Military links
The infrastructure at the Chungju course is superb, so much so you want to hijack a fizz boat to nip across the lake to the golf course opposite. It costs 155,000 won (about $180) for a round but it's lit by fairway lights. As long as you're playing straight it'd be a perfect post-work lark. Not to mention you feel safe - Air Force jets take off from a nearby base every few minutes, ensuring the 38th parallel stays protected.
Super Bowl interval it's not
Korean organisers have established that any discernible break in the programme should be filled by cheerleaders on the medal podium gyrating in front of the main grandstand.
There has been no twerking or renditions of Psy's Gangnam Style yet - tap dancing and circa 1980s leg-warmer aerobic workouts are preferred - but it might step up a notch on the weekend.
Sweet persuasion
The hospitality has been gracious, Korea promoting its hinterland as the next go-to place with Seoul bursting at the seams. Fancy a fruit smoothie? Bang, it appears on your desk. The boiled lollies are under-rated, especially chestnut candy. And, on that topic, dentists might become redundant in South Korea going by a small sample of regatta evidence. Every time you go to the bathroom volunteers are flossing and cleaning their fangs vigorously.
Raise a glass to Ricki
Winemakers Unison Gimblett Gravels needed to raise some funds to help parents with boys in the Ricki Herbert Football Academy to go on their 2013 European U16 tour to Barcelona and London."So we talked with Ricki Herbert and his team about what we could do to raise funds for all the boys, so the trip would be less onerous on the parents. We soon decided on creating a special wine for Ricki. We put aside a parcel of our 2012 Syrah and are pleased to announce the launch of a very unique wine, Ricki's Red - Soccer Syrah 2012," said an email release.
We're picking this little beauty will fail to live up to the 2010 vintage, lacking the depth and expression of other wines - a complex variety a little out of balance, full-bodied at the back but light in the middle and not delivering much up front.
Bore draw
There was unprecedented build-up to Manchester United's opening home clash with Chelsea. But the game didn't quite live up to the hype in the eyes of soccer-tragic website football365.com, whose introduction to the game read: "Jesus. What do you say about a game like that? A nation wept with boredom as Manchester United and Chelsea played out one of the bigger wastes of 90 minutes we've ever witnessed. Probably the most interesting bit of this aggressively dull 0-0 draw was watching Wayne Rooney run around, desperate to show how hard he was trying..."
