South Korea: mountains, high-rises, shopping, and yes, golf

There were some things I knew I?d miss during my trip to Korea: my two sons, my husband, ice, and email. Golf wasn?t on my list. Not because I wouldn?t miss it, but because I knew I?d get my golf fix here one way or another.

They say Japan is golf-crazy?well Japan?s got nothing on Korea. On landing in Seoul, we spotted no fewer than three courses from the plane. (In a city more crowded than New York, by the way.) Our hotel in Kwangju had its own driving range. If there?s land to spare, something golf-related is going up. At home we have one Golf Channel. Here, they have three. Of course, they also have about six home shopping networks, five cartoon networks, two channels playing a dubbed ?Fugitive? and a subtitled ?Shallow Hal,? and one station that seems to air nothing but really bizarre game shows.

I ask around: do you like golf? Oh yes, is the answer. Do you play much? No, never. Way too expensive.

But even if you can’t actually play here, you can watch–on one of the three golf channels from your hotel room, on the TVs mounted in intercity buses, on the KTX bullet train. On the train from Taejon to Seoul today I watched as Se Ri Park demonstrated her swing.

And at this moment I?m watching the Mizuno Classic, as Korean announcers describe Annika?s attempt to overtake Young Kim. It?s Tuesday evening, and the Classic ended three weeks ago, but there?s no shortage of LPGA golf to watch. There?s no difference, watching it here or at home. Except maybe one thing: the announcers know how to pronounce ?Jeong Jang.?

Golf clubs: a must-have fashion accessory.