Olympic Driving Range

My cousin Sam showed me the ultimate (meaning cost-effective) driving range. On the new MTR line to the Hong Kong airport there's a stop called Olympic Station. If you want a super-cheap place to hit some golf balls, this is the station to get off at. It costs HK$50 for non-members, the balls are free and you can stay there all day from 9:00AM to 6:00PM.

After shanking/slicing/hooking/whatever (WAAAAY off to the right, what is that called?) 100 balls, I decided to actually aim (I had forgotten all about that), "Hit the McGregor sign...", and I finally got off one really good, PGA style, perfectly straight, good trajectory hit. Happy with myself, I look down at my hand: Blister City. That's enough for one day.

I am...

This is Dan Chan at the Driving Range: I am Tiger Woods

This is Chuchen on the Computer:
I am Dan Chan

This is Joe at the Mental Asylum:
I am Joe...I am Javier...I am eMate

Golfing in HK

Having lived in the usual absurdity of HK for the past 6 years let me add that Danny's interpretations are not the norm. The "cheap" price is a weekday phenomenon, because no one goes to the range during the week.

For those of us that live and work here, the usual time to go to the driving range is the weekend, where things "change" dramatically. Excluding travelling charges for the moment, most golf ranges here are "members only". So, you have to pay an up-front fee. Every hourly usage of the range involves an additional charge. Worse, some ranges charge for use of the lane AND for the balls.

Golf balls here are usually battered and in poor condition so a good shot (hats off to danchan for getting a decent shot) is extremely arduous. The costs, round trip usually end up being something like HK$250-400 (US$32-50) which costs about the same as a round at most public courses in California.

Add this to the fact that lanes are usually full (you have to sometimes book a week in advance) and our ONE public golf course has over 22,000 calls for its 450 tee times a day, and you get golfing chaos. Or in my case, golfing misery.

Nice form danchan...

while chuchen might be inclined to believe that form follows function in golf, I just think if you look pretty doing it, ohhhh, then you look soooo pretty.

I am impressed that the Vooner's ability to review has surpassed even the broadest scope of subjets that is High Gear!

Dan Chan's Form

One final analysis -- If you notice Dan's form in the picture above, you'll see that his club is pointed decided to the right at the top. Thus when he comes down to hit the ball, he's coming from an in-to-out path, which makes all of his shots go to the right. The fact that you can see so much of Danny's six-pack suggests that there is just too much hip turn. Nevertheless, I will have to go with Emate on this one and say that the form is pretty good.