RETIRED ARMED FORCES OFFICERS’ CLUB ANNUAL GOLF– 2011

We were informed of the impending RAFOC Annual Golf Championship for quite sometime back. We were keenly waiting for this event since 2009. That was when we were deprived of a place in the teams’ event. Most of us would have read the correpondences that went back and forth, expressing our displeasure when informed by the Golf Committee that ‘Marzuki Andong’s score was ‘inadvertently’  recorded as 34 instead of 36. I still recall that with ‘ang..‘. To be fair, RAFOC Secretariat redeemed this ‘oversight’ with promotional golf at 2 venues in Ipoh. Quite a few of us went.
When informed that the game was on, there were a flurry of activities to ensure we would be participating. Of course there were also the snide remarks from one of us. All in good faith though. It was a challenge. It actually was an incentive.   It so happen that we were also preparing for our annual get together for 2011 due from 31 May till 4 June 2011. The annual championship would be on 7 June 2011. Quite a tight schedule for us. Thus our golfing activities in Ho Chi Minh City was also turned into our practise rounds to face RAFOC Annual Golf 2011. Worst in my mind. We would be arriving late at night of 4th June. There would be personal admin to be done on 5th and 6th, not to mention ‘jet-lag’?.
A fair bit of updating was done in Ho Chi Minh City. Our teams were also finalised. The decision to don our club T Shirt was unanimously agreed. But, what colour (corour). We have red, white and ellow. We settled for ellow. 
Come the morning of 7th June,
I could see members of our team in our ellow Club T-Shirt. A contrast to the beige of RAFOC issued shirts. For the photography session, we don the issued ones. Once over, we then put on ours. An impressive lot with our red caps.

We were in different flights. Thus everybody asking how each one fared. All of us hoping the other team member did better. Only the 3 best score would be counted. We did crossed path, once in a while, but there was not much exchanges. It was quite tense somewhat.
After the game, we showered, make-up, dressed nicely ( who knows, maybe called on stage) and proceeded to the club Dining Room. Almost all of our club members sat at the same table. Our Presidente and Marzuki was calculating – in whispered and hushed tones.
 This was exactly what we did in 2009 in Tropicana. I always remarked that at that point, our A Team was well-groomed. Hair combed nicely, well creased shirt, clean pants and all had socks on. Thinking we were one of the winners. It turned out not to be.
As the Presidente and Apai was calculating, I overheard the figure of 113. That must be our total sum stableford points of our 3 best. That would average to 37.6. A 1 under for the 3. On our mind, how did the rest fare. The strong contenders were Intake 9, champion of 2009 and Intake 18, the current champion. After going through the initial ritual of prize giving, the time for the Team Championship subsequently followed. Second placing went to Intake 18 with 112 points. It was then, I knew we had it made. When announced that the Team Championship of RAFOC Annual Golf 2011 goes to Intake 12 A Team, there was pandemonium. At least at out table. We were so very very happy. We have wrested the trophy that we have clamoured for so long. The A Team ( the Men?) did us proud. My heart almost Burst with pride. Our Club 12/68 was up on
 the pedestal that afternoon.
Well Done Squad.
Besides the team event, individually, there were also prize winners. Ismail Ahmad, Mohd Isa Hassan and Hashim Yahaya received prizes. I am yet to get the actual category, but will insert it as soon as I get it from RAFOC.
We Are The Champions.
Now our Battlecry
ONE TWO – ELLOW OUSE
THREE FOUR – CUOCONUT WOIL.
FIVE SIX – REPORT SICK.
SEVEN EIGHT – STOMACH ACHE

CLUB 12/68 VISIT TO HO CHI MINH CITY VIETNAM 2011

 

ENJOY

Beijing Day 3 – 18 June 2010

Club 12/68 Annual Reunion Dinner

 

The venue for the dinner was at the Yijinyuan Muslim Restaurant. About 45 minutes from our hotel. On arrival we were led through a spacious building with a main hall and to a room reserved for our function.
There were other on going functions and we could here the actions all over the place. The room for us was big enough to accommodate all 39 of us.
         




