108. Australia and Japan, here I come!

108.  Australia and Japan, here I come!

Long but good flight from LAX to Melbourne. Was met at MEL airport by Hong Seh L., the member of Cordevalle (see post #107) who (with his wife Vivian) is also planning to join me at Yokohama in a few days.  After my schedule the previous 3-4 days and a 15 hour flight, it was great to have someone else who could do the driving…and Hong Seh is a very good guy and was great company during the two hour drive.

Cathedral Lodge Golf Club, April 3, 2018:  Cathedral is located about 2 hours northeast of Melbourne…about 80 miles (but not a lot of superhighways along the way).  It opened for play in October 2017 and is a high-end private club with approximately 175 members…a “business model” much more common to the USA then Australia.  CLGC was founded by David Evans, a former investment banker and president of the Essendon Football Club (Australian Rules Football), an unabashed admirer of Augusta National GC and The Masters.   Evans picked Greg Norman to design the course.  Norman as almost all readers know was a towering figure in the professional game in the 1980’s and 1990’s.  He has had some success with his architectural work and has been involved with the design of over 100 courses.  His best known works prior to Cathedral include National Moonah located about 60 miles south of Melbourne, The Medalist located in Hobe Sound, FL, and Ellerston located about 175 miles north of Sydney, Australia.  I have played all three of these as well as about six other Norman designs.

First let me say the site at cathedral is nothing short of stunning.  It is set in a wide canyon (surrounded by mountains) with a ridge running through the canyons.  Between the canyon and the ridge…it is fairly hilly.  While the scope of the surrounding sights is very reminiscent of Ellerston, the golf courses are very different. 

As you may recall, I thought the holes at Ellerston were very impressive designs, but questioned the overall flow of the course. It seemed like Norman and owner Kerry Packer selected the 18 best locations for holes creating long distances between green and the next tee.  The flow at Cathedral is much superior to Ellerston’s, but the individual holes are not quite as good.  As you can see from the pictures below, the scenery is very much like Northern California some 50 years ago and the North Island of New Zealand.

#1--338 yds---second shot from right rough---note trees in fairway

#8 par 5--582 yards dogleg left and downhill...approach to green

There is one very controversial hole (#5) that is a “transition hole”.  Architects often face a situation where they must move the golf course from one environment to another, transitioning over a hill, deep gorge, a large body of wetlands, etc.   Truly great courses sometimes face this situation…for example, at Fishers Island located in Long Island Sound in New York State (but geographically much closer to Connecticut…just south of New London, CT) Seth Raynor faced this issue on what is the course’s 15^thhole, which to my mind feels a bit out of place. At the same time, I totally agree with the very high ratings Fishers has garnered (currently around #16-25 Worldwide).

After the par 3 4^thhole, 

Hole #4--153 yds--downhill par 3 

Norman had to get the course up a very steep hill and over the “ridge” mentioned earlier. He designed a 273 yard sharply uphill driveable par 4.  

#5--273 yds...shots that land just short trundle down to shelf about 20-30 yards left of eucalyptus tree.

If you go for it and fall one yard short of the green, your drive will tumble back down about 70-90 yards to a shelf (designed to keep it from tumbling all the way back to the tee).  The issue with this design is that almost all drives that do not stay on top end up in a small area on this shelf. 

Once on top of this ridge, the next few holes are outstanding.  No. 6 is a 620 yard par 5 playing down 

#6 par 5--620 yards...with 7th fairway sharing far end of 6th fairway and hiding downhill towards right side of this pic

Approach shot on #6...

and this is second shot on #7 (par 4, 478 yds)with pic taken from same exact spot.

the ridge off the tee and then slightly uphill to the green, and the 7^thhole actually shares the 6^thfairway off the tee and doglegs left and then downhill to the green.  

I asked how things work when the course was busy with two consecutive holes sharing part of a fairway…and never received an explanation that I was sure would work…but these are two wonderful holes to see and play….especially since we were the only group playing that day.

Two holes are unusual on the back.  Hole #15 is a shot (151 yard) par 3 that sits within a quarry.  

Par 3 #15

Hong-Seh and Moi

The tee sits slightly above the green which is protected by a fall off and creek to the left, and deep rough to the right.  The quarry provides a wonderful, frame for the hole…see pics below.  Loved this hole.  However, did not like #18.  It is a relatively straight 609 yard par 5 with thick rough diagonally crossing the fairway from the right side of the fairway moving closer to the green on the left side of the fairway.  Additionally there are two large trees in the center of the fairway growing out of this section of rough.  I was told that this hole had undergone several revisions and sense that more will be made.  After a good drive, one can be faced with no satisfactory choices.

