Highland golf among the white birches of Hida

Hida Sugo Country Club, formerly Hida Country Club, sits about 1,000 metres up in the Sugo highlands above Furukawa in Hida City, Gifu Prefecture. It opened in 1973 on land that was once a ski area. Yasuzo Kaneko designed the 18-hole, par-72 layout to follow the plateau's natural folds through stands of white birch. The course is on the short side, but it has character: the downhill 4th on the front nine is the signature hole, and the 17th asks for a carry over a pond.

Cool mountain air in high summer, and a hot-spring soak when the round is done.

The altitude keeps summer days fresh, and the season runs only from late April to the end of November. That makes it a natural escape when the lowlands swelter. After the round there is a hot-spring bath with an outdoor tub. Below the course is Hida-Furukawa, with its canals, carp and white-walled storehouses, and Takayama's old merchant streets and morning markets are a short drive away. Hida beef and local sake complete the picture. By train, take the JR Takayama Line to Hida-Furukawa and then a car for about 30 minutes. Drivers can use the Hida-Kiyomi interchange on the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway.