THE HAI LIFE: Golf in China

Caddies line up to welcome you and wait assignment.

I usually don't take my camera to the golf course so I have few pictures but lots of info to give you. The first 7 pictures were taken at Binhai Club where I have a membership. This course is located in far east Shanghai near the ocean and is an hour ride from my apartment. I get out about once a week to play from March thru October.As I am typing this it is 28 degrees and snowing in Shanghai so the winters even here can be tough on the golf game. When you get to the course you are asked if you want an average, good or excellent caddie. All golfers must have a caddy and they are all young women between the ages of 20-26 with a few young men showing up occasionally. The different levels of caddies are determined by their experience, golf knowledge and english ( if applicable). An average caddie is $15, good $18, and excellent $20. At this club we generally give them a $7.50 tip ( 50 Yuan). The caddies are designated by a color band on their helmets ( yes, hard plastic helmets, they heard about us). The pictures here are of average caddies, who I find to be very efficient and knowledgeable and we always ask for them.

These caddies do not carry your clubs as they do in the US and other western countries. All players also have carts with extended platforms on the back for the clubs and caddies. So they ride along with us throughout the 18 holes. When we hit our drives into the fairway ( hopefully) the caddies will grab 3 or 4 clubs out of the bag and run out to you to give you your club for the next shot. The good caddies will be able to know exactly what club you will need by the 3rd or 4th hole. You tee up your ball for your drive on each hole but from that point you never have to bend over to pick up your ball or even line it up for your putt. You hit your ball, hand the club back to your caddie and march down the fairway. It is the closest I will ever get to filling like a pro.

The bags are on the cart and our caddie will be getting on
the platform in back.

My caddie, Amber ( her real Chinese name Xie Ling)
giving me the ok sign. The clubhouse in the back.

My friend Marc ready to address the ball on two different holes
in these two pictures. The second shot is a new nine that
they designed as a "links"
course.

After our round of golf and a refreshment, the bags are loaded
into our car. We never have to touch our bags! I'm spoiled.

Big smiles and thank you's. What could make for a better day?

In mid-November I traveled to Mission Hills in Shenzhen, China ( 1 hour car ride north of Hong Kong and 2 hour flight south from Shanghai) to play 4 rounds in 3 days with my Shanghai buddies, Mark, Gary and Bernie in that order in the picture below. I'm 6' 2" so you see we have the beginnings of a senior, senior football team. Mission Hills is a 12 course complex with courses designed by Nicklaus, Norman, Sorenstam, Faldo etc.

These are top courses and have Pro tournaments at them so they were very challenging for us. The weather was perfect and we had a great time and we hope to do it again in 2011.