The clubhouse is simply but beautifully designed and the word “comfortable” best describes the feeling inside.  We had dinner at the club and stayed overnight (trust me…not much else around).  Hong Seh and Vivian left to catch a flight to Hong Kong.  After breakfast the next morning I hitched a ride back to Melbourne with CL’s General Manager, Alex Jarvis and his family.  BTW…Alex and his staff do a first class job in every respect.

Overall I liked the course a lot.  Somehow I have the sense that Greg Norman’s architectural style is similar to his play when on tour…go for broke on every shot when playing and go for broke on every hole when designing.  Sometimes that yields phenomenal results, and at other times triple bogeys (or their equivalent).  On the other hand, great golf courses evolve as they age.  And I believe that Cathedral Lodge will do this as well.  Right now I would not put it in my own World 100…but I am just as confident that assuming the club grows and is healthy, the course will grow into a solid World 100…it simply has too many compelling features to miss that goal. 

Royal Melbourne GC-East, April 4, 2018: I first came to Melbourne in February 1977 and played Royal Melbourne’s West and East courses (as well as its Composite Course) on that trip.  I have been back to Australia at least two times since and played RMGC’s West course at least three more times…but had not replayed the East.  I clearly remembered holes 1-3 and 17-18, but to be honest not much about holes 4-15 (except remembering that it was almost as good as the West).  So this time I decided that it was time to revisit the East…and was very glad I did so. It is an outstanding course whose only fault is that it sits in the shadow of RMGC’s West (which a good number of knowledgeable observers consider to be the finest in the world). 

First, it was in simply perfect condition…very firm and very fast…yet the greens were receptive to well struck irons.  Fairways were closely cropped and greens perfectly true. Cannot remember playing a course in better condition…equal yes, but not better.  Would describe the condition as “uniformly perfect”.  Second, the course offers options on every tee…risky choices and conservative ones (the latter leaving simple second shots when executed well and the former leaving difficult second shots…at best).  Third, just really loved holes 1,2, 4, 10, 13, 14, 16 and 18.  Fourth…RMGC gets a fair amount of outside play.  Typically a club getting that much outside play tends to feel like a factory if it is run well…at least on this day, it was run extremely well and had absolutely no “factory feel” to it.  

Now some details.  I had a 45-41 = 85.  Greens are tough to read…and double bogies on 2, 3 and 4 did not help the card.  On back was one over for #11-17 but finished with another double.  No complaints!  Wonderful club and believe this is the best pair of courses at one club in the world…think only Winged Foot is close (note…have not been back to WF-West since its recent restoration).

After the round had dinner with Robert Wickham, friend from MIT who has been in Melbourne for about 6 years now (his wife Kristin is from Melbourne).  Was good to catch up with Robert.

Then drove south to the Mornington Peninsula (about 45 miles and I guess I made it too quickly as I received an expensive speeding ticket about a month ago from that drive). 

St Andrews Beach-Gunnamatta Course, April 5, 2018—Designed by Tom Doak and opened in 2006, St Andrews Beach was Tom’s first design in Australia (but followed his Cape Kidnappers New Zealand design by two years).   I was the first off in the morning.  The course is beautifully designed in Tom’s minimalist fashion, but frankly the conditions left much to be desired (or perhaps I am spoiled after playing Royal Melbourne and Cathedral Lodge).  The aprons were being punched that day and that of course deeply affects play especially on a links type course like this one…and the bunkers were in poor condition. The only hole I did not like was #8…where I hit into a fairway bunker in the middle of the fairway that is completely hidden from the tee.  Course played firm and fast…and makes wonderful use of the land’s natural contours. Would like to see it when in prime condition.  St. Andrews Beach has never been on a World 100 but was #86 on Golf Digest’s Overseas Top 100 published in early 2018.

#4--par 3--216 yards uphill

The Dunes Golf Club, April 5, 2018:  Certainly the lesser known of these two neighboring courses, I liked the Dunes much more than St Andrews.  Designed by Tony Cashmere and opened in about 1995.  It offers wide fairways and multiple options and made great use of the land which is defined by large sand dunes.  Many elevated greens, which is interesting as many architects seem to strive for downhill approaches.  Loved par 5 12^thhole, dogleg right up hill to green…despite what happened to my approach that ran through the green (which slopes from front to back).  Course has a reputation for slow play but we (I played with Mark Burgin, an Aussie on vacation) played pretty quickly.  

