Golf

If we would only consider my competitive record this month, which consisted of two victories, and zero defeats, this report would be a short one. But the manner in which these victories were won, at two of the most storied courses in Asia, encourages me to describe these matches in more detail.

{.asset-media-link} For not playing much golf, I sure made a lot of birdies this month. {.asset-media-link} From the cold weather of Hanoi to the hot weather of Bangkok, I kept making birdies.

{.asset-media-link} After an impressive September in which I went undefeated, I took up my clubs – or in this case, rental clubs – two months later and picked up right where I left off.

You may have noticed the short hiatus in my monthly golf reports. An absolute avoidance of competitive matches for two months left me little to write about. But when I returned to the competitive arena in September, I birdied the first hole and never trailed in a match that was effectively over by the time I made another birdie at the ninth.

After a few disappointing months in which victory escaped me, I’m happy to report that I’ve started a new winning streak. Or perhaps more accurately, after two matches in June, I’m confident that I’ll be undefeated for the forseeable future.

{.asset-media-link} It was a good month for birdies. I had two in Sri Lanka and two in Japan, but the birdies, unfortunately, came easier than the victories this month. Not wanting to be an ungracious visitor, I did not allow my 3-up lead after 15 holes to stand, at Sri Lanka, settling happily for a drawn match.

I’m happy to report that I visited golf courses in eight countries during the month of April, was undefeated in doing so, and thus have managed to be undefeated in three of the past four months.

{.asset-media-link} After I started the year without a loss in January or February, my mind was not entirely free of some hopes that the entire year may progress in such an undefeated manner.

I was undefeated in February and remain undefeated for the year. I’ve yet to play a match in 2012, but I have a few matches to play in March, so my revamped swing will really be put to the test.

This year is starting out just as I had envisioned it. Undefeated in January* — undefeated for the year. Certainly reason to celebrate. I should probably mention here that I did not play any matches in January as I continue my self-imposed sabbatical from the game.