Golf for a change!

As I am still an absolute beginner in terms of Golf, but my goal is to become a single handicapper here in Vietnam, I have to go out on a real golf course from time to time. So, I went with a nice german couple out to the Royal Islands Golf Course around 60km north east of Ho Chi Minh City. Since there are no motorways as in Europe, 60km are quite far and take up to 2 hours driving time. However, driving towards the Golf course, you pass by the chinese factories which were burnt down during the riots in spring this year. You see burnt factory buildings, trucks and vehicles, completely abandoned. Unfortunately I couldn't take good pictures out of the car.

As we continued our ride, you more and more get a feeling about the countryside of Vietnam. Quite beautiful. Rice fields with water buffalos in it, small and slow rivers passing through some kind of rain forests. Banana and papaya trees along the road. Really nice.

Then in the middle of this scenery, there is the golf course. 

Golf is not a sport for the average Vietnamese, since it is really expensive here. Green fee at the course was 86 USD for 18 holes. That's a fifth or a quarter of the average income here in Vietnam. So most of the players are foreigners. Mostly Japanese or Korean. 

As well as in China, you always have a Caddy with you. 

Here a few impressions of the Golf course:

Playing there is real fun. However, it was freaking hot. During the first hour sun was burning down. Then fortunately it got cloudy, and it cooled down a few degrees. Even though I thought I was drinking enough (something like 2,5 litres) I got a small heat stroke at the end, having a bad headache and feeling sick. I could cool down a bit in the shower of the club, but still the drive back wasn't so nice as on the way towards the course.
Nevertheless I really enjoyed the time there. I guess I didn't improve at all, since I lost quite some balls in the lakes on the course, but still, it was fun. Unfortunately there are not so many courses around Ho Chi Minh City. But I hope that I will get the opportunity to play a few more courses here.