Our guests included the DA and his gracious lady, the ADA and his lady too. The rest was all of us.
The banner depicting our ‘tour’ that were used off and on for publicity were hung up. Or at least tried to be hung.

Some of us were mobilized to put it up, though at the end it was finally put up albeit slanted. Can Also.
The dinner was kicked off by the Chairman of the Organising Committee giving a speech. He updated us on the tour so far and also what would be happening for the rest of the tour. It was a fun speech interspersed with lots of jokes. Good start for the dinner. He was followed by the Presidente with his Annual Speech. He extended his happiness that most members and families were able to make the trip. He gave thanks for the close camarederie between us and hope this would go on. He thanked the Chairman and the committee for a splendid organization and a splendid get-together.
Dinner proceeded with a sumptuous Chinese spread. In between there were a lot of intermingling. An anticipated ‘karaoke session’ never got off the ground. Presumably due to no available equipment or no request. An anticipated ‘pocho pocho’ session too never came. I  wonder whether there was any requests made for such sessions. I personally feel that such sessions were really an interactive tool for us. I guess the next chairman would ensure that would take place.
The dinner ended at about 2230 hrs and we went back to our hotel for rest to face the next day.

 Regards

Beijing Day 3 – 18 June 2010

The Itinerary For the Day.
Stated in the programme was:
a.    Visit to Panda Zoo.
b.    Take a trishaw ride touring the Hutong and local old Shiheyuan houses (Courtyard) where you may learn about the culture, history and lifestyle of old Beijng.
c.    After lunch, Zohor prayers at Niu Jie Mosque, the oldest mosque with over one thousand year’s history.
d.    Shopping at the Fresh Water Pearl Centre..
e.    Shopping at Wang Fu Jing Street.
f.    Club 12/68 Annual Dinner.
For Golfers: Golfing at the Beijing Orient Pearl Country Club.
For the golfers this was another attempt to complete an 18 hole game in Beijing. Again we left early to be in time for tee off as arranged by our DA. As mentioned earlier, being a golfer I was thus unable to follow the itinerary as set. I hope somebody could say something about the day’s activities and mail it to me. I will post it on our blog.
Golfing at the Beijing Orient Pearl Country Club.

We reached the golf club early enough. In the coach, the Presidente announced a contribution of RM 1,500 as the day’s prize. That would be about CNY 3,000. Thank You Mr Presidente. There was then a discussion on how to disburse the ‘booty’. We finally decided to buy each one of us a T shirt. At CNY 200 we could get one a piece.  This time there were 3 extra golfers. The DA, Razaki Darus and Burn joined us this time. The registration and all other arrangements were done at their temporary clubhouse.

Their new clubhouse were being built and only due for completion end of the year. Still, the clubhouse provided us the facilities expected. Only setback was that the Pro Shop was only a small outlet with not much to offer and set at quite high prizes. The T shirts we wanted to purchase were above our budget and their sizes were restricted to medium ones. For sure most would not fit us.
Once all the prelims were done we set out on the course. Another nice course.


I was with Apai and Burn. To my mind at least Apai, a rusty Mandarin-speaking member was around to get us by. Being on buggies we were not together all the time.

I had to rely on Burn being my buggy mate to interpret what our caddy said. It’s a lot like the ‘Ayam and the Itek’, but we get by.
It was a nice course, well trimmed, though later disputed by Razaki who felt it could have been better managed. Razaki being a ‘golf course designer’ once must have his reason. I for one, enjoyed the overall atmosphere and surroundings. It was a good recreational outings. It’s a beautiful place.
We managed to complete the 18 holes in a reasonable good time. Time for makan. Thinking of Malaysian style cooking. Our DA, Azahari suggested a restaurant he was familiar with and we all proceeded to the said restaurant. It was the ‘Malacca Legend’.

Owned by a Singaporean this restaurant prepared us one of our best meal in Beijing.
Prize giving was done after lunch. The prizes were presented by the Presidente and as shown by the pics, everybody got one.







A well spread takings.






























The dishes were so good that we decided to have one of our group lunch with the families at that particular restaurant.
Regards