The fisherman's son who became a golf pro: meet the coach of Hong Kong's Special Olympics golf team

It is often said that golf is a game for the privileged elite, but instructor Cheung Kwai-hong is driving home a very different message.

Born to a family of fishermen, Cheung left his village at age 14 to work in a garment factory. Yet today he is living proof that those from humble origins can succeed in the sport.

Not only has Cheung enjoyed almost two decades in professional golf, he is now helping a new generation prove that they, too, can overcome adversity to succeed on the greens.

Under his wing are the 20 golfers of the city's Special Olympics team. The squad, funded by the Jockey Club, will compete next month in the Special Olympics Macau Golf International Masters tour. Like their coach, the team hopes to spread their love of golf and prove it is a sport for all.

Cheung himself started late. Now 48, he was not introduced to golf until 1996, when he landed a job as a caddy at the Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course in Sai Kung, the city's only public course.

"I was unemployed and looking for a job. I knew absolutely nothing about the sport," he recalled. "When I first stepped onto the green, my only reaction was that the grass looked nice."

Months of after-hours practice soon paid off, and he became a coaching assistant. In 2000, he became a professional instructor.