Filipino News March 17

MARCH 2017. ISSUE 98 | www.filipinonews.nz | email: filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | tel: 027 495 8477, 09 838 1221 | www.pinoynzlife.nz 10
By Sheila Mariano, FMN Editor
DAVAO CITY - For the very
first time a New Zealand team -
the Black Tees - participated in
the world renowned Philippine
Airlines Interclub Championships
held in Davao City in early March
this year.
“This was possible because
PAL is now flying to New
Zealand,” says Jay Aranas, a
spokesperson for the Pinoy Golf
Club Auckland.
The FMN team (myself and VJ
Mariano), who were on the spot
in Davao for the tourney, caught
up with five of the nine Black
Tees whilst they practiced at the
Apo Golf and Country Club.
Fr. Mario Dorado, Jude
Daculan, Archie Milo, Elier
Tingzon and Edward Pagadian
were in high spirits when asked
what their game plan was for the
tourney.
“Win or lose, you are
always a winner.”
Perhaps Fr. Mario had the right
attitude: “For me, the best game
plan is to just enjoy the game. Win
or lose, you are always a winner.
“Just joining the many tournaments
in New Zealand has already
been good preparation for this
super tournament.
“While I'm here I would like to
take in the sights of Davao and
meet a lot of golf players from
different parts of the world.”
Similar sentiments from
- Fr. Mario Dorado, ‘New Zealand Black Tees’
Daculan. “Just to experience na
makasali nitong PAL tournament,
nitong klasing tournament. To
meet some people also, especially
Filipinos from other countries.”
According to him the group did
have a game plan of sorts. “Yes,
we're trying to match up our players
and will do what we can do.
But at least we have done some
preparation as we got in some
practice rounds when we familiarized
ourselves with the two golf
Five members of the ‘NZ Black
Tee’ team practising at the Apo
Golf Club in Davao City.
From left: Jude Daculan, Archie
Milo, Elier Tingzon, Eduard
Magadia and Fr Mar Dorado
Below: Sheila Mariano checking
out the Apo Golf Club
courses. Ya, I think that we are
ready to play.”
“What made you decide to form
a NZ team and join the tournament?”
“Nag usap ang Wellington and
Auckland mag fill in this year,”
said Milo. “Nung una nga two
teams and binabalak kasi marami
ang interesado. Pero in the end
nagwidthraw yung iba to a few
nalang, 10 na lang. Hindi nga 10
kasi down to 9, so we have a disadvantage.
Kasi ang format 5
playing, 4 to count so yung two
other days yung 4 na magplaplay
macocount silang lahat, but that's
alright. Yung four na magplayplay
tiga Auckland magagaling, di ba
Jude (Daculan)?
Think outside the box to get
into the swing of things
By Sheila Mariano
DAVAO CITY - Here are
some golfing tips from Elier
Tingzon, who is a member of the
New Zealand team in the 70th
PAL Interclub Golf Tournament.
FMN caught up with Tingzon
at the Palos Verdes Golf and
Country Club in Davao for a
chat. He has been playing golf
for almost four years and is a
Wellington member of the NZ
Black Tee.
“I used to play basketball tapos
nung time na mahirap nang
makipagcompete sa younger
generation who are taller and
stronger so I decided to look for
an alternative sport,” he said.
“I tried badminton, hindi rin
pwepwede kasi kailan mo ng
mabilis may mga kabataan din na
mabibilis. Tapos pingpong.
Pingpong okay lang kaso habang
tumatagal nakakaboard din.
“So niyaya ako ng mga kaibigan
ko na mag-try ng golf. Nagstart
kami sa warehouse papalopalo
lang tapos nag-try kami ng
nine holes tapos nung nagiging
exciting na sa akin kasi parang
yung golf sarili mo kalaban mo
yung isip mo.
“You are not competing sa
The day before the Regulars
tournament began we had a
chance to tour one of the two
courses for the event - the Apo
Golf and Country Club (the
other being the Rancho Palos
Verdes Golf Club).
According to a reliable source
President Duterte, when he was
Mayor of Davao, used to play a
lot at this course. It was mentioned
that he would only play
up to hole #5, then he would ask
everyone to join him for a meal
in the Apo Golf Country Club.
ibang tao but to yourself so ayun
nagiging simula ng maging
exciting tapos gumaganda na
palo namin. Habang gumaganda
na palo namin sabi ko we need to
transfer to a better golf (course)
para mas ma-improve pa yung
laro, yun na nagsimula. Maimprove
mo yung swing mo, the
way you think your game, the
way you think your swing, maimprove
lahat yun.”
“Do you need to have a good
strategy to play this game?” we
asked. “There are so many strategies,”
Elier
replied.
“Every hole
has a different
strategy. Golf
is the opposite
of everything
you've learnt.
“If you want the ball to go to
the right the more it goes to the
left. The more you want to hit it
harder in order for the ball to go
farther the more it goes short. So
it's all the opposite.
“May technique sya. Tapos
Apo is one of
the finest golf
courses in the
land and has
long been regarded
as probably
the toughest
layout in the
south.
“We did an
ocular (inspection)
of both
courses and they are gorgeous,”
Henry Arabelo, the tournament
director, said. “We will set up
both courses to challenge the
players while at the same time
may technique din yung papaano
mo papataasin yung bola sa
bunker. Meron yan may computation
ka kung gano kalayo
papaluin mo yung sand para
pumutok sya at umakyat yung
bola pataas. So may mga calculation
ka rin yan.
“Exciting, interesting, i-aaply
making it an enjoyable tournament
for everyone.”
As Archie, 37, our designated
golf cart driver,
showed us around this
impressive property
we chatted. He is from
Davao and has been
working in the Club's
maintenance department
for 7 years. At
the moment he is
assigned to work on
the greens.
He said that he loved working
here as he lives close by. “My
uncle used to be a supervisor
mo yung engineering
mo, yung vicinity ng
wind lahat yun
ikokonsider mo hindi mo sya
pwedeng i-ignore. So habang
tumatagal nagiging exciting
kung papano mo sya cocontrolin,
papaano mo gagamitin yung
wind, yung cross wind, back
wind, lahat yun i-kokonsider mo.
Exciting.”
Apo Golf Club: Where President Duterte used to play
Sheila Mariano in Davao City
Elier Tingzon
Facebook page
President
Duterte
Archie, golf cart
driver
Kristoffer Arevalo
of Manila Southwoods
lines up his
shot at Hole no.10
of the Apo Golf &
Country Club on
Day 1.
Photo supplied
here.” He reckoned that over 60
people work at this property.
As several golfers were practicing
at the golf course
he gave us a few tips on
how spectators should
behave during a tournament.
“You need to be
quiet when someone is
going to hit a ball; you
can talk when they've
finished. You don't want
to distract them.”
We asked: “Do you play
golf?” He replied: “Only when
there is time on my day off.”