"Iloilo and Negros Renew Traditional Friendly Golf Matches"
What used to be known in the 1960’s as the Ambassador Oscar Ledesma Golf Cup, the Iloilo Golf and Country Club Inc. in the Sta. Barbara Golf Course has revived as the ‘Acacia Friendship Golf Cup’!
Mr. Mars Arenas, a long-time member and many-time winner as Iloilo golf representative to numerous local golf jousts, is Ambassador Oscar Ledesma’s son-in-law. He recalls the golf tournaments sponsored by Amb. Oscar Ledesma as a very popular and much-awaited local golf tournament at the time, featuring teams of the Guinhalaran Golf Club in Negros Occidental and those of the Iloilo Golf and Country club, in friendly home-and-home exchange of golf matches usually over a bright summer weekend.
Teams from either golf clubs would travel across the Guimaras Straight, stay overnight at a local hotel, to play and beat its rival club’s golf course and home-teams, not just in the golf matches that were rivaled in competitiveness by none other, but also in the fellowship which followed that invariably turned into encounters of lively camaraderie that became bruited about long after the evening and the tournament was through. The visiting golfers were pampered and hosted like VIPs and holy cows by the hosting side. It was as if the pampering was designed to assuage the hurt feelings and the wounded pride that were almost sure to come after the expected thrashing the visitors hoped to avoid from the home teams! Everyone was guaranteed to have a really memorable time! And true, competitive golf provided the medium for these Ilonggo gentlemen and ladies.
Such was the spirit and the bond that existed (long before the game of golf even set foot in the equally historic province of Cavite, which now hosts the greatest number of golf courses in the country; about 20 at last count!) between Iloilo and Negros golfers of old, evidence of the genuine kinship between sister golfers from across the narrow Guimaras straight. These hackers in fact, are truly related in many ways than one!
Consequently, from the perspective of local golf history, this would qualify as the first and the oldest “golfclub sisterhood” and reciprocal pact that exists in the Philippines. Not a feature in most other team sports, club sisterhood with reciprocity playing rights, meaning no green fees are collected when visiting a sister club, is a common reciprocal privilege agreed to by the clubs in the game of golf. Team matches therefore was a tradition started by these Iloilo and Negros golfers way ahead of complicated formats employed by high level commercial sponsorships today. Back then, it was really just for the love of pure golfing competition and clubsmanship!
Guinhalaran Golf Club is only now a wonderful memory… but the golfers and their spirit lives on in their sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters… in the NOGCC in Marapara, and elsewhere that golf is alive in Negros island!
Iloilo Golf and Country Club of course, continues to nurture the Sta. Barbara Golf Course, recognized by the National Historical Institute as the “Oldest Existing” in the Philippines. In celebrating the 100-year birth anniversary of the golf course next year, Iloilo golf also aims to celebrate the many precious and significant milestones and traditions that punctuate its colorful history.
Claims Mr. Frankie Locsin, President of the Iloilo Golf and Country Club, “through this Acacia Friendship Cup, the oldest golf course in the Philippines celebrates with its sister Negros golfers, the ‘first and the oldest golfclub sisterhood’ pacts in the Philippines!” Golf as a game, has long been played by our illustrious forefathers, can be considered truly a part of our shared Ilonggo heritage!
Over at the lively and sumptuous awards dinner of the 1st Acacia Friendship Cup last Saturday, June 24, at the Iloilo Golf Club, Mr. Panyo Torre, President of the NOGCC appropriately extended the “reciprocal” invitation for the teams of Iloilo Golf to come over to Marapara in September 2, 2006, as they in-turn host this continuing golf exchange that now is also joined by the Victorias Golf and Country Club, the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin, Murcia, and soon also by the Pamplona Golf Club in Negros Oriental.
The one-day friendly tournament is a renewal of the traditional kinship between Iloilo and Negros! “Let us retain and strengthen the good things left to us by history!” says the Sta. Barbara Centenary Chair, Dr. Noel Binayas. “Iloilo Golf enjoins the support of all golfers from our Negros sister clubs in the celebration of the Centennial Year of Golf in the Philippines in 2007!” Mr. Butch Jamerlan , Iloilo Golf General Manager put the golf course and the club in shape for the best hosting that should be the benchmark for subsequent exchange matches!
Of course, Iloilo Golf, which fielded four home teams as part of the hosting right, claimed first ownership of the revolving Acacia Friendship Cup trophy! Come, September 2, all ferry boats and roads lead to Marapara! Bring a valid handicap index. Three corners, one-one-one! Cut is two-under! And sharpen those vocal cords… and those dancing shoes…