November 14, 2005
Woods Experiences Golfing in China: Click, Ring, Take a Swing
Golf and golf etiquette is so new in China, and the sport's fans are so crazy about Tiger Woods, that the The HSBC Champions Tournament in Shangai was quite a scene, according to Bloomberg
"Chinese golf fans flocked to watch Tiger Woods in Shangai last weekend. And snap pictures while he was playing, and call friends to tell them about it.
"A lot of people had mobile phones and were taking pictures, you just had to deal with it,'' the No. 1-ranked golfer said in Shangai, wherehe repeatedly pulled away from playing shots because of noise. "There were a lot of distractions out there.''
... Organizers said about 10,000 people turned up for the final day, when David Howell outplayed Woods to win by three strokes.
Signs at the entrances to the Sheshan International Golf Club were optimistic: "Strictly no mobile phones and cameras.'' Spectators, many walking past the signs with phone planted to ear, even got written instructions on how to behave from organizers.
... Another item on the "Guide to Viewing Golf'' for fans, "never attempt to pick up any ball on the course,'' was ignored by a woman standing at the edge of the fairway on the fourth hole after Simon Wakefield, an English golfer, teed off."
Related articles:
-- Golf Rules leave fans pining for phones - At a golf tournament, silence is not only golden, it is mandatory.
-- Call for Cameraphone ban on Golf Tournaments - Officials at this year's US Masters introduced airport-style metal detectors and bag scanners at the main entrance to Augusta and confiscated all mobile phones and cameras.
The Permanent Link to this page is: http://www.textually.org/picturephoning/archives/2005/11/010617.htm