I awake this morning and begin my day with a nice quiet sit on my balcony high above the pool and the gulf of Thailand below me. While there are not big waves here, there is enough breaking surf to have the sound echoing pleasantly in the background as they crash against the sand.
I’m hammering out some work emails on the phone and am amazed that, even though I’m a long way from home, thru the power of technology things get done and run smoothly.
Today I’m off to Majestic Creek for my last round in this area of Thailand. My driver is right on time, as usual, this morning and it’s a short drive to the course situated at the base of the hills / mountains on a reclaimed pineapple and mango plantation. As I stare out over the landscape it’s rocky, hot and incredibly dry. I had always pictured Thailand in my mind as a jungle area, and while I have seen some, most areas have been like a desert. Apparently there is a rainy season and once it starts, it rains pretty much every day.
As we approach the club entrance, the area is beautifully landscaped with bright colored bougainvillea flowers. They are this regions answer to the multifloral rose in Missouri. They grow wild but bloom year round and are truly beautiful. Once behind the gates of Majestic Creek…a nice green oasis unfolds in front of me. I have no idea where they get the water from but the golf course looks very well maintained.
I’m greeted by ACE….. my caddie of the day. Covered from head to toe in the uniform…. I’m not quite sure whether the person in question is a really homely girl or a dude.
Turns out ACE is a dude….
I was not expecting a man caddie but I’m here to play golf…. If ACE knows his way around the course, all the better. I don’t see any more men caddies but I’m thinking to myself that either ACE has self esteem issues in the real world or he’s the smartest guy around by hanging out at the golf course and surrounding himself with 80 or so girls his age on a daily basis.
We briefly hit the range and I can feel eyes on me from the other caddies and players as I’m hitting it pretty well. ACE asks if he can take a picture…. What the hell…. Sure I say…
After viewing it, I can tell a couple of things right away…. From the position I have the club in at the top…I’m not going to miss many fairways or greens….. and secondly I need to immediately start intermittent fasting the rest of the trip. I feel pretty fit and walk a great deal but I don’t think the camera added 15 lbs….. I think they are actually there.
Turns out ACE knows his stuff…. We are backed up on the first tee, so we hightail it across a dusty red path thru the old pineapple fields to #10….. not a soul around but he and I. We cruise thru the first 9 with 1 birdie, a three putt bogey from above the hole of course….. and a bunker shot that Seve Ballesteros would have been proud of for my only missed green. In typical fashion I lipped out the putt and turned in 37.
ACE has taught me some Thai words “siii” means left “kuaa” means right and “Thung do” means straight. Once we swing back around, it’s smooth sailing again with no one in front of us. With ACE calling out directions and my ball getting a lot of “Thung do” it’s a fun day.
Good play and a few birdies with the Odyssey and we close with a 34, for a one under 71, on a course of some 6,600 yards.
Also as most know, I’m a dog lover…. And all dogs pictured either received a chicken leg, or small Thai sausage for their appearance in this blog. No freeloader here!
Tomorrow, off to Bangkok, with a stop half way at another new course.
Wishing all the crew at home a lot of “Thung do” Tee shots and birdies!
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