Wish a Happy Chinese New Year to all golf friends, wherever you are.

Now in China it is almost the time to countdown the seconds to the Chinese new year, and most people are together with family for this most important holiday. In contrast, it is just a noraml sunday afternoon here in Stockholm. Most people here already had the new year holiday between Christmas and Jan.1.

After about 100 days of winter pause, I really wanted to play golf somewhere. I suggested to travel to Thailand for the new year holiday, and got approval since my wife wanted to have sunshine in the beach and my son wanted to get a diving certificate there. This time I took my golf bag with me. The flight took more than 10 hours to Phuket, howeve, I was so glad to feel the summer when arrived on Dec. 24. In the evening, the hotel had a big Christmas party inlcuding many dancing performance. It was strange to celebrate Christmas in summer atomsphere, there was just a background scen painted with snow view.

To play golf is expensive and a luxy thing there, a green fee is several times of daily imcome of a taxi driver. On the other hand, the golf court is beasutiful and of top quality. During one week holiday, I played golf for 4 days, three times in Loch Palm Golf club (easier to get tee time) and once in Phuket country club. We had a lot of sunshine and it was like 30 degree, warm than swedish summer!  

The first day my son joined me at Loch Palm and we played together with a Finish man and his doughter's boyfriend. No one had good result but we enjoyed the company ("holiday golf") and the caddies also had fun together. I had nearly 100% slice and got some feeling back after many holes. After the round my caddy told me that my score was 104 (I think she wanted please me). My son's score was 106 but he only plays several times per year. The second day I come back to Loch Palm and played with an old couple from Danmark. The danish lady had the best result since her ball was mostly on the fireway (though not so long). I had much better feeling and got even one birde, but two bad holes (+3 and +4) destroyed my score (101). The third day, I play at Phuket Country Club with two English men (father and son). The father has the hadnicap 14 and the son used to play tournaments. I told them that I have a high handicap and my goal is to break 100. The first hole my drive was not good but I saved the par. Second hole I had luck and got a par again. They were glad for my play. In this club everybody has to walk, so we had a lot of time to chat. They are typical english gentlemen, we bought drinks to each other from time to time and had very nice conversation. I become quite relaxed, drive was better than normal, and my results looked promising untill hole No.17. That is a short par 3, and the green is surrounded by water. Surpringly, both the father and son had their first ball in water. My first ball falled in water, second ball in water! third ball landed close to the green but rolled into water!! +5! My socre beame 102.

The next day, I came back to Loch Palm and tried to break 100, but it turned to be 102.  

In 2009, my goal is to break 100 and stay below that.