and behold, we didn't find any plugged ball(s) on the fairway and throughout the remainder of our round. That alone was mighty impressive. 

The greens were wet but weren't water logged either. How's that for drainage and maintenance. Though my kaki commented that the Selangor Masters 2014 was just around the corner and that was probably why course conditions were superb. Anyone care to verify on course conditions during normal days?

Hole 1, Menteri Besar nine.

Difficulty wise, I thought the course layout presented a good challenge. Narrow and undulating fairways demanded accuracy and good ball striking. Green speed was consistent but weren't as fast, perhaps due to the rain which made for 'comfortable' putting. 

Landscaping wasn't as pretty as other private courses (unsightly monsoon drains for instance - but this is a city course after all) I have played on, but I would say the playing conditions more then make up for it.  

My Ratings:

Course conditions - 5/5 (No plugged balls on fairway, even after the downpour. Fairways and greens were well maintained)

Course difficulty - 4/5  

Caddy rating - There weren't any caddies left by the time we teed off.

Club house facilities - It's a public course so I wouldn't expect too much in this regard, plus it doesn't affect the playing experience, so I will leave this out.

 9/10 - Would play here regularly if I could!