"Getting a hole-in-one while playing golf is said to be as rare as being struck by lightning. It's just that difficult to achieve. However, I have experienced both being struck by lightning and recording two hole-in-ones. Many of you may be puzzled, thinking, "He has achieved two hole-in-ones, but also been struck by lightning? How can someone who has been struck by lightning be active as a blogger called 'Life and Golf'?"
"Indeed, it's a fact. So as you read this, you're holding hands with me, someone who has been struck by lightning and still managed to achieve a hole-in-one. Let's give this a more 'grand (?) meaning' – you're sharing that 'momentum' with me, which allowed me to survive being struck by lightning and achieve two hole-in-ones."
"Now, let me recount my experiences of the brutal and absurd incident of being struck by lightning and the ecstatic moments of achieving two hole-in-ones, trying to recall them as accurately as possible. My unbelievable experiences begin."
"By the way, golf and lightning are polar opposites. You may have seen during golf broadcasts on TV that if there is a risk of lightning striking or if lightning strikes during a golf game, the game is immediately suspended. This is because players and spectators could be seriously injured or killed by lightning strikes. If lightning strikes, you should urgently take refuge indoors in the clubhouse or a building without touching golf clubs, umbrellas, or cell phones. Not leaning against concrete walls is also a tip for avoiding lightning strikes."
"The temperature of lightning is around 30,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which is five times hotter than the surface of the sun. The average length of a lightning bolt is 2 to 3 miles, and its width is only about 2 to 3 centimeters. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States, about 5% of lightning-related deaths and injuries occur on golf courses each year, so golfers should never ignore lightning."
Enjoying the spectacle of the 'lightning pillars' while traveling in the skies on the way to Seoul
During the early winter of 2017, around late November, while working in Seoul, I would regularly finish my work on Friday afternoons and catch a flight from Gimpo Airport to Gimhae Airport, heading to my home in Busan. Then, on Sunday afternoons, I would fly back to Seoul.
On one particular Sunday afternoon, when I arrived at Gimhae Airport to catch my flight (I can't recall if it was around 6 or 7 PM), it was already dark, and a chilly rain was falling. It was cold enough to feel the chill in the air. I had reserved a window seat on the right side of the aircraft, and as I looked out the window, the light from the wing illuminated the front brightly.
Despite the thick clouds, the plane took off smoothly as there was no wind. As we reached the highest altitude of the Busan to Seoul route (around 6,000 meters above sea level), it was snowing heavily in the sky. Through the window on the right side, I could clearly see the spectacle of snowfall illuminated by the light from the front wing.
Though I've flown many times before, experiencing the spectacle of heavy snowfall from the sky was a first for me that day. The feeling of watching snowfall from the sky while on a plane was completely different from seeing it from the ground. Perhaps due to the high altitude, the size of the snowflakes seen from the plane seemed as large as fists.
However, the snow fell with such force that it seemed like a massive waterfall pouring down to the ground. I couldn't help but be captivated by the spectacle of this 'waterfall-like snow' pouring densely from the sky. It was truly breathtaking. Despite the discomfort of straining my neck to keep looking out the window, I couldn't tear my eyes away from the mesmerizing view of the 'waterfall-like snow' throughout the entire flight.
Continuing with the memories of being struck by lightning on an airplane and scoring two holes-in-one <11> - Part ②.
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비행기서 낙뢰 맞고 ... 홀인원 두 번 한 추억 <11>-①