Fiji to a Tee

I knew Fiji would be great. I knew it from the moment I stepped off the plane, felt that first rush of humid tropical air, and heard the Fiji welcome band play as I stepped through customs. It had to be good. Fiji would be what it is, and that excepting attitude comes only from the tediousness of traveling. It is a state of mind that comes with the most practiced traveler. Fiji for me was an unplanned add-on so there would be no subtracting from my experience. The fact that I found myself standing in the Nadi Airport in Fiji was already a plus. That is until I stepped onto the Smugglers Cove Golf course.

Don't get me wrong. The fact that I played a game of golf next to the ocean in Fiji is not a negative at all. In fact, I rather enjoyed my little adventure. But quite honestly..it was probably the worse golf course I have ever seen. But that is Fiji for you. It's is a place where the people make the best of what they have right down to their ritual "Bula!" (hello in Fijian). It was free through the resort hostel I was staying at in Nadi and I had a day to kill before I was to be picked up to go to Maya Island to spend my last days at a resort. So why not? And besides, I got to walk down the beach with my golf clubs to get to the course. I don't think I have ever done that before.

When I was younger my father taught me everything I know about golf. He isn't the greatest of players (neither am I), but one thing he did teach me is that golf is a game that shouldn't be taken too seriously and its the togetherness of playing it that counts. After experiencing Smugglers Cove Golf Course he couldn't be more right.

Smugglers Cove Golf Course was home to some pro Fijian golfer (who's name escapes me) so... it couldn't be that bad?

Right?

My first clue should have been the fact that it was included with my stay. All I had to do was rent some clubs from the hostel and I was on my way.

The second clue should have been the fact that they didn't take reservations for tee times.

The third should have been the fact that when I showed up at the "club house" (which by the way was nothing more than a garage with a pool table) it had looked as though tumble weeds had moved in. I had the entire golf course to myself with the exception of a lone Fiji man who was sat cross- legged line fishing in the water hazard on hole #3.

But hey... I was going to play golf next to the ocean. I bought five balls and told myself that once I loose all five I am done. I set off toward a large tree that the lady in the club house pointed out was the beginning of the first hole. What lay before me was a comedy of errors.

The fairways were littered with dirt paths, and the greens were thick enough to mow. The tee boxes were marked with painted coconuts. On hole #2 I actually lost two balls no more than a few feet from edge of the tee-off boxes because the rough was so thick it swallowed anything that dared to enter it. After helplessly searching for twenty minutes on completion of hole #3, I surpassed hole #4 because the course was so haphazardly laid out I couldn't even find it-even with the map. One time I played the green for hole #7 thinking it was the green for hole #6. I literally got my foot stuck in the mud while walking down one of the fairways. Hole #7's tee box was lovingly decorated with an old rusting refrigerator laying on its side. It was quite beautiful. And holes #8 & #9 I had the added bonus of dodging low flying aircraft as they were taking off and landing at the Nadi Airport. My favorite Hole was #11 when upon finally discovering where it was located (nowhere near hole #10), I was pleased to discover a lovely Fijian threesome (who had nothing to do with golf-mind you ) that had decided to enjoy this great land of theirs and have a blanket picnic directly on the tee box. When I approached they were not only startled to see another human being, but annoyed at the fact that I had interrupted their tranquil setting. They watched me tee off as if they had never seen a man hit a ball with a stick before. My fifth ball landed in the ocean on that drive and I decided to call it a game.

The Lady at the club house was all smiles upon my return. "How was your game"?

"Great!". I lied.

But can you blame me? She was so happy and proud that I was just there. I did play golf near the ocean.

That evening (after an amazing sunset) my hotel had a traditional Fiji fire dance show. In the course of dancing afterward I met a couple of Fijian women. They invited me into their circle and we spent the rest of the night talking and laughing over many bottles of Fijian beer. They were amazingly honest about everything. They told me all about the recent military coup that ceased the government and how the Fijian dollar just lost 20% percent of its value. And how boring it was living there sometimes. But they were happy and proud to share what it was to be Fijian with me. It struck me. Fijian's may not have many fancy things that our first world society affords us-things like a stable government or a decent golf course. But they do have something which is far more valuable. State of mind. Like my recent attitude toward arriving in this country they are aware that they have what they have and that makes them happy. Anything more is just a plus.

We closed the bar down and continued to laugh and drink into the night.

I knew I was going to love this place.