MY RETIREMENT FROM BOWLING...

It's been more than 8 years since I started my bowling 'career' from zero (if I may call it a career.. haha) playing plenty of external graded events and company's tournaments, with hardly leaving any significant names behind among the top graded players in Malaysia, but I did have my days and satisfactions.

Listed belows are the key chronologies that I can recall as a graded bowler.

2001
- First serious interest began after I started working with this oil & gas refinery, joining some bowling groups after several months working with the company.

2002
- Bought my first bowling ball, bags and bowling shoes
- Playing straight ball... a total beginner to the old timers.

2003
- Still playing straight ball with serious learning on techniques and basics
- Finding my ways towards mastery

2004
- Already built some solid technical foundation
- Convert to Spinner/Helicopter style of playing with Jimmy Lee & Uncle Woo's (Melaka Head Coach) guidance.
- Spend thousands on buying books and dvd's from Amazon.com

2005
- 1st time selected for Oil Business Team, but kept as reserved.
- 1st significant victory winning the Electrical Dept yearly bowling tournament.
- 10th place in the Company's Masters Event.

2006
- Appointed as Asst Convener for the company's bowling team
- Change to hook style, unsuccessful after 6 months and revert back to Spinner
- Did not qualify for Oil Business
- Selected to play for Melaka under the Sukan Gemaputra organized by PKNM

- Team won 1st & 2nd for Melaka Industrial Championship

- 3rd in Company's Masters Event
- 5th in Melaka State Selection Qualifying for the Interstate Event in KL

2007
- The best year ever for me as a Bowling Player
- Selected as Captain for Oil Business - Team won 2nd.
- Appointed as Convener/Captain for the Company's Team - 1st & 2nd for Melaka Industrial Championship.
- Selected for ASCOPE Game in Manilla - team won 3rd place
- Champion 9 pin tap at Seremban Monthly Graded Event on April - won RM500
- Champion 9 pin tap at Extreme Bowl Melaka in May - won RM300
- Champion Piala Puteri UMNO Alor Gajah... haha
- 4th in Piala Ketua Polis Melaka Event
- 8th in Piala Datuk Bandar Single Event
- 5th in OLE Event Daiman Bowl in Johor winning RM600
- 12th in 369 Final Event @ Seremban Parade

2008
- Played for Oil Business - Team Champion
- Resigned from both Company & Oil Business Team Captain position due to work demand
- 2nd in Company's Masters Event

- Team maintained 1st, 2nd & 3rd in Melaka Industrial Championship

- Hardly top 20 in most external graded events.

2009
- Didn't qualify for Oil Business, came as supporter on the last day of tournament, team Champion in style, retaining last year's title.
- Melaka Industrial Championship, Team won 1st, 2nd & 3rd... for 4 years in a row now
- Found new interest & commitment...
- Fully retire from Bowling in November 2009

2010
- I am sure no more...

Return on Investment (ROI)

- Total spent excluding game fees (more than RM20,000)

- Total return ( less than RM10,000)

- Summary - Loss in terms of monetary value, but great on the satisfaction side.

I believe it is time to say goodbye to the rest of the team, though definitely I will keep on supporting them.

So, what's next? Perhaps it's a good time to start my long awaited golf career... Yet to start but perhaps not so soon as there are too little time for me at the moment...

All the best to you guys...