Friendship and Golf are Always Universal Amongst Teens

Golf is such a great game, a game for life. It is a game for all ages. Golf is played around the world and doesn't need translation. However, the four teenagers and their two chaperones that visited Taiwan earlier this year were really grateful they had translators when they landed in the Far East.

This has been the fourth time top San Diego Junior golfers have been invited to Taiwan to play in what is now officially called “The San Diego- Friendship Matches”. Founders of the matches, Jack Liu and Ernie Huang, decided to sponsor the event for San Diego County Junior Golf Association’s top players. Huang said, “ We wanted to show appreciation to the organization for a job well done in running its Callaway Junior World Golf Championships.” Huang and Liu, both residents of Rancho Santa Fe, Ca. and successful businessmen have helped Taiwanese players over the last several years adjust to the American way of life when the top players venture over to prepare and play in the Callaway Jr. World Golf Championships. The logistics of getting the kids settled in lodging, the different diet, and the language barrier all can take their toll on these players. “Many wonderful families in the Taiwanese community in San Diego help us out. Jack was really responsible for this support group. None of us could do it alone, but we have joined together to help these youngsters from our native country. It’s a team effort.” Huang said. “The golf part is easy for the kids once you handle all the rest of the stuff.”

The group that went to Taiwan this year couldn’t agree with them more.

Jason Walters, the team captain and the SDCJGA’s Director of Tournaments, along with Carole Duncan, the SDCJGA’s Administrative Manager, were thrilled with the opportunity to take two young men and two young women to Taiwan. “ It was wonderful because we did not have to worry about any of usual traveling challenges. We always had someone with us who could speak the language. Our hotels were wonderful and we had someone who drove us around- he always knew where he was and where we were going. Meals were taken care of. Everything was first class everywhere we went,” Duncan said “These young people will always remember this trip and we all grew as people because of the experience,” Walters added.

Duncan, mother of 15 year old team member Shane Mason said, “It was so much fun to watch the kids experience this extremely different culture and it was equally amusing to see the shocked looks on the Taiwanese as these four Californian kids strolled down the ancient streets of Tainan.” Chris Freeman, 17, the oldest of the players sent over is a senior at Clairemont High School. Freeman, the 2003 Player of the Year in San Diego who has committed to attend and play golf for San Diego State University in fall 2004, was always providing entertainment for the locals as well as his fellow teammates. “Chris had such a great attitude the entire trip and really was a great ambassador. He tried everything and kept us all laughing,” said Walters. Freeman who also has a passion for surfing cruised around in his native attire most of the trip: swim trunks, a towel, flip flops and a casual bucket hat. “I think he enjoyed the contrast of culture he represented,” said Duncan. “Fast times at Ridgemont High” with a Taiwanese twist?

Freeman and Mason made up half of the team while the other half was made up of SDCJGA’s 2003 Player of the Year, 16 year old Amber Lundskog of Scripps Ranch and 16 year old Kimberly Silber of Bonita. All of the kids qualified by being top players in the Championship Division in the 2003 season and by maintaining good grades in school. Lundskog said, “It was absolutely unbelievable! We are so lucky to have had this opportunity. The people there were so gracious. Everyone went out of their way to make our trip terrific!” Walters and Duncan agreed, “The hospitality was phenomenal and every day all of our needs were met. They took time every day to make sure we had some special sight seeing trip. The kids just didn’t see the hotel and the golf course. They saw so much more.”

The group had Paulus Hong as a full time host for the entire 10- day trip. Hong and a private driver took them to the usual museums, temples, culture centers and historical sites of Taiwan, but they also shared the local hangouts, markets and things the typical tourist would never have been exposed to. “I felt really safe on the trip because everything was so well planned,” said Lundskog. “We were able to see so much more than the average visitor.” Mason said, “Even though there were a lot of people, a lot of hustle and bustle, it is more laid back than the States. They take time to socialize more. Meals are times to gather, where we are always on the go.” They were treated every evening to elaborate meals- many with “strange” delicacies. “The boys challenged their palates and were a little more brave than us girls,” said Lundskog. Walters said they were all good sports, “The kids were very polite and respectful when offered things they may have preferred to pass on.” Freeman said, “We tried a lot of new, different foods. I even ate the jellyfish and octopus. It wasn’t that hard for me to eat their food.”

