Golf Anyone?

Posted by Michael

For our last full day in Cambodia, I made arrangements to play golf at the Cambodia Golf and Country Club while our teen delegation went to a public school.

I hired a car to pick me up at 6:45 am for an 8:00am tee time. Unfortunately , when I awoke, my watch ( which I had putchased here for $2) read 6:03... so I got up readied myself and went down stairs only to realize that it was really 2:00 am. I returned to the hotel and awoke the clerk to ask him to let me into my room as I had left the key in my room for my son. The clerk did not have a spare key so I rang the room telephone about thirty times but my son would not wake, so I was stuck sleeping on the third floor lobby couch until 5:30 am when the laundery lady arrived and was able to let me in.

Finally my taxi arrived and we began the 45 minute drive out to the golf course where I rented my clubs and shoes, purchased balls, tees and water and presented myself to the starter who told me I was he only player and my caddy was at the golf cart waiting for me. The caddy was a young Cambodian girl who spoke very little English but made a valiant effort to inform me about wind direction, bunkers, hazards, and the pitch of the green. The golf course itself was arid but very nicely planned out. I knew that this would be quite different from your regular golf game but I must say that I was looking forward to it.
For two hours I hacked away but was quite pleased to out in the sun and playing golf in this strange land. The grounds keepers trying in vain to keep some semblance of green , all Cambodians, never missed the opportunity to smile or clap when I got a good one off.
The ride back to the hotel became quite interesting when after some conversation with the driver I asked him about a large Pagoda that I had noticed on the ride out here. He said some things which I really didn't understand , but I nodded politely. he then made a left off the main street, down a dirt road and I assumed he was taking me to visit a Pagoda. After a few minutes I noticed this area which looked like an old military training camp. Then a few seconds later I heard the rat-a-tat-tat of machine-gun fire and saw a large group of men in military fatiques. I must say that my heart began to beat a bit faster. Then the driver pulled up to building and we got out only to find out that this place was a firing range as I was staring at a munitions menu ( UZI $30, AK 47 $30 etc.) I told him that I would rather just head back and away we went.
This is one round of golf that I will not likely forget anytime soon.
Michael