Screen Golf

I've never been very interested in golf. I've gone to the driving range, but my performance there has pretty much dissuaded me from ever hitting the links. I slice so far to the right that you could call my golf ball Sarah Palin. So while I'm sure that playing 18 holes is fun for some, I don't really fancy spending an afternoon in the sand trap.

However, I've found a form of golf that works for me. Screen golf is played indoors, in air-conditioned comfort. They provide a full set of clubs, shoes, and complimentary beverages. There is a giant screen that projects a computer generated golf course. You tee off from an AstroTurf platform, and the system tracks your shot and projects the results onto the screen. Here, James demonstrates putting:



I think one of the coolest parts of the system is the tilting plaform; if you put a ball on a hill then the platform tilts to make your shot more difficult. We see this as Jacob attempts to get out of the sand trap:



I'm not sure how accurate this game is in relation to a real game of golf. Regardless, it's safe to say none of us will be taking Tiger's place on the PGA tour. In 9 holes, we managed one par between us, though Jacob was inches away from an eagle. Most of our other rounds maxed out at "double par." I certainly was hurt by the number of times I crushed a 200 yard drive right into the woods. Still, at 12,000 won for 9 holes, it's a great way to kill a couple of hours. If only they supplied a 6-pack in the golf bag . . .