18 Holes

July 11, 2013

Golfing while your wife works? Sure, why not?!

We knew that M would want something to do during the days while I was working (and he was waiting to be able to do the same), so with some severe arm twisting (as you can imagine), he decided that golf would fit the bill quite nicely.

Since he's not much of a blogger, and I wanted to make sure to capture all the aspects of our combined experience here, I decided to embark on my first ever blog interview. Here are the results...

Me: What are the main differences between North American and South African golf courses?

M: Aside from the obvious difference that they are open 12 months of the year? Okay, It's sometimes hard to find the next hole; it is not always very clear where you're supposed to go. I may or may not have shot from the 18th hole towards the 17th fairway once... They also always ask if you want a caddy- they are readily available at the start of the course.

There is a lot of maintenance going on at the courses here. Generally they are in good repair, but like anywhere, some are much better than others.

Me: is the game/your game any different here?

M: Well, I'm not playing any better here than I did in Canada, even though I play and go to the driving range a lot more. As for the game, the ball goes further in the winter since it's so dry (but usually for me that just means further to the right...). Also, the distances are all in meters, versus yards, which makes it a lot harder to figure out what club to use.

Me: How much does it cost, on average, to play a round of 18-holes of golf in South Africa?

M: Mmm, about 150 rand (in Canadian: $15). Amazingly cheap, compared to home.

Me: How often do you play?

M: Uhh...twice per week if my wife lets me have the car...

Me: How many courses are there in the city of Johannesburg?

M: No idea (laughs), a lot.

Me: Like over 500? 200?

M: Maybe over 100? I need to google it...

Me: Do you often golf with people, or solo?

M: Usually with people, but sometimes by myself. The people are pretty friendly and often ask why the heck we moved to South Africa!

Me: Do you tell them it's so you can golf all the time?

M: Yup, definitely.