Everyone on the trip found it interesting that McDonalds, 7-11s, Subway restaurants, Gap clothing, HBO and CNN were simple reminders of how small the world is. Somehow they were connected by these common conveniences. During one round there was a long delay between nines, Freeman and one of his playing partners ventured off to a nearby 7-11. “No slurpees though,” Freeman reported. The teenagers all said they saw subtle similarities between America and Taiwan, but were shocked by how different the culture was. They all are also very appreciative that Huang, a native of Miaoli, Taiwan, a small town north of central Taiwan, moved to the United States in 1973. It wasn’t until 1993 that a Japanese business partner introduced Huang to the game of golf. “It must have been difficult to adjust to American life at first,” said Lundskog. The kids agreed that golf was their universal language.

“At the golf course it was fun because they saw 150 Taiwanese junior golfers compete in a four day tournament,” Duncan said. “Something these kids do routinely every summer.” The Friendship Matches were a small part of a tournament put on by the Golf Association of the Republic of China. Huang said, “We try to coordinate the San Diego kids going over with one of Taiwan’s big tournaments so they get a feel for what junior golf is like in Taiwan. Freeman, Mason, Lundskog and Silber, each with the courses’ traditional women caddies, teed it up with their Taiwanese counterparts and watched them as they tried to qualify for a spot on the Taiwanese team that will come to San Diego in July. The four Americans actually played stroke play against four of the top juniors in the already scheduled event. Mason finished the event at four under and he and Freeman beat their new friends William Liu and Henry Lee 589-598. The girls didn’t fare as well, losing to Ruby Tseng and Joann Yeh 609-642, but look forward to seeing them again this summer for a “friendly rematch” at Torrey Pines.

Nanpao Country Club in Tainan hosted the tournament. “It was a nice club. The greens were a little slower than normal and it was really long- some 6500 yards, so that was tough,” said Silber. “It was cool, very tropical with lots of bamboo,” added Mason. “For the most part the golf was just like golf in the states- no two courses are the same. Golfers have to adjust,” said Lundskog. The teenagers were also shown how different every course could be when they were invited to play the pristine Sunrise Country Club in Taipei on the last day of their trip. “That course was amazing!” said Lundskog. “It was a palace!” said Mason. The Robert Trent Jones Jr. golf course and its 400,000 square foot clubhouse are something these teens will always remember. “It even had a bowling alley and a movie theatre in it,” Lundskog continues.

Huang was not able to make the trip with the San Diegans this year. The Accenture Match Play World Championships were being played at La Costa Resort and Spa and he was being the gracious host at home to the international rules officials and some media while they were in town working the event. “The officials are often the unsung heroes,” Huang said. “This year I had to share the kids’ trip by DVD. They made a really nice disc for me so I could get the feeling of their experiences. I am glad they enjoyed it so much.”

Mason summed it up nicely for the group, “I never would have dreamed up this kind of experience. I think seeing the cultural differences, you become a better person and have a better understanding of other parts of the world. Sometimes in the U.S., we get in our own little world. We think that everything we do affects other people. I don’t think that anymore.” Huang said, “ It is a thrill to be able to provide such wonderful memories. Over the last ten years I have fallen in love with the game of golf and have been fortunate to have met some wonderful people through the game.” Huang gives a lot to others and sees it as a privilege to be able to help others realize their dreams and goals in the game. “More than the game though, I enjoy seeing these young, talented people get an opportunity to see the world with a new perspective. It is special to see them interact with others in a different culture.”

It’s obvious 37 years ago John Brown, Norrie West, and Lou Smith, the founders of the Callaway Jr. World Golf Championships were on to something- when kids from around the world share the language of birdie, par, bogey, no more needs to be said. Volunteers are always needed for this wonderful event every July. Players compete on eight separate courses around San Diego County. Let us be equally gracious and show golfers worldwide how hospitable Americans in Southern California can be.

Jacqui McSorley is co-author of Golf Guide for Parents and Players, along with Johnny Gonzales. She played professionally on the Japan LPGA Tour and currently is an avid supporter of the golf community in northern San Diego county, as she started an LPGA-USGA Girls Golf site.