Dragon boat changes course/ golf giant returns

In the year 2000, a group of Boholanos started meeting every Sunday to share their love for sports at the Presidential Security Group (PSG) compound in Manila. They would usually play tennis, golf or basketball, or swim or jog. Soon, the close friendships formed through this regular social gathering developed into a higher calling.

“We’d have spirited talks on topics ranging from politics to showbiz to business and individual careers to affairs of the heart. But at the end of the day, the discussions would almost always go back to how we could possibly help our province, Bohol,” recalls retired Gen. Charly Holganza, then commanding officer of the AFP National Development Support Command. “We all wanted to make a positive contribution to Bohol. But how to do it…that was the big question then.”

The group, called Tapok-Tapok Bol-Anon, started with a fund-raising golf tournament. This was followed by large donations of large numbers of computer to Bohol’s high schools. Then it evolved into technical/vocational training, assisting in medical missions and doing charity work. The attention Tapok was getting had fired up other companies to throw their resources behind these noble endeavors, essentially lightening the group’s load.

They then developed a relationship with the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF), which was also looking for a fresh venue for its races other than the usual courses like Boracay. There was also a demand for it from international tourists. This spurred the usually conservative Boholanos into a brave new direction.

“The second Cobra-PDBF International Club Crew Challenge (April 26-30) is a dragon boat competition that aims to make Bohol a primary watersport destination for the country. It is a bold aggressive move to put Bohol in the international dragon boat arena,” says Holganza. “It is a very doable goal; but it will need the commitment of the entire Boholano community to ensure that this initial offering becomes a resounding success, and nurture it for the years to come.”

PDBF secretary-general Pinky Castillo and national coaches spent weeks training the paddlers and even officials in Bohol. The races have already gotten the attention of 14 teams, and a handful of foreign teams have already confirmed their participation. 

Dragon boat, which has been battling for inclusion in the Olympic Program, is a sport wherein Filipinos are well respected worldwide. In last April’s world championships in Tampa, Florida, the PDBF won five gold medals in six events. A partnership with Bohol would raise several benefits, such as foreign and local tourism, new business opportunities, sports development, and the positive image created for the province. On top of that, the organizers have pledged to provide a social responsibility project for the province coming from the proceeds of the activity. The last thing they want is to upset the pristine balance of nature in the province for their own gain.

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The world’s biggest golf company is roaring back to dominate the Philippine market. TaylorMade adidas Golf (TMaG) launched three new marvels of golf equipment at the Villamor Golf Club driving range Saturday. The event highlighted the R1 driver, RocketBallz Stage 2 and RocketBladez irons. All three have been designed with new technology to enhance accuracy, speed, feel and especially distance for golfers at various levels of play. The TaylorMade Golf Fiesta was a result of realignments with dealers which will make the products more readily available to the emerging golf market in the Philippines.

The event allowed guests to test the versatility of the clubs, and also check out the latest in adidas golf apparel. It was hosted by veteran sportscasters Anthony Suntay and attended by broadcasters such as Arnold Clavio and Noel Zarate. All in all, the clubs drew rave reviews from platoons of surprised media golfers.

The R1, launched in California in January, has myriad features which help a golfer improve loft, lessen spin, graphics that assist in squaring the club face to the ball at address, and a lighter shaft that increases speed. All these make playing the game easier and more encouraging. 

Meanwhile, the RocketBallz driver incorporates TaylorMade’s Loft-Sleeve technology, which allows players the ability to tune loft and club face angle to personalize their swing. The improved aerodynamics and more forward center of gravity also produce palpable improvements in a golfer’s game.

“We want to get back to our local golfers in the Philippines, especially now we have three hero products,” says the Singapore-based Chong. “The R1 driver really gives you unrivaled adjustability. It’s really one driver that can give you so many settings. It adjusts the club face to seven different angles, from maximum open to maximum close.”

Chong believes that as the economy visibly improves, more and more multinational corporations invest in the Philippines, and the golf market will grow even further. TaylorMade is hoping to ride that wave.