Farewell 2015

In a short few hours we will bid 2015 farewell. So, in keeping with tradition, here's a post to recollect a couple of the golfing highlights in 2015.

1. Earlier in February, I attended the Maybank Malaysian Open 2015 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, catching the stars from the European Tour, Asian Tour and our Local pros in action. Anirban Lahiri played superbly on the last day to bag his biggest win. 

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015/02/maybank-malaysian-open-2015.html

2. In May, the PGM / Asian Development Tour rolled into town for the PGM MNRB Sarawak Championship, where I caught up with my mate Chris and met ADT players, Nick and Greg. Good times.

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015/05/my-week-with-pros.html

3. Then the Kaki - Golf crew embarked on our yearly golfing trip. This time, we headed to Bandung!

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015_07_01_archive.html

4. In August, I participated in the Kuching leg of the BMW International Golf Cup 2015 at the Samarahan Country Club and managed 1st runner up in the nett - guest category. My first time winning something in a golf tournament! (well there was that wooden spoon one time..)

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015/08/bmw-golf-cup-international-2015-its-go.html

5. October was a literally golf month and we start off with the Sime Darby LPGA 2015. Attended for the first time and it was really fun seeing the stars of the LPGA in action. Jessica Korda, snapped a winless streak with some superb golf over the four days.

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015/10/the-sime-darby-lpga-malaysia-2015.html

6. At the end of October came the biggest Malaysian golfing event in 2015. The CIMB Classic. I have attended twice as a spectator and this year, I volunteered and had an absolutely smashing time. Met with some of the biggest stars in the game and saw the action up close from behind the ropes. I am looking forward to CIMB Classic 2016 already!

http://www.kaki-golf.blogspot.my/2015/10/cimb-classic-2015-here-we-go.html

Needless to say it's been a really fantastic golfing year for me and I am very thankful. 

Looking forward to 2016 and am hoping for more of the same. I hope 2015 has been kind to you, thank you for visiting my humble blog and have a safe and happy new year!

Grindworks : Your Wedge, Your Game.

I have been gaming the Callaway MacDaddy wedges (52* / 56*) for over a year now and they have served me well.

The last trip I made to K.L, my golf - kakis Alan, Kenny and TJ were raving about how good these 'Grindworks' wedges were. 

I am not really familiar with JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) golfing equipment so I was rather curious just how good these wedges were. As the saying goes, curiosity kills the cat. That fateful afternoon I tried out a demo Grindworks 56* wedge and was stunned.

Stunned at how good the clean design looked (I mean just look at it!) and Stunned at how BUTTERY SOFT it felt hitting a shot. 

The thing about these Grindwork wedges is that they don't come off the rack. Choose from 6 grinds and match it with your desired shaft. Also, the website offers a very comprehensive guide to each grind, so you can decide which one fits your game.

Depending on what variation you choose to go with, a wedge could set you back RM500 - RM600 easy. 

Needless to say, I succumbed and decided to get two wedges in 52* and 56* and was recommended the Dynamic Gold Spinner Wedge + shaft to go with it. 

I have taken the wedges on course twice and so far, am loving how they feel. Amazing craft work really. 

Anyone wanna buy a set of used MacDaddy Wedges? 

Seri Selangor Revisited and a trip to Tasik Puteri Golf and Country Club

Was in KL last weekend and managed to squeeze in two rounds of golf. Seri Selangor on Sunday and Tasik Puteri Golf and Country Club on Monday.

There were wet patches here and there due to the constant afternoon rain but course conditions overall were good. On course traffic was pretty light too so we managed to finish in good time. Still one of the 'value' courses to play at. 

Then on Monday it was time to check out Tasik Puteri Golf and Country Club (and you can wipe that smirk off your face haha).

The course is situated at Bandar Tasik Puteri, Rawang, Selangor so we are talking about a good half an hour's drive from the K.L city center.

Far it maybe, but Tasik Puteri is a 27 hole course (Puteri, Putera and Tasik Nine).

The fairways looked very green and pretty good as we were driving to the club house, so first impressions were pretty good. 

But it was only when we teed off that the course revealed its true character. Unfortunately, the fairways were pretty wet and even soggy in a number of places so there were alot of plugged balls throughout. 

Upon closer inspection, the fairway though very green showed a lack of attention / maintenance, with cow grass interspersed among the bermuda grass.

The greens were in pretty good shape but was a tad slow in my opinion. In spite of the crappy golf I was playing, the weather was fantastic so there was little to complain of really. 

Staff : 4/5

Service at the club house was good. The reception staff and bag attendants were attentive and on hand. I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the caddies we had were very familiar with the course and efficient.

Course conditions : 3/5

Fairways would have been alot more playable if dry. But it wasn't too bad all things considered.

Aesthetics : 2.5/5

Plenty of trees around but nothing really to wow the eyes. 

Amenities : 3/5

Locker rooms were clean but was somewhat old and lacking in space. Buggies were in good condition and there was drink hut up and running on a weekday so that was worth mentioning. 

Experience : 3/5 

For RM150.00, it's hard to complain really. But for my sub-par game, it would have been a much more enjoyable experience. Should also add that the course is pretty far from the k.l city center, so unless you have transportation, I wouldn't recommend using a taxi.

Total score : 15.5/25

The Putting Square

I am usually skeptical about training aids and most of the ones on the market can burn a hole in your pocket. So far I have invested in the swingdye and recently, the putting square. 

Here's a short review. 

Pros : 

Simple to use, easy to bring around and the concept works.

Cons :

Having to bend over to place the ball properly can be a chore.

So what does it do? and how does it help your putting?

"THE PUTTING SQUARE 

This simple Aussie invention can be used anywhere to help improve the three most important fundamentals of putting.

1. Aiming the putter correctly

2. Starting the ball on the correct line

3. Solid contact with the ball."

The first thing that got me thinking was the name. It's shaped like a "T" so why the putting square? I guess it refers to keeping your putter face square. But I digress.

The concept is simple. Put two tees in at the top (to fit your putter) to form a 'gate', place the ball and then putt, making sure to keep the ball rolling down the 'square' without veering off to the sides. There are holes along the 'square' so you can adjust the length of putt too. 

What I like about it is how simple it is to use and set up. It's shaped so you can easily have it in your golf bag and you can use it either on the practice green or at home. 

But does it work? Yes, it does. While the Putting Square will not teach you how to putt (grip, where your eyes should be etc) it helps / encourages you to groove a proper putting stroke to ensure you start the putt on the right line. Unless you putt it square and on the right line, the ball will veer off to the side. So you get immediate feedback.

What I didn't like about it, was placing the ball. You will probably need to bend over to place the ball properly. Using a putter takes a bit of time. I am using it a few days a week and am only making 30-40 putts on average each time. So in the grand scheme of things, it's not a deal breaker.

So far, I am sinking more of my shorter putts especially those knee knocking 3 footers and I am also seeing a better roll from my putts overall, so that's very positive.

Oh, and it helps to putt on a carpeted surface so the ball doesn't run off.

If you are interested, get one for yourself at RM150.00 from Chris - +601126365152.

Under the weather.

What's worse then being sick? Being sick right before the weekend. 

I have tried in the past to foolishly play whilst sick and it never works out well.

Sucks that I am starting to find a semblance of consistency in my game so I was hoping to get as much game time as possible.

Oh well. Hope the rest of you are playing tomorrow!

Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club, Miri

There are two golf courses in Miri city. First up is Kelab Golf Miri which is smack in the middle of town and slightly further from town, the highly rated 18 hole, Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club.

In 2009, Eastwood Valley Golf and Country Club was ranked 9 the New Straits Time, teetimes Malaysia's Top 10 Golf Courses. Impressive indeed, but would it live up to its reputation.

I had been told prior that Eastwood Valley was a challenging course the greens in particular were tricky and quick. So I took a couple of putts on the practice greens to get a feel and they weren't as quick as I had expected. Manageable would be the word.

There was plenty of rain the day before and we were told that the course would be wet. 

What they didn't tell us was that the course was VERY wet and mushy in several places, which was rather unfortunate. 

At least we had preferred lies in play I suppose. 

The other thing that got me was that the greens were alot quicker then the practice green I had warmed up on! which really defeats the purpose of a practice green.

We started off on the Par 3, 13th and the back nine was pretty challenging. 

Tight fairways, dog legs and plenty of water to be wary off. The front nine in comparison was kinder. Wide fairways, straighter layouts and less water to contend with. For some reason though, I started off really well but had a number of loose shots on the front 9, which was rather ironic. 

Staff : 4/5

Service at the club house was good. The reception staff and bag attendants were attentive and on hand. 

Didn't see any marshalls on the course though. 

Course conditions : 2.5/5

Have to say, the course conditions were below par. Fairways were a mix of cow grass and bermuda and boy was it wet and mushy. You could blame the rain from the day before, but I really expected the drainage to be better. 

To make things worse, I lost two perfect drives, plugged in the fairway. Some of the bunkers too were very washed out, shallow and hard. The greens in general were alright, but a number were really soft with ball marks resembling crater marks.

Aesthetics : 2.5/5

You get the feeling that alot of thought was put into beautifying the course, but the current landscaping is, for want of a better word, unkempt. Particularly with all the maintenance work being carried out on the back nine. 

Amenities : 4/5

The club house and resort had plenty of facilities. Locker rooms were clean and spacious. Buggies were in good condition and the drink huts were up and running. 

Experience : 2.5/5 

Overall, it was a disappointing golfing experience. Sure I had high expectations, but if you are going to highlight the fact that you 'are' a Top 10 course (what with all the 'top 10 course' signage around the course), you had better deliver the goods. 

Any good / highlight of the course is severely let down by its poor course conditions. For starters, they need to have a serious look at their water drainage system.

In addition, green fees aren't cheap. 

Pay RM232.00 on the weekday and expect to fork out RM301.00 on the weekends and public holidays. These are premium prices in this part of the world and you would expect much better conditions.

As a disclaimer, we paid RM250.00 (inclusive of buggy) as a weekend tournament special. 

Poor conditions and pricey green fees that do not reflect the Top 10 course it once was. I hope that changes in the near future.
 

Total score : 15.5/25

GMac returns to the winner's circle!

Fantastic to see Graeme McDowell overcome the slump with a bang in Mexico. 

First he nailed a tricky par putt on the 72nd hole to force a playoff. Then on the 1st playoff hole, he hit his second shot (205yard - 5 iron) to 2.5 feet for birdie to clinch his 3rd and much needed PGA victory.

With this victory, GMac earns an Invitation to the 2016 Masters and a very nice two-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Oh and there's the winner's cheque of US$1,116,000.00 too.

 

Caught GMac at the Maybank Malaysian Open earlier this year and you couldn't support a nicer guy. You could tell he was having a tough time in the heat, but in between he was fantastic with the fan and very appreciative of the support.

 

Congratulations once again GMac! 

 

In other news, it's been rather busy at work (yes, I do have a day job) but it's off to Miri in a couple of days where I will take on the highly rated Eastwood Valley Couse. Pics and updates when I come back!

What a week it's been!

The final round of the CIMB Classic concluded just last Sunday and I am missing CIMB Classic week already. 

Volunteering at the CIMB Classic 2015 has been a fantastic experience.

Along the way, I have had the chance to see things from behind the ropes. I have also met with and seen some the biggest names in Golf in action up close.

 

I have had the opportunity to meet several amazing people and made a bunch of new friends. The volunteer program is a fine example of true teamwork and I am glad to have had a small part to play.  

I am not going to lie though. It was a pretty tough week (a typical day starts from 4am-6pm) and there were definitely some up and downs, but it was alot of fun and at the end of every day, it was immensely gratifying to see everything come together. 

The above said, none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the hard work of every dedicated volunteer. It was a collective effort and I am very proud to have been a part of it.

There were so many of us, but I want to thank firstly the members in Group H. Guys and Gals (you know who you are), you were amazing throughout the week. I cannot thank you enough for stepping up when needed and for that, you have my sincere thanks and utmost appreciation.

My fellow hole Captains, Johari, Faizal, Din, Prithpal, Kishen, Chris. H, Chris. S, Lukas, Jack and Gary, thank you for all the laughs, help and guidance throughout the week. You guys are number 1! 

To the ladies who worked overtime behind the scenes, Terry, Aishah and Shandi, thank you!

Lastly, Emma and Nick, thank you so much for the opportunity to be a part of this amazing experience. The tireless work that the both of you do made our jobs so much easier and is truly appreciated. You both are awesome and I am convinced that there is no one more suited for the job!

 

True teamwork!

And so it ends, for now. I will definitely be there in 2016 and if you have never volunteered, sign up! You won't regret it.

CIMB Classic 2015 : here we go!

Day 1 of the CIMB Classic 2015 begins tomorrow and the first flight will tee off at 7.45am. Here we go! 

Won't be blogging too much as I will be on the course for pretty much the whole day. So follow me on instagram : gordonkakigolf for pictures and videos from the CIMB Classic!

The CIMB CLASSIC 2015

If you haven't noticed the countdown timer on the right side of the blog, let me just remind you that it's less then a week to the CIMB Classic 2015!

The complete field has been updated! Check here. Notable mentions with rankings - Henrik Stenson (6), Adam Scott (16), Sergio Garcia (11), Hideki Matsuyama (15), Patrick Reed (20), Kevin Na (24), Keegan Bradley (58), Luke Donald (66), Defending Champion, Ryan Moore (52) and local boys Ben Leong and Danny Chia (who are both in fine form this season) make up part of the 78 player field for the prestigious PGA event (co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour) but we could see a couple more names by the end of the week.

A lack of star power perhaps, but with 6 of the top 25 and a good number of PGA Tour / Major Winners, I would say it's a pretty good looking field. 

 

Cimb Classic 2014

 

The CIMB classic is a 4 day, no cut event and will see the players compete for the coveted trophy and a share of the hefty $7 million purse ($1.26 mil to the winner), oh! and don't forget, there are 500 Fed-ex cup points up for grabs too. KLGCC has been a good hunting ground for defending champion Ryan Moore who has won the event twice now. Can he make it a hat trick?

 CIMB Classic 2014

I have been to the CIMB Classic twice so far ('13 and '14). I will be heading over again this year, but this time it's going to be a whole lot different.

CIMB Classic 2014

This year, I will be volunteering! Yeap! This time I am going to be behind the ropes and from what I hear it's going to be an awesome experience. I can't wait. Seriously can't wait! 

Volunteer sign up has closed I believe, but if you want to know more about it, check here.

I will be updating pictures on Instagram so please feel free to follow "Gordon McCloud" for pictures and updates!

Mark your golf balls with Marki!

When it comes to marking golf balls, Sharpie usually spring to mind. While the black markers are fine, the coloured markers (Green & Sky Blue for instance) don't last as long and aren't as prominent. 

Thanks to my mate Chris, I have been introduced to another brand of ball markers, Marki. 

Marki markers come in 8 colours and are made specifically to mark golf balls. Got the blue and black to try out and put them to the test!

The two dots on top were made with the Marki while the bottom two dots were made with Sharpie markers.

The blues aren't the same so I won't compare them. 

However, the Marki markers are definitely 'darker' and prominent. If you look at the black dot for instance, the Marki dot is darker / blacker then the Sharpie Dot.

If I recall correctly a Sharpie Marker costs a bit more then a Marki marker too so that's also worth considering. Although, I am hoping the good folks at Marki come up with a 'mini' marker just so it's easier to keep in the golf bag. 

So if you are in the market for a marker that's darker and more prominent, give Markis ago. If you don't mark your balls.. then start too!

Oh, as a matter of interest, noticed that both Lydia Ko and Danielle Kang both use Marki markers too when they were signing autographs.

The Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia 2015

What a weekend it's been!

Managed to catch days 3 and 4 of the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia Tournament at the KLGCC and man was it a good experience.

In the end, it was Jessica Korda, who clinched Victory on the East Course to win by 4 strokes. Played 4 really solid rounds of golf and thoroughly deserved the win. Followed Jessica's flight on day 3 for a while (together with Lydia Ko and Haru Nomura) and she can hit it really long!

Congratulations once again Jessica! 

Watching the stars of the LPGA in action up close was a real treat and the cherry on top? getting autographs and 'wefies' with some of these talented and friendly ladies. Always ready with a smile and happy to oblige for autographs.

With the tournament extended for a further 3 years, you bet I will be back next year. 

LPGA, see why it's different out here!