High-stakes golf matches During that time, I gambled with only P5,000 in my pocket

Friendly wagers are common in golf. Whether for money or who pays for lunch, a round of golf won’t be complete without competition.

It adds excitement and provides conversational piece at the lunch table.

However, some golfers have taken the money game to the next level.

At the Veterans Golf Club in Quezon City, stories have been told and retold of how a businessman lost millions of pesos to club pros and caddies in a string of one-on-one matches that went on for nearly three years.

It all began rather innocuously — P5,000 for the big corner (front nine, back nine and total), P2,000 for the small corner (three holes), P200 for each hole and for every birdie.

The businessman played against his three flight mates separately.

“During that time, I gambled with only P5,000 in my pocket,” said the senior club pro. “I gave him plus three for each nine.”

By his own estimate, the senior pro said he accumulated about P90,000 in winnings before he stopped competing.

Word soon got out of the high-stakes games and the money involved escalated uncontrollably.

At one point, the pot grew to P5 million in one session.

Another club pro, who was among the first to play against the businessman, recalled bringing up to P300,000 every round.

“I had a rich financer who raised the money, but I returned all the winnings,” said the pro who got P20,000 for his every won match. He was eventually replaced by other pros and caddies willing to bet more. “I ended up placing bets after I stopped playing,” he said. Caddies initially collected capital from club players but soon saved enough money to bet on their own.

The pros and caddies didn’t win all the time.

In one instance, the businessman played well and beat all three playing partners at Sta. Elena Golf and Country Club, his home club.

“He (businessman) gets a lot of high from his small victories. He also loves the big crowd that watch the matches. And he would only play against pros and caddies,” the pro recalled.

It is said that one pro had collected P15 million in winnings but threw it all away in the casino.

The winning caddie, on the other hand, splurged his money on a Rolex watch and a car, all of which he sold eventually. He still carries bag at Veterans.

I had a rich financer who raised the money, but I returned all the winnings.

The businessman reportedly accumulated debts of up to P20 million before the matches stopped.

He was about to pay P5 million, but got mad after discovering that the pro tried to jack up his arrears by P800,000.

The cash register soon stopped ringing and life returned to normal for the pros and caddies.