Walking with Monty & how the other 1% live
Trip Start
Jun 03, 2006
1
119
131
Trip End
Ongoing
Shenzhen,
China
Sunday, November 25, 2007
That´s the thing with Mission Hills. It is a playground for the absurdly rich by anyone´s standards. Top of the list of rich players are Hong Kong´s wealthy, and for anyone who doesn´t believe that, just check out the police, security and medical staff who have all been shipped in for the event from Hong Kong. Even the Chinese language signage for the World Cup event is in the traditional Chinese characters rather than the simplified form bequeathed to the mainland by the Communist Revolution´s literacy drive.
Golf is something China hasn´t quite worked into its society. Indeed, I have repeatedly heard that only 12% of the country´s golf courses were actually licensed for construction. If this is true, it is not beyond possibility that golf courses could be reclaimed and turned into urban development at the drop of a government hat or more likely, popularity campaign. Given the novelty of golf here, and the game´s particular charming yet essential etiquette, it was no surprise to see the event tightly marshalled. My initial reaction was dismay at being so tightly shepherded until I saw the mobile phones and cameras being brandished by oblivious spectators who had obviously never heard of players´ caddies resorting to physical violence to protect their masters from distractions. A crowd of nouveau rich Chinese swollen with self importance is pretty tough to police.
Nonetheless, the lack of understanding of the game was brought home to me with a bitter-sweet crash as I finally found a spectacularly beautiful oasis of green calm far from the clubhouse on the 10th hole. There were not more than twenty spectators, and it was great. The narrow strip of fairway where the pro´s drives were landing with unbelievable consistency despite the cross-wind was marked by a tight cluster of sand-filled divots, and several people were standing level with this part of the course. In the interests of self-preservation and wanting to rest weary feet and relax, we sat down 30 yards down the fairway knowing any offline shots would safely sail over our heads. Only the marshal didn´t know this. He had a fit, telling us we were in danger and had to move. It was so daft I was caught between cursing, laughing and arguing and probably did all three. Obviously we ended up moving, but not 10 seconds later an offline drive clattered into a group of previously oblivious ladies standing in what I knew (but the marshal didn´t) was the most likely position for a sliced drive to land. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but it highlighted the comical lunacy of the whole situation.
For all the eccentricities of the event, for a golf-loving spectator, the best thing about being at Mission Hills was the opportunity to watch some really good players close up without having to fight through crowds of spectators. The English duo of Rose and Poulter had the crowd talking about their attire as much as their quality golf. One quote was, "they are too handsome and too well dressed to be playing sport!" I´ve also heard the TV commentators roll out their clichés about Maria-Angel Jimenez and Carlos Franco, but they really do prowl around the course as if it´s their domain and hitting a long iron is the easiest thing in the world. However, whatever the media may or may not say about him, the best guy to watch was easily Monty, and it´s not just because of his golf, but because his non-stop body and verbal communication with himself, his caddy, his playing partners and not least the crowd is entertaining in itself. After walking a few holes with his group, you started to feel every shot with him almost as if you were playing with him yourself. It was the weirdest feeling, and a reminder that professional sport is played by human beings who are just like the rest of us, except for their particular sporting talent and ability to use it. Monty further endeared himself to me for starting tell the clueless marshals when to let the crowds move, not least because it let him chat to his other half. He´s just a regular guy doing the extraordinary job of playing professional golf. I was glad that he and his partner Marc Warren won come Sunday´s gripping finale in the fading light.