Dunes has never been on a World 100 list but is regularly on lists of Australia’s top courses…and often higher than St Andrews Beach.

After the round it was time to drive to MEL airport and head to Hainan Island, China and play one of the two courses I needed to play to get back on top of the World 100 Ever Mountain.  But first a little story about this trip.

Literally three days before I departed from Pinehurst, Golf Digest released its 2018 World Top 100, including one course that I had never played before…Mission Hills-Blackstone.  This trip was planned around my need to play Yokohama-West, and I extended it to include Australia because of the positive reports I had received about Cathedral Lodge.  Also, since Australia and Japan are so close to one another geographically, that made sense (Pat points out that it could only make sense to moi).  So all of a sudden, I have another must play and I am 3 days from departing.  A quick review of my itinerary made clear that it could be altered to include a stopover in China on the way to from Australia to Japan, but this would necessitate dropping from my plans two courses I very much wanted to play (and will go unidentified here).  But the choice was clear…very much wanting to play is different from must play.  BTW…I have no doubt that both of my Australian dropped courses are better courses than Blackstone, but if your goal is a bucket list, that is the price one pays.  Have no flexibility in terms of goals…but lots of flexibility in fulfilling these goals.  And round the world tickets came in very handy…with also no incremental costs. After numerous emails and phone calls, within 36 hours I had a totally revised plan in place.

Mission Hills-Blackstone Course, April 6, 2018:  My flight departed MEL at 11:25pm and arrived Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at 6:00am…then after a 2:40 layover, it was onto Haikou, on Hainan Island, China.  I was met at the airport by a Mission Hills driver and was treated with great respect when I arrived at the resort.

Mission Hills has 10 courses.  In 2016 I was here to play the Lava Fields course and now, thanks to Golf Digest’s 2018 World 100 (where it was rated as #96 in the world), I was here to play its Blackstone Course.  Brian Curley designed both Lava Fields and Blackstone and suffice it top say that I was here simply because of my blind ambition to play every course included in any reputable World Top 100 list ever.  Blackstone stretches to 7808 yards but I decided to play it from 6211 yards.   I was able to play it quickly, and had a 44-45 = 89.  This of course left me with one more course to go to get back on top of the Mountain.

After the round I was able to check into my room…and then came downstairs for a special dinner treat.  Those of you who have been to Shanqin Bay Golf Club know that they assign a “shadow” to you during your visit.  On my first visit to Shanqin Bay in May 2014, my shadow was a young, bright Chinese woman named Summer.   Later in 2014 Summer resigned from that job and later married and had a wonderful young sun.   When I was here in 2016 (after playing Ellerston in Australia), Summer and her husband and their then infant son met me at the Haikou airport before I departed for Hong Kong.  This time I had more time, so the three of them and Summer’s mom joined me for dinner at Mission Hills.  Summer’s husband, son, and mom speak very limited English (but far more that I speak Chinese) so conversation was somewhat limited but it was nice to see her doing so well with a wonderful family.

Saturday April 7 was a travel day.  I departed Haikou at 9:00am and after a change of planes in Guangzhou (just west of Hong Kong) arrived at Haneda Airport in Tokyo at 7:45pm.   Felt strange to have a day without golf on one of these trips.

Yokohama Country Club-West, April 8, 2018:  In 2014 a young architect with Coore-Crenshaw (James Duncan) helped me gain access to Shanqin Bay in China.  James had worked on Shanqin Bay several years before.  Since then James’ career has really started to blossom.  One of the important projects where James played a prominent role was the renovation of Yokohama CC’s West Course.  Yokohama CC lies about 17 miles SSE of downtown Tokyo and has 36 holes (East and West courses). Founded in 1960, two 18 holes courses were designed by Takeo Aiyama and completed by 1966.  In 2014-15 Coore-Crenshaw completed a major renovation of the West Course plus holes 17 and 18 of the East (explained below). 

I had not been to Japan to play golf since spending 6 days there in May 2014 when I was finishing my first GM World 100.  Back then, Yokohama was not on my radar. Interestingly, in June 2014 James Duncan was planning to entertain the owner and GM of Yokohama at the US Open in Pinehurst and I told him to stay at our house during their days in Pinehurst. Did it just as a favor to James…and it repaid itself handsomely earlier on this trip.

Hong Seh and his wife Vivian were scheduled to play Yokohama-West with me on Sunday.  I would guess we were afforded playing privileges on Sunday because of the 2014 US Open…but in any case I was deeply appreciative and the hospitality was extraordinary.

The golf course is really really special…flows beautifully with an excellent rhythm.  We were in Tokyo about 7-10 days late for Cherry Blossom Season and a little early for grass growing.  The course played firm and fast and the ground felt nice and firm underfoot.  It also became clear that the course was being primed for hosting the Japan Open in October 2018 and winter months were spend working to improve drainage in a few spots.  My guess is that one month after we played it was in absolute prime condition.

  

The Coore-Crenshaw renovation replaced the two greens per hole system used at many fine clubs in Japan (one with cold weather grasses and one with hot weather grass) with a single green per hole (all greens outfitted with “sub air”) .   The bunkering is more along the Coore-Crenshaw style/look and the bunkers exquisitely placed from a strategic standpoint.  In fact the entire course has a very exquisite look and feel to it…that is typical of Japan and most of Coore-Crenshaw’s work throughout the world. Choices/options abound on almost every hole created by wide corridors and wonderful “angles”.  Only hole I questioned is the short par 4 6^th(315 yards, flat off tee and uphill to green), which has a large tree in the fairway about 40 yards short of the green (no problem there), and a bunker behind the tree and right in front of the green.  To my mind, this creates “double trouble” and thereby eliminates the option of a heroic recovery shot (with attendant risk of double bogey or worse). My bet after further consideration is that C-C agrees and are waiting to allow the owners to see the issue for themselves and decide.

#6 par 4--347 yards---see tree and bunker--and improved drainage work (which  should have cleared up within a month or so)

At the suggestion of James Duncan, we were joined for our round by Quinn Thompson, who worked on the restoration as a shaper…an absolutely key role.  It was Quinn’s first return to Yokohama since the job was finished and he was greeted by club management, staff, and members like returning hero.  Wonderful guy with superb skills and eye for architectural features…and a pleasure to meet him.

#3--par 4--303 yds--uphill with bailout right

#4--par 4--475 yards--flat then downhill and dogleg right to green protected by water right  (and more drainage work)

#17--par 4--349 yards

#18 and Moi--par 4--443 yards

I had a 40-41 = 81…no complaints there. Highlight was holing a bunker shot form the right bunker on the par 3 12^th…not often when one plans a shot just right and somehow executes it as well.

Details on the course…from back tees plays to about 6950 yards (par 71).  For the Japan Open, two holes drop out and holes 17 and 18 from the East course come into the Composite…bringing the yardage up to about 7500 yards (par 72…although the pros may play the composite at par 71).   Coore-Crenshaw’s renovation included work on East’s 17^than18th so they should fit in beautifully with the West Course.

Question: is this a World 100?  My guess is yes.  It is just a guess as I did not see it in prime condition and therefore am a little hesitant (but certainly not willing to say it is not a World 100). Hope I have the chance to see it again…but time will tell if that comes to fruition.

The key point having completed playing Yokohama CC-West, was that I was back on top of the World Top 100 Mountain.  That was the purpose of the trip…which briefly got complicated when Blackstone crept into a World 100 list…but my main goal had been accomplished and that felt good.  There were some high points to go on the trip for sure, but they were “icing on my cake”.

After the round it was back to the hotel and then dinner with Masa Nishijima.  

Moi and Masa

Masa is a fellow GM panelist, has completed a GM World 100, and is Mr. Golf Japan if you are interested in visiting some of Japan’s outstanding courses.  Masa was extraordinarily helpful in helping me with the Japan portion of my 2014 round the world trip to complete my first World 100 and I remain very grateful for his efforts on my behalf.  We discussed Yokohama, some new courses around the world (including Ardfin) and the upcoming get together of those who have completed a GM World 100, scheduled for May 2018 in Westchester County, just north of New York City (btw…Hong-Seh and Vivian will be there).

Yokohama Country Club-East, April 9, 2018:  Springtime in Tokyo has a fair amount of precipitation, so when I planned the trip I was concerned about the possibility of a rainout at Yokohama-West.  As “insurance” I planned an extra day in Tokyo, initially thinking of going south about 50 miles to Kawana’s Fuji Course for as return visit if there were no weather issues April 8.  However, the trip down to Kawana is arduous either by car or train, so I instead planned to play Yokohama’s East course the on April 9.  Hong-Seh and Vivian joined me for this round.

Like the West course, the East was originally designed by Takeo Aiyama.  As mentioned above #17 and #18 were renovated by C-C for use in the Composite Course in next month’s Japan Open.  It is a good course with “good bones” but not of world caliber without extensive further work.

After the round, it was off to Haneda airport for my flight to Kobe.

  

Hirono Golf Club, August 10, 2018:  Hirono GC lies just northwest of the city of Kobe and is considered by many to be the finest course in Japan, and certainly the most exclusive.  Designed by Charles Alison, then of the firm of Colt, Alison, and Morrison Ltd.  Hirono opened in 1932.  I had played it during me 2014 trip and loved it…but also felt it was in need of a renovation.

   

I was able to arrange to play Hirono as I had hosted Mr. Mr. Shinichi Takei for a tour of Brookline in June 2017.  Mr. Takei is curator of the Japan Golf Association museum located virtually next door to Hirono’s clubhouse and was able to arrange my play at Hirono. Additionally, he guided me on a wonderful tour of the museum and its workrooms.  

Hirono plays to 7,169 yards (par 72) and is filled with brilliant bunker work, not surprising to those who are familiar with Alison’s work at places such as Milwaukee CC, Century CC (NY), Kirkland CC (OH), CC of Detroit, Royal Hague (Holland), Kawana-Fuji (Japan), Naruo (Japan), Hamburger CC (Germany), Dalat Palace (Vietnam), County Sligo (Ireland), and Huntingdale (Australia)…all of which I have played.  

#1--par 5--502 yards with deep bunkers short and left

#2 par 4--453 yds---cross bunkers must be carried

#3 par 4---461 yards with water right of green

I would list the following as Hirono’s best holes:

--#4, par 4 451 yards, dogleg left with deep deep fairway bunker on inside corner of dogleg…forcing players to shy away from cutting the corner;

--#5, par 3 152 yards, slightly uphill over a gorge and protected in front and on both sides by deep bunkers, and on the green my several ledges and subtle breaks….this is an intimidating tee shot (see pic below);

#5--par 3--152 yards

--#7, par 3, 211 yards, over hollow to deep green with narrow front pin position (I 3-putted from back to front pin)…see pic below;

#7--par 3--211 yards

--#8, par 4 352 yards, approach hot of shallow green angled from front left to back right (similar to 12^thgreen at ANGC)…forcing tee shot to be played along left side of fairway;

--#9, par 5, 542 yards, dogleg right with need to carry hollow about 100 yards short of green on 2^ndshot (see pic from hollow);

#9--par 5--542 yards, from hollow in front of green

--#13, par 3, 167 yards, downhill over water to raised green…see pictures below including with new tee under construction…where tee was originally in background;

#13 with construction efforts to restore original tee in background

#13 from current tee

--#14, par 4, 388 yards, uphill and turning left…most unusual (and one of the finest) cape holes in the world…playing too conservatively off tee runs risk of driving through fairway

--#15, par 5, 568 yards, dogleg left, with large black pine tree in left side of fairway 315 yards from tee…forcing players to play right off the tee, the longer way home.  Deep rough hollow and three large cross-bunkers threaten mishit second shots or recoveries from misguided tee shots (see pics).

#15--par 5--568 yards--see large black pine on left

#15 looking back toward tee from about 160 yards short of green

#15 approach shot

I had a 43-41 = 84 playing from 6454 yards. Hit the ball very well but this was along course for me.  After the round and the wonderful Japanese baths, Mr. Takei took me through the museum…some incredible historical pieces, and then to dinner in Kobe that evening…steak like you have never tasted.

Kobe Golf Club, April 11, 2018:  After playing Hirono GC in 2014, my host took me to the clubhouse at Kobe GC, which is the oldest golf club in Japan, but the course was closed that day.  Since then I have wanted to return to play it.  Kobe GC opened for play in 1903 with 9 holes, expanded to 18 holes in 1904 and slowly was revised into its present form by 1929. Talk about stepping back in time at places like Brookline, Prestwick, Royal West Norfolk, etc…this club beats them. 

The course sits on top of Mount Rokko at approximately 3000’ altitude.  It is very short (4049 yards from the back tees) but this is by far the hilliest course I have ever encountered.  Players are limited to 10 clubs carried by caