Following golf at Kawana we took a taxi to Ito station followed by the train to Atami for a connection through to Kawagoe.
The train from Ito is best described a s tourist train, the side that faces the coastline is full glass with seats in the centre of the carriage facing the window almost like being in a theatre. There was a group of older women on our train and they had beers and wine lined up with snacks for the 45 minute train ride. Classic!
When we reached Atami we changed train and waited for the Bullet Train, an express went through the station at somewhere north of 200km’s an hour, Greg jumped out of his seat!
90 minutes later we arrived in Kawagoe, an outer suburb North west of Tokyo. The hotel we stayed at was part of the Kawana Chain and excellent. After settling in we headed out for a walk and dinner. 2 minutes for the hotel we came across a pedestrian only street that was lined with Restaurants, little bars and some shops. We looked at a lot of restaurants and could not find any English menus so we took the plunge at a tiny little place that had nothing English spoken or written. We managed to have a very enjoyable dinner of chicken dishes accompanied by the Asahi Super dry.
Following dinner we took a walk through the surrounding area which was most enjoyable.
Tuesday morning we took a taxi 20 minutes to Kasumagiseki Country Club, about $30. We were met at the Club by Norio Okuma who works in the accounts division and speaks excellent English. He took us to our lockers and then introduced us to our playing partner Kazuya Nishimura who has played on the Japanese Tour on and off for the last 5 years and teaches at the Club. We had been warned that no body at the Club spoke English and to be patient, i was the surprised that every second member we passed said good morning welcome in very good English.
On the way to the course we passed the best stocked shop we saw at a club in Japan, it had not just balls, hats, shirts and accessories but even Footjoy shoes as well!
The practice facilities are excellent, a 280 yards range surrounded by a high fence, 3 large putting greens and a good short game area.
Even though it was 8am it was busy. Groups waiting on the first hole of each course. 1800 members with about 55,000 rounds a year, Members tend to play 27 holes each day they are at the Club. The majority of Members live in Tokyo and catch the train to the Club. The Club runs a shuttle bus every 30 minutes to and from the station for members. We were offered the use of this in the morning but thought a taxi may be safer.
The tour will start from 10 as we played the course from 10 through 18 and 1 through 9.
We started on the 10th hole and recognised it immediately from photographs. We were taken by the two greens straight away. Originally they had 2 different grass types, Korai and bent, hey currently are all covered with bent and they alternate the greens from day to day. The members prefer the “old” greens which ara better set of greens, in general larger and with more movement and undulations.
Kasumigaseki east 10th Green Old Par 3 177 yards
East Course 10th hole old green
East Course 10th Hole New Green par 3 144 yards
The 2 hole splay dramatically differently at different angles, the new greens were in play for the day and it was a small target that is well bunkered. The old green far larger with more slop and excellent bunkering.
The 11th hole is good par 4 of old436 and new 410. The 2 greens were somewhat distracting at times and getting yardages tricky. The Club had birdhouses in the trees to represent the 150 yards markers, new green on left hand side of fairway and the old green on the right hand side.
East Course 11th hole from fairway Old green on right
East Course 11th hole New green from short left
East Course 11th hole Old green from left hand side
The 12th hole is a strong par 4 of 464 old and 451 new.
East Course 12th Old Green
East Course 12th New Green on right
If there is a criticism of Kasumigaseki it would be that the long par 4’s have a similarity about them and they tended to blend into one another. The 12th was no exception, a bunker on either side of the fairway off the drive but really a wide flat hole.
East Course 13th hole Old 379 new 353
The Club is undertaking some renovation work using Jim Fazio and the 13th is the first hole we came across that had been worked on. The fairway bunkering had been totally redone and while the position of these bunkers is excellent making a very good strategic hole. None of the new bunkers match up at all well with the old bunkers.
East Course 13th hole left hand fairway bunker – new
East Course 13th hole from right hand side fairway old green on left
East Course 13th hole from right hand side with new green on right
East Course 13th Hole New Green
East Course 13th hole old green
The 13th hole, new bunkers aside has excellent strategic options, you can take driver and take it over the left hand side or play shorter with hybrid / fairway into the middle of the fairway.
The 14th hole is the opening par 5 we came across, it is a very narrow hole until it opens out towards the green. A cross bunker protecting the left side of the fairway pushes second shots towards the right side. For the new green you need to be well right for 2 shots and for the old green the best angle comes in from close to the fairway bunker.
The hole measures 595 to the old and 584 to the new. The new green is hidden around a corner.
East Course 14th hole tee shot
East Course 14th from mid fairway
East Course 14th Old Green from left
East Course 14th hole new green
The 15th hole is a par 4 of 424 old and 419 new. Like some of the other longer 4’s it is a straight forward hole without a lot of character.
East course 15th hole from mid fairway
East Course 15th Hole from right hand side
The 16th hole is a very good par 3 playing downhill at 175 to the new and 174 to the old. Both greens are well bunkered and have very good shape and contours.
East Course 16th Hole par 3 new green on right
East course 16th hole both greens
Note the bunkering blending in well with both greens, it appears as the whole complex has been designed in one plan.
East Course 16th Old green on left
While the longer 4’s tended to blend together in style and look the shorter 4’s are excellent and the strategy involved in 17 was no different. The bunkers are positioned well to allow options off the tee. The best place to come into the green is different for each green, hard left near the bunkers on the left for the old green, while it is right hand side for the new green. The strategic choices are clearly designed for the old greens around the golf course.
East 17th hole from the left side of fairway – new green left hand side
East 17th from Left hand bunker
The 17th hole is the first time trees came into play with the new green having trees come out covering the back half of the green for any ball played from the left half.
East 17th Old Green
East 17th tee shot
The 18th hole was the first hole where there is a substantial difference between the 2 holes. The old green a 472 yard par 5 while the new is a 445 yard par 4.
The hole is one of the best at Kasumigaseki with the hole sweeping to the right over a crest and down a slight hill. The tee shot needs to be a strong fade to be positioned as well as possible.
East Course 18th hole approach Old Course on left
The old green sits further back and higher than the new. The par 4 new hole is a very strong finish to the golf course. One of my favourite holes on either course.
East course 18th approach wide view
East course 18th from short right of new green
Following 9 holes we had a break of 30 minutes while we waited for groups to play from the first tee. We spent time on the putting green and had a bite to eat at the half way hut by the 10th tee.
The groups teeing off were very orderly and got away pretty quickly.
Kasumigaseki Club House
I will return in the next couple of days with the front nine.
I hope you enjoy as much as i did.