Playing screen golf in Korea

I'm really no big fan of golf even though at the end of my street back home in England there is a private golf course. In the UK it is seen by many, but not all, as more of an elitist sport/pass time where middle aged rich people go for some fresh air. I dislike the moral high ground that some people who run the game have as if it's some how above other sports and only played by gentlemen. To me, golf the sport makes itself hard for you to like it.



Anyway, when I was growing up I would watch golf on TV and played golf computer games which I really enjoyed. I enjoyed the skill level and decision making and also the feeling you'd get when you improved. I remember vividly playing my brother and beating him so he cheated by winding me up to affect my play, which he did. And since then I have gone off golf a bit. Until yesterday.



I've never played golf properly. Never had anyone show me what to do and never known how hard it really is. Yesterday my wife and I played screen golf here in Korea. We had a great time and will play it again. Korea lacks space and everyone really is crammed in so I doubt there are many actual golf courses, but people here do like it. There are driving ranges dotted around the cities and of course screen golf.



Screen golf is similar to a singing room, or noraebang. There you pay some money, go into a room and are given a large book of songs to pick from and tap the number into a machine and you sing. It's insanely popular. Screen golf works the same way. The room is largely the same size, there is a computer screen image projected at one end and equipment to simulate a game of golf. You whack (if you are like me) the golf ball at the screen and watch the ball fly. It's easy to play but difficult to play well. The room itself was air conditioned, clean and felt welcoming. I wish I could say the same for my classrooms at work!



As we were trying for the first time we only played nine holes. I don't know if the course we played on was tough or easy but I found the game difficult though after a while we both got better. I now have a new appreciation for the people who play golf for a living. After a while my wrist started to hurt because my technique was awful but waking up the next day I felt fine. For nine holes it cost 10,000won each but for the full eighteen it would have been 15,000won each. We'll definitely go back again as it's a fun way to kill a few hours.