Kingdom of Bhutan

I've been a golf pro and golf coach in Minnesota for several years now. Spring, summer, and fall are a blur of activity. With the changing of the season comes new challenges and adventures. Winter is no exception. Over previous winters I have traveled south to FL, AZ, or the Dominican Republic. Last year I stuck around and finished a masters at the U of MN, but by March I vowed never again to endure another MN winter. This year I wanted to try something totally different.

I learned about he BYGA through searching PGA job postings on line. The BYGA is a nonprofit organzation started in 2002 by Rick Lipsey, a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated. Rick traveled to Bhutan in 2002 and soon became the nations first golf professional. After several months of constructing a youth golf program from scratch Rick returned to the US and formally created the BYGA. Every 4-6 months a new golf pro from the US comes to be the next "coach", conducting junior clinics, administrating tournaments, and expanding golf opportunities to children throughout the small nation. The BYGA is made possible by donations from individuals and corporations who share the BYGA's passion for golf and the lessons it can teach. I am personally sponsored by a retired physician and avid golfer named Helga. While living in Bhutan is cheap by US standards, the transportation and housing are certainly not. Thanks Helk for your generous support!


Beyond the appeal of teaching golf, something I love to do, traveling to Bhutan presented several advantages to other locations. First and foremost, the people here are friendly. So far, I have noticed an amazing similarity in sentiment from person to person. It's as if an easy going temperament is hardwired into their culture, perhaps a result of Bhuddism, the state religion. There is a patience and acceptance common to any interaction in Bhutan that is far different from other "busier" places of the world. Losing one's cool, whether on the golf course or in the marketplace, is not acceptable behavior. Another major reason Bhutan is a great place to visit is the language. The previous king, in all his wisdom, required all children to be taught in English while in school. Thus, most people know English, even more so than in India. The English spoken here by most folks is not the descriptive brand you'd expect back home and it has an over articulated feel I'm not familiar with, but it is quite effective at communicating basic logistics, emotions, and information. I have already noticed how the Bhutanese so quickly "cut to the chase" during conversations, often avoiding filler words meant to soften or qualify the statement. I think this is the result of English's place as a transactional language. Most people, regardless of background (and other languages spoken) speak a little bit of English. To the weary traveler, this means never being completely lost.

The pictures here depict another element of Bhutan which has some major appeal. You'll notice the beauty and ornate design of the buildings here. While these buildings may not be the norm, they are far from the exception. Bhutanese architecture is stunning, almost everywhere you look. Building codes limit colors of construction to be primarily white, yellow, red, black, or brown. The windows, roofs, and other features are also held to strict design parameters.

Put another way, Bhutan is a very traditional place, unhurried by modernization and the expansion of capitalism. It permeates the architecture, the role/effectiveness of government, and even the pace at which the people move. Thirty some years ago the wise King espoused the common goal of Gross National Happiness. Now a tag line in the west, GNH places sustainability, tradition, and quality of life ahead of profit/GNP. The result has been the creation/continuation of one of the happiest places in the world (according to several studies). Ninety-five percent of people here report being happy or very happy. Unlike neighboring Nepal, which has suffered environmental degradation and continual political strife, Bhutan continues a tradition of peace and respect for the environment. So socialist is Bhutan that there truly are no homeless persons. I've been told that if someone is born poor and without land or opportunity that person can appeal to the King and the King will grant him/her land. Does socialism really sound that bad?

The Bhutanese are, and should rightfully should be,  proud of their nation. It may not be the most productive, the most efficient, or most advanced nation in the world, but what it has preserved and maintained in the face of increasing global pressures to modernize and capitalize is profound. It should be no wonder that economic models around the world are changing to reflect GNH, not just GNP. Yet only in Bhutan can you experience GNH first hand.