Escaping my work frustrations is par for the course

My $100 golf game in Yunnan Province was one of my best buys of the year. I work hard in Beijing and I find it frustrating sometimes because of the culture clashes.

A job needs to be accomplished and I'm hired to help. I explain quickly what needs to be done and where I think the faults lie, and how we can improve the situation. However sometimes I am perceived as being too direct. My colleagues would never tell me I was too direct because in saying that, they would be too direct.

So a golf game in Lijiang, in Yunnan, in Southwest China was just what I needed. The Jade Snow Mountain was looming in the background and magic was in the air. I was really gliding on a fairway to heaven and letting go of those little frustrations. Spending $100 for an afternoon of golf is a good investment in my mental health.

Different strokes for different folks, and we expats have different value systems toward different things. China prices can be so cheap and yet so expensive. At the same time, top-shelf items here can offer relatively good value compared to other international capitals. It all comes down to values and I highly value playing golf.

Expat golfers need deep pockets to enjoy this old Scottish game, which is now the popular pastime of the country's nouveau riche who do not blink at spending more than 1,000 yuan ($130) for a round.

But golf can be cheap too. Every weekend, I hit the driving range for couple of hours and it costs me 70 yuan ($9). I hang out with like-minded friends and we wind down and have a great time. In between shots we sit back and release the cares of the week.

Some expats scoff at my $125 golfing spree but these same people would spend the same on a haircut. That's ridiculous in my mind. But once again, different strokes for different folks.

(China Daily 05/18/2007 page20)