GOLF’s latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World includes many household names, from Augusta National and Pine Valley to Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. But among these icons lie lesser-known layouts with convincing designs and a rich history of their own. In this ongoing series we introduce you to them.
In 1930, English architect Charles Alison landed in Tokyo from the steamship Asama Maru for a three-month visit. In that short time he ignited the golfing soul of Japan. Alison left his signature on four prominent courses in Tokyo: Tokyo Golf Club, Hirono, Naruo and Kasumigaseki.
But its true masterpiece unfolds two hours south of the capital: the Fuji Course at Kawana, draped over storm-sculpted cliffs that reflect the rugged beauty of Big Sur, with the sacred Mount Fuji itself rising above the clouds and visible everywhere.
Of the many fine holes, two stand out for their mix of natural beauty and strategy.
The 7th, a par 4 of just 393 yards, tumbles toward a pulpit green and kissed by dappled light reflected from the ocean. From the tee the hole tempts with the promise of floating putting surfaces, but Alison’s deep bunkers cut the fairway in two and demand a decision: the generous right-hand side allows for an uncomplicated approach, albeit from a severely sloping lie; the more daring angle to the left rewards with a flat lie but a delicate throw over flashy bunkers.
The 15th, a 480-yard par-5, plunges from a towering tee to a fairway bordering towering cliffs along the Pacific Ocean. Wind and slope allow eagle, but bunkers on the right push the game left towards the cliffs. The undulating fairway climbs to a narrow, two-tiered green where par is a strong score.
Kawana must be played to be fully appreciated. And that’s the point: anyone can do it. Unlike most top courses in Japan, Kawana is open to the public. It is part of a resort. Its sibling Oshima Course (which measures a modest 5,711 yards) shares similar strategic demands on a smaller scale and serves as an ideal warm-up or twilight companion to the Fuji, making for a 36-hole adventure around the world.
Noel Freeman is a course evaluator for GOLF and Golf.com.
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