NA GOLFER`S DREAM COME TRUE

　Most of our readers have spent time skiing here in the winter, but very few of them have been here in warmer weather. Recently I had dinner with a few of our new Aussie residents. While we shared some of the finest Salmon I’ve ever eaten, they told me what they though of their first summer in Hokkaido. One began by saying that his family had skied in Utah and Colorado for 7 years, and he was surprised to find he actually liked the powder here better. But he was amazed to find out what was under all that snow.

　"It’s like every golfer’s dream come true!" He said.” Today we played on one of the most spectacular courses I’ve ever seen, and no one knows they’re here. Then to find out it’s buried under snow six months a year. I can hardly believe it."

　Tower Course is the most well-visited by tourists, but there are at least a half dozen beautiful courses within a fifteen minute drive, so I asked where they had played that day. It turns out that they’d tried out the River Wood course (on the picture) just down the road near Kimobetsu.

　"The scenery is just breathtaking. On at least half of the fairways there’s a beautiful view of Mt. Yotei, and the rest of the time you’re surrounded by all of this lush green foliage. We spent as much time taking pictures as we did playing golf."

　One of the ladies told me "We’ve gone out and played five rounds this week on as many different courses, and we’ve only seen eight other golfers. Today we didn’t run into anyone until we hit the 9th hole. You can’t even imagine that in Sydney."

　"It’s almost as if we bought our own private course when we built the house." her husband added.

　"And all the club houses here have such nice facilities and large locker rooms," she continued "so you can relax and freshen up after you’re done playing. Back home I have to change my shoes in the car and walk right out onto the green half the time." I am looking forward to going to the nice looking hot spring in the club house.

　Later over a glass of wine one of the men told me that what surprised him more than anything else was the way that so many of the locals had gone out of their way to make he and his wife feel welcome, "Even though we don’t really speak the language everyone has been so kind to us. We really feel like we belong here. It’s become our home away from home."

　I wasn’t at all surprised. In fact I could have told him to expect it......but I guess finding out on your own is part of what makes it a dream come true.

David Youn