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The
evolution of custom-club fitting has come a long way
globally despite difficult economic situations. A lot
of golfers fine-tune their equipment to suit their
ever-growing needs every day.
The
Custom Clubmakers has been in the golf industry for more
than a decade now and has been a thriving business
because more and more Filipino parbusters are taking up
golf seriously, according to proprietors Francis Go and
Jake Ong.
Greenside Chip joined BusinessMirror vice president for
corporate affairs Ricky Alegre and had the pleasure of
sharing a hole assignment with Go and Ong during the
recent Oakley Golf tournament organized by
PinoyGolfer.com.
“We are
doing just fine,” said Go and Ong when asked of the
financial aspect of their venture. “Of course, all our
efforts are geared for golfers who want to improve on
playing golf by enhancing their equipment to the
liking.”
At
present, there are only about two or three which offer
custom-club fitting but Custom Clubmakers has become a
household name.
“We
don’t just change shafts, or grips, or club weights, or
club heights. Ours is a comprehensive system that
caters to the most sensitive players. And we do it in
the most personal and most friendly way possible,” Go
said.
Jungolf
vignettes
Amalia
Montecillo, “Tita or Mommy Maling” to the past and
present junior golfers, founded the Junior Golf
Foundation of the Philippines almost 30 years ago and
cofounded the Asia-Pacific Golf Championship (Aspac),
which is in play at the Sherwood Hills Golf Club in
Trece Martires, Cavite.
Under
Tita Maling’s leadership, the jungolf program
flourished. After the economic turmoil in 1997, the
program has slowly but surely picked up. It is just
ironic, however, that the perpetual trophy is not named
after her.
Carito
Villaroman, the three-time Junior World Champion and
product of the jungolf program, had such great
confidence for the game during his teens that he could
estimate his score for the day, much like baseball great
Babe Ruth, who would point to the direction where his
ball would go.
In one
practice round, a source told Greenside Chip, Villaroman,
who was then courting a foreign lady player, said: “If I
shoot a 66 or lower, you will have to answer me yes and
be my girlfriend.” The lady obliged. At the end of the
round, he shot a 66.
Belle
Cup fires off
Belle
Corp., developer of Tagaytay Highlands Golf Club and
Midlands Golf Club, will host the ninth edition of the
Belle Cup, the biggest annual golfing event in the
club’s calendar, starting today until May 10 in Tagaytay
City.
This
golf event, according to marketing manager Veggie
Pavilion, is a combination of three tournaments in one,
and will be participated in by at least 280 teams
consisting of two (member-guest) players who will be
playing one round each at the Highlands and Midlands
courses using the Two-man Scramble Format. Participants
may opt to play both on the scheduled day of the
competition for Highlands and Midlands Cup only, but
must compete in both to qualify for the Belle Cup.
An
unprecedented 560 players have confirmed participation
in the four-day event where two C-Class C-180 Classic
Mercedes-Benz cars, courtesy of CATS Motors Inc., are
top draws as hole-in-one prizes. A Las Vegas
Glam-themed awards program, complete with entertainment,
sumptuous dinner buffet and drinks, will cap the
four-day golfing event at the Highlands Multipurpose
Hall. |
