Over the next few weeks we’ll be giving you tips and advice on how to play Kau Sai Chau’s East Course. Today hole 1. We’ll concentrate on playing from the white tees as Kau Sai Chau is a golf course in Hong Kong that only allows lower handicap players to play from the blue tees. The first hole is an easy birdie hole, but you can also, like most holes at Kau Sai Chau’s East Course, make a big number. The tee shot is a slightly elevated blind tee shot, this is something no golf lesson in Hong Kong can teach you. For most players the large ravine in front of the tee box is not an issue, but for beginner golfers in Hong Kong it can be daunting. On the tee, it looks like there’s no much room on the right, but once you get over the hill, there’s more room than you think. Your second shot will most likely be off a downhill lie, play the back in your stance, get your upper body perpendicular to the slope and “chase” the ball down the hill. This won’t be a long 2nd shot to reach the green in two and give yourself a birdie chance, but it’s not a green you want to be hitting a long iron or fairway wood into. The safe play is to lay up and leave yourself a nice wedge in. Even that’s not easy, bunkers and rough surround the layup landing area. Unless you hit one into the junk off the tee, this should be an easy par for most players and a definite birdie for low amateurs even playing from the back tees.
Tomorrow – hole 2 at Kau Sai Chau, a course that doesn’t allow golf lessons in Hong Kong because it’s so busy.