The luxuries of the opulent make for an abundant discussion.
What can one not do with wallets bursting with currency.
As I spend the first half of a very early Thursday morning at a plush golf course in uptown Muscat, this only become clearer.
In recent times, golf has become one of the most exclusive, for-the-rich-only sports.
It probably already was, in the West, but the trend has gradually travelled to this part of the world.
Once, a long time ago – the Omani wealth was determined by how many camels one owned. Now, it is judged by a ‘hole-in-one’. I seem to find that rather amusing.
Come weekends, Oman’s rich and famous (and their wives) flock to either of the four golf courses here. (Yes. Four. For a country that has been unable to install a public transportation system, four full-fledged golf courses seems just right, no?)
In an attempt to shed my disgruntled-ness for having being dragged to one of these places on a weekend morning – I got onto a caddie and was driven around by a Marshall (an umpire of sorts, in golf).
For novices like me, I must say that it is fascinating yet deadly boring sport!
Here I was, thinking that test cricket was boredom personified.
Golf is bloody darn slow. Scattered sets of people across a humongous patch of un-natural greens, sand pits, water bodies and artificial hills – swinging shiny, fancy-shmancy golf clubs trying to put a ball in a hole. Meh.
What I was actually in awe of, was how this monstrosity (or four of them) were created. In an arid land as Oman, this wide expanse of green. And such pristine green – like a sea of grass, all cut perfectly to the inch.
And did I mention, that this is a golf-course by the Arabian sea?
The sparkling aquamarine waters and the cool breeze therefrom were probably the only two reasons why I am yet not complaining about being two shades darker than when I got here.
Pointless, as it was – to be present, I guess its not such a bad thing to wake up at 6 am on occasional weekends and smell the tee.
*Chanting to self*
It was such a mixed emotion. I loved the serenity of the place and was troubled by the elite-only status it enjoyed.
I dont know if I would get a chance, but I'd love to try!