Long Wang <lw@magcard.com>Date: Sun May 16, 2004 10:38 pm
Subject: RE: Victory! We Won back Friendship Cup
First of all, I have so much fun playing with my partner Ivan, playing with
our team, and playing the F-Cup. I had my best score ever (only one round of
83 in San Jose Muni before). I was so focused in the F-cup play that I don't
feel like to go back to golf course again for weeks after this. :)
I attribute our total victory against our two competitors to the great
partnership between Ivan and me and good preparation. Ivan and I missed the
opportunity to practice together in the first practice round. He then
invited me to play with him in his club the last Sat. That helped so much
for us to know each other and each other's game. The three practice rounds
took me to my peak performance in the F-cup. I shot 105, 99, and 95 in the
three practice rounds.
Not practicing last Thursday and Friday gave my body the right tempo.
4 of us started the first hole with okay tee shots. All three on. But Ivan
and I managed 1 chip and 1 putt. Starting to show Francis and Ping our short
game strength. On the first 3 holes, I did the same, 1 chip 1 putt. Ivan is
similar. We won all first three holes. Francis and Ping started to admit
that Ivan and I had good short game skills. That gave them big pressure.
Ivan kept giving them gimmees. He even gave Francis a gimmee for me even
before I putt. If I had three putted, I would have lost that hole. The magic
is that gave them more pressure. :)
Toward the end of front 9, Francis got his long tee-shots and good
approaching shots back. And Ping was laying his balls in fairway almost
100%. Francis got 2 birdies, and Ping got 1. However, we only lost to those
birdies by bogeys. That kind of disappointed them, and took the pressure
away from us. :)
In the two holes they gave us 1 stroke, Ivan and I just aimed for bogeys.
That annoyed them. They had to be aggressive to try to be 2 on. In hole 13,
they both lost their balls to the long rough and creek. We won those two
holes with bogeys. Ivan and I have smiles in our faces.
Ivan's back hurt. He kept using his 5 woods using punching shot. He shot
three pretty over 160 up 5 woods from rough and slope stands in hole 5, 13
and 15.
In hole 14, when our scores are close for both singles and team, Francis
made a bogey. I was try to be aggressive to make a long putt with huge
breaks and missed it with a 4 foot putt with again huge breaks. I made it,
tied for the team and myself. That upset Francis so much in his heart. :)
But this is just a start.
Hole 15 and 16 were so crucial. If they won these two holes, the results of
the games could be totally different. Francis got on green with a good
birdie chance. I landed between the cart path and the stares in a very small
flat area. I have to stand on the car path to play, and there is no place to
drop the ball. That was a 25 foot downhill chip, had to land the ball in the
first cut with slopes. I walked around the green twice. Standing on the car
path, swang with extreme confidence. The ball just landed in the edge of
the green and rolled to 1 foot from the hole! Francis was so upset. He did
not make the birdie put, and even let me putt that. We tied this hole again.
Coming to 16th hole. Ivan and I teed off first. I rolled out to the first
cut, about 6 feet from the green. Even worse, Ivan went into the deep
bunker. Then, Francis hit too long into the rough. But Ping was on green not
far from the hole. They would think they would have this hole. But Ivan and
I would not let them. Ivan first chipped out from the banker 3-4 feet from
the hole. I did not chip well, passed the hole about 4 feet. Guess what, we
both pared that hole while Ping did too.
By then, they lost their singles against us. They could win the team game if
they took the last two holes. But they totally lost their confidence. :)
I had a double in the 17th hole. But my proud partner Ivan got a firm bogey
to ensure our final victory in the team play.
Ivan and I are so hot. We both pared the last hole. Ivan shot 91.
Some interesting episodes. Francis was questioning my index. I told him that
I only shot 105, 99, and 95 in practice rounds in last two weeks.
I was so focused in the game that I read green so well. Ivan was asking me
"hi little brother, come to help me read the line." :) I read correct, and
he executed perfect. I don't have any 3 putts, total only 28 putts.
In hole 15th, Ivan got into the creek near the green while Ping was not far
from green after 2nd shot. I warned Ivan that he still had chance. Francis
said to me "you are very optimistic." He meant that I was too optimistic. It
turned out that Ivan choked his first attempt. But Ping missed his first
chip, and at least two putted. Ivan would have chance to win or tied if he
succeeded the first save chip or just took a one stroke penalty. If Ivan
took a penalty stroke on this whole and one in the front 9, he could have
saved 2 strokes to make 89.
Don't get me wrong. Francis and Ping had pleasant time playing with Ivan and
me apart from losing the games to us. Ivan and I enjoyed too. We made two
friends.
Ivan and I have the perfect chemistry. :) We often stood by each other when
the other was make a shot. That took us to the victory.
By the way, another two persons played positive roles in my game. I played
with my long-time friend Chuan in last Wed's practice round. Last year I
played with him in this course and shot 108. The 2nd day in our monthly
game, I shot 91. 17 stroke's improvement. This time, 10 strokes. Randy, I
will lend him to you next year. :)
Last, love from my girl friend, Daisy, made me calm and focused. (I am going
to copy her this email. :))
Thank you, Captain, thank you, Yu, and thank you all my fellow SYGC members.
I enjoy being with you!
Best,
Long
PS: I flew out of town mid night after the F-cup. :)