A Love Affair

The Beginning

Ian got me into golf. He played around 5 times a year. I considered him a great player since I just couldn’t hit the ball straight or far, like he did. We both joined Wakehurst Golf Club, determined to give it a go.

One of our first matches was close to fatal. Ian was on a 45 degree angle on my right side about 10 metres away. I am aiming at the flag, 100 metres off. I hit at the ball with a bit of extra effort. The ball took off but  not to the flag. To my horror, it went straight towards Ian. He panicked, then blocked with his arm. Following a dreadful sound, he fell, slowly to his knee. I stood still for a little while, not knowing exactly what was going on. Thank god he was alive. That’s the first thought that came to me. His arm saved his head.

He wore this golf ball size lump on his arm for about two weeks.

Wakehurst Golf Club

After I quit work and Scott was 2, there was plenty of time for golf. I played club competitions and met Rita, a bubbling Hong Kong lady. She was little, but was bubbling with energy. Her witty language and dirty jokes made even a bad round of golf pass quite pleasantly.

Rita introduced me to Jessie, a girl also from China who was apparently a very good golfer. She was even a better golfer than Ian. My handicap was more than double hers. We started to team up often. Jessie had a big heart, a wicked sense of humour and mental coolness towards the ball. Good shots were never over celebrated. Bad ones, she calmly walked away. I tried to copy her - tried my very best not to throw the ball or club into the pond after a bad hit.

I met Jessie’s husband John. He was a single handicapper with a lot of pars and even birdies during his round. It was eye opening for me. I learnt to feel the essence of the game. I learnt to be in control and enjoy the smoothness. I started to get attached to golf, and attached to my newly found pals.

Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club

At the start of 2015, I switched to Terrey Hills Golf and Country Club. It was a private club and the beauty is you can get on the course almost any time. The players and the people who work in the club are always friendly and the food is fantastic. Having a round of golf after dropping Scott to school becomes my daily routine. You can't get better than this!

What I learnt

Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart.