European Tour Insider: Time to tee it up in China
By Nick Dye, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
Editor's note: Nick Dye is going to be giving PGATOUR.COM viewers an inside look at what's happening on the European Tour. Dye, who works with European Tour Radio, will be at more than 30 events this year and will file weekly columns on Wednesdays.
BEIJING -- You can guarantee there'll be plenty of post-Masters conversation this week as the European Tour lands in Beijing for the Volvo China Open. But the talk of Angel Cabrera's second major -- and hence, the success for another Tour member -- will exclude the majority of the local "audience."
I came to China early, as I didn't have one of those sought-after golden tickets for Augusta National. I have visited the country on so many occasions and seen so little that I thought I ought to correct matters. Yet when not clambering up the Great Wall or discovering the Forbidden City, could I catch a glimpse of the azaleas and Amen Corner on Chinese TV?
Admittedly, the time difference between Georgia and Beijing is prohibitive, but visits to bar upon bar -- all in the name of research, you understand -- proved fruitless. I could watch seemingly endless basketball, a little soccer, some tennis, but golf? Maybe I just went to the wrong places.
Thanks to a combination of PGATOUR.COM, europeantour.com and the Masters' own site, though, I was able to get my fix.
Angel Delight
I'd love, at this point, to reveal a great little story about the new Masters champion. You'll have read all about his upbringing and achievements, but it would be nice to offer something more offbeat. I'm struggling, though.
Angel is amenable, has a winning smile and gives a warm, firm handshake. But he's happy to keep to himself.
As a twice-major champion, you'd expect him to be called in for frequent news conferences. It doesn't happen often, and he's fine with that.
In part, it's because of the language difficulties and the need for a translator. He can understand English, and speaks it better than he lets on -- particularly when you see him out in the evening with cigarette and beer in hand -- but he's no fan of microphones.
I'm sure we'd get to know him better if we were invited to a barbecue at the Barclays Scottish Open. The Argentine players and caddies tend to gather on the Bonnie Banks at Loch Lomond and cook several pigs.
The key to the door
Ireland's Damien McGrane defends the title this week at the Beijing CBD International Golf Club. He won by nine strokes in torrential rain at the same venue 12 months ago.
The 38-year-old -- who marked his birthday earlier this week -- arrived at the Crowne Plaza hotel to find his photo almost everywhere, including printed on the little paper wallets that hold the key cards. A nice touch.
McGrane enjoys making far-flung trips. He booked a winter holiday at the end of 2007 to Antarctica. Sadly, the weather stopped the trip, so he spent time in Chile instead.
"I love (China)," he said. "I really enjoy the culture, the food, the banter with the people. It's one of my favorite countries on the circuit."
Beyond the Bird's Nest
Despite the struggle to find golf on television in China, the country has changed markedly since the European Tour's first visit.
There are now close to 500 courses around the country, and data available at the 15th Volvo China Open suggest there are more than a million players.
It used to be only former champion Zhang Lian-Wei and Liang Wen-Chong who could make the cut in this company, but the strength and depth of Chinese golf is growing.
The Olympic effect is evident in the capital city, too.
It's odd to think that China used to feel inaccessible. Now, the Tour has repeat visits every year.
First visits were fairly chaotic. Now, after 2008's Games, there are better roads, easier access, less pollution and bluer skies.
The official hotel this week is in full, dramatic view of the Bird's Nest stadium, and where last year there were roadworks in preparation for the Olympics, now everything runs smoothly.
Etiquette
For all the marked improvements, there are some incidents worth repeating from recent years in China.
I once saw Thomas Bjorn hit an excellent drive bisecting the fairway at the BMW Asian Open in Shanghai. A spectator saw the ball land, promptly picked it up and would've been away had a referee not given pursuit in a buggy.
At the Volvo China Open, Jeev Milkha Singh hit an admittedly errant shot into the trees. A spectator picked up the ball but had been seen. Jeev asked politely where the man picked it up, and the guy -- a frightened look on his face -- wanted to throw the ball and scarper. A fellow punter kicked him up the backside, and a bit of a scuffle broke out. Most of this was on camera.
In the past, fans have scurried through bunkers to get better views and walked onto greens. I'm sure none of this behavior will be repeated in Beijing this week.
Oh, and the food
Inevitably, any interview with players saying what they like about China will involve a comment about food. It's plentiful, tasty, varied, exotic -- and you don't have to try the turtle, donkey, dog or snake.
I'll share one personal meal experience of a previous Beijing visit. Four of us went to an area popular with Western tourists. We saw on sofas outside of what we thought was a restaurant and enjoyed views over an ornamental lake.
We only wanted something quick to go with beer, and we didn't feel adventurous that night. So we ordered, a burger for me and three pizzas for my friends.
The beers went down well -- and continued to do so for much more than an hour. But where was our food?
A little old lady rode up on a bicycle with bamboo baskets balanced across the handlebars. A plate was taken from one and neatly arranged on it were a Big Mac and fries from the golden arches. Pizza Hut had filled the other baskets.
It was the slowest fast food ever and with the prices marked up for the "restaurant" service, to boot. It's always an experience coming to China.
Nick Dye is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
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