I SAW NO BATS IN WUHAN!
THE ADVENTURE BEGINS In 2014, thanks to the efforts of golf course architect, Rick Robbins, I was hired to photograph two golf clubs in The People’s Republic of China… one in Beijing and one in Wuhan. This was my first opportunity to ply my trade internationally, and I was genuinely excited. (For more on how I met Rick Robbins, See Below) Rick is essentially retired now, but in 2009, he was actively designing golf courses in China. He had seen my photos of Canyon Ridge, a golf course he designed in northwest Georgia and contacted me. He suggested that he might have some Chinese clients interested in hiring me. I was all in, but for five years nothing came of it. Rick and I stayed in touch, though, and he remained optimistic that he would get me to China at some point. Then one day in the Fall of 2014, he called. “Dave, I have an owner who wants you to come to Beijing to photograph his new golf course. How soon can you get here?”
The High Speed Rail was amazing fun. Smooth as glass, and fast! Arriving at the station in Wuhan, I was a bit intimidated, though. The station was enormous and filled with people arriving and departing. I was the only tall, white person among the thousands of Chinese, and there were no directional signs in English. By following the flow of passengers disembarking from my train, though, I stumbled onto my pickup point, where I was met by a young woman from Yishan Golf Club.
The hotel, a short stroll from the clubhouse, is equally impressive. I was given one of five suites on the second floor, above the driving range. The suite was very large, ultra luxurious and featured 3 hitting bays on its spacious balcony. Oddly, I was the only person staying in the hotel. It seems that in China, everyone works. They build with no apparent demand for what they’re building, to keep folks working. The hope is, I suppose, that demand will develop. Thus… I stayed in an empty, first class hotel, and had it all to myself!
(A NOTE:) Hua and I became friends and stayed in touch for several years, but since Covid, I haven’t heard from her. I know that when Covid appeared she was living with her husband, her baby and her husband’s parents. As the government began to clamp down on its citizens, I heard from her that they were safe and healthy, but I haven’t heard anything since. I sincerely hope and trust that she’s well and happy. The photo shoot at Yishan went well. The weather was mostly good, and Ti Jien, mentioned above, was an excellent assistant. Jien drove my golf cart and manhandled a 10 foot ladder for me. With his easy smile and willingness to help, Ti Jien was good company. On the morning of my first photo shoot, I was on the 18th fairway, photographing the clubhouse with beautiful blue hour color filling the sky. When I needed to get to the other side of the stream that flowed from the small lake in front of the clubhouse, the only quick option was to hop across the lake’s stone dam where water fell into the stream below. Ti Jien, with athletic ease, hopped down and carried my camera and tripod across the dam. I slung my camera pack over my shoulder. In it, I had a second camera, a couple of additional lenses, plus filters, batteries, cables and other assorted accessories. Sadly, “athletic ease” is not something with which I am familiar, so as I hopped onto the dam, my feet slipped in the green slime and I fell sideways to my right, full-body-slam, into the stream below. Instantly, I found my inner cat and leapt up in the waste deep stream. I waded to the far side and nervously unzipped my camera pack. The pack was sold as “water resistant”, but what does that mean? Thankfully, the only thing that had gotten wet was me. And I was 100% soaked. Very upset at what he thought was his fault, Ti Jien asked if I wanted to go to my room to change. “Are you kidding?!” I almost shouted. “Do you see that sky!?” And we carried on for the remainder of my morning session.
hen I returned to the hotel, I was very wet, pretty muddy and looking genuinely bedraggled. Waiting for the elevator I noticed a couple of young people across the room at the driving range’s counter. I looked at them. They looked at me. And all three of us burst out laughing. That memory always makes me laugh! NO BATS IN WUHAN A quick note… In Wuhan, I saw no bats! Hong Kong Golf Club, which I photographed in 2017, was swarming with bats and mosquitoes every morning when I was out to shoot the dawn. But in Wuhan, no bats! THE LESSON On the final day of my visit, the club was having their monthly staff golf outing and I was invited to join them. The monthly outing is a special day for everyone, and though I would have preferred to be on the course with my cameras, I couldn’t refuse the invitation. It was the most beautiful day of my visit. And I spent it feeling miserable, wishing I had cameras and not golf clubs in my hands. And to make things worse, as we finished on the 18th hole, I was staring in the face of a stunning sunset. I was sick. That day I promised myself I would never play golf on a course I’m photographing. It was a valuable lesson, and it’s a promise I’ve never broken. RICK ROBBINS, CANYON RIDGE AND MCLEMORE
You may not have heard of Canyon Ridge, but I’m pretty sure you’ve heard of the Rees Jones/Bill Bergin renovation of it, now known as The Highlands Course at McLemore. The renovation included a brand new 18th Hole that has received rave reviews and international attention. The new, second course at McLemore, The Keep, and Cloudland, a Hilton Curio Hotel opened last year, are sure to continue the growth and success of McLemore as a destination resort. And it all began with Canyon Ridge, designed by Rick Robbins over 20 years ago.
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