pakdoktergolfblog: The Olazabal Course at the Mission Hills...

18th December 2009

The game at the Olazabal Course of the Mission Hills was the highlight of this golf tour. Mission Hills was located about one hour from downtown Shenzen. We left early that morning to make sure that we did not arrive late as the day before when we travelled to play at the Long Island Golf and Country Club.

RSGC does not have any reciprocal arrangement with Mission Hills, so we had to pay the full fee to play here. It cost each of us about RM500 ( RMB 1030) for the green fee, buggy and caddy. Tip for the caddy was recommended at RMB100 each.

The clubhouse of the Mission Hills was itself a 5-star luxurious establishment. The many golf shops sold all the branded golf wear on the top floor and the golf sets and equipments on the lower floor. It was like a small golf mall actually. And of course, nothing was cheap.

Mission Hills courses were located at 3 different sites. The Olazabal Course where we were booked to play at shared this location with the Duval Course as well as the Sorenstam Course. The Olazabal Course has been the site for the World Cup of Golf Competitions, and the most recent event took place here just 3 or 4 weeks ago. So the course was very much still in competition condition.

pakdokter at the lobby of the clubhouse..

Christmas was also in the air here...

pakdokter and pakdokter's caddy called 'Cherry'....

the caddies have an affinity to choose 'fruity' names...

pakAzizi's caddy was 'Apple'...

pakTgAzman's caddy was ' Honey (melon)'.....

hmmm....what a 'fruitful' bounty.....

see how happy pakTgAzman was with his 'Honey'....

Thomas, Pong,Alex,TgAzman,Chong,Azizi,Goh,Lee and pakdokter...

Pakdokter played in the second flight with regular partner pakTgAzman and Captain Lee Tak Suan. Captain Lee Tak Suan was RSGC Club Champion for 9 times and despite his age, still plays to a handicap of 14. Pakdokter and pakTgAzman played our usual bet of 30/10/10.

TgAzman has always played well during the overseas golf tour. He had beaten pakdokter by a mere 2 balls at the Long Island Golf Club and was in form to continue his slaughter of pakdokter at this course.

Hole-1 of the Olazabal Course....

TgAzman hit a drive like a pro and sent the second shot close to the apron.....

being 1-up against pakdokter, TgAzman declared that he was a 'tiger'...

pakdokter corrected him by saying that he should be a 'crocodile'...

at this par-3, pakdokter hit into the bunker but managed a sandy par

to square the game..

pakdokter had another par at this par -3 from an elevated tee to the downhill green...

it was a close match in the 1st Nine

TgAzman won the game but lost the dommie

after being 2-up at the 7th hole with two to go...

he took 2 balls in the 1st Nine

The 2nd Nine was a closely fought match throughout the game. The two of us were square until the 16th hole which was the signature hole of the course. At the par-3 17th hole pakdokter sent the drive into the rough while TgAzman hit a lovely shot that landed the ball almost 3 feet to the pin. He got a par and went to the last hole 1-up against pakdokter. At the 18th, TgAzman hit a long drive that landed in the middle of the fairway but pakdokter's drive unfortunately ended up in the water. There was little chance for pakdokter to square the game and conceded 8 balls to TgAzman, having doubled up the game at the 2nd Nine. TgAzman gleefully took home 10 balls from pakdokter and promised to buy pakdokter the lunch. He has yet to buy pakdokter the lunch as Captain Lee paid for the lunch for all the 3 of us at the clubhouse. The clubhouse had a menu that included dishes from Soith East Asia and pakdokter settled for a plate of Phad Thai which was washed down with a mug of San Miguel.....