The course opens with a downhill par four, and what an impressive view it is that you receive on the tee. No I am not talking about Gary Jones, I am talking about the vista behind him.
Geoffrey Knight fires away from the first tee.
Kawana Resort was created by Baron Kishichiro Okura. Baron Okura was the son of one of Japan's wealthiest businessmen. He studied at Cambridge in Britain, and upon his return to Japan wished to create a country estate like the ones he was fond of in England. He purchased 500 acres here on the Izu Peninsula and got to work.
Initially he built a rustic lodge on the site, but soon asked his friend Komyo Otani (Tokyo GC) to build a golf course. The course was created and named the Oshima, for a volcanic island off the shore, opening in 1928.
Michael Merrett intently watching his tee shot from the par three 5th, under the close supervision of Ake, our caddy. Ake is the boyfriend of my caddy from yesterday, Emi, and he is a golf pro.
I mentioned Charles Hugh Alison in the Kasumigaseki post. It is here that he makes another appearance. Work had commenced on his design at the Tokyo Golf Club, and Alison made his way to Kawana for some R & R. By this stage, it was no longer a modest lodge, but now a first class hotel.
Baron Okura wished to have a second golf course on the property, and Alison was the man tasked with it's design.
Alison was impressed with the land, and devised plans on how to deal with the rocky site, and how to place soil where it would be able to stay. Construction here was delayed to begin with, and the course only became complete in 1936, over 5 years after it was designed.
The course is often referred to as the Japanese Pebble Beach, mainly due to the brilliant stretch of holes, 11 - 16. This is the approach into the par five 11th.
On a very clear day, Mt Fuji is visible to left side of the fairway. Unfortunately, we were not blessed with favourable conditions on either day, for that to eventuate.
Biviana Gilson fires a great drive down the par four 12th hole, beautifully avoiding the cliffs on the inside of the dogleg.
Here is Emi, our day one caddy, working with the caddy buggy.
This is a better view of the left side of the 12th.
It was becoming very warm and humid as we approached the dogleg right par four 14th.
This warmth allowed our friend here to come out for a sunbake. He even posed for a photo on his way back into the jungle.
The par five 15th hole is one of the most spectacular holes in golf. An elevated tee encourages you to swing freely, but beware of the left side.
Wendy Pullar sets up for her drive on 15.
And Nola Faure successfully negotiates the tee shot as well.
The view from the tee of the par three 16th, looking across the 15th green and down the coastline.
The tee shot from the par four 17th.
The tee shot on the par four 18th. The landing zone here, like on many other holes, is only about 15 metres wide. The building visible behind the green houses a stained glass gallery, and an Italian restaurant.
The entire group on the 18th green today. The Fuji course deserves it's place in the top few courses in the country, even if the Korai greens and their grain, would take a lot of getting used to. We had some great scoring today, Greg Gilson claimed the men's prize on 38 points, and Jenny Jones won the women's event on 34 points.
Emi and Ake, our two brilliant caddies, recommended their friend's restaurant to us for dinner. A recommendation like that was too good to pass up, so we invited them to come along and have dinner with us there. If you are ever in this area, make sure you visit Hana Goyomi in Ito, it was marvellous.
Not only was the food great, Sashimi and Shabu Shabu, but it was much cheaper than what you pay at the resort.
They company was pretty good too. A great way to end our time at Kawana. Tomorrow we undertake a tour of the Hakone area, and Mt Fuji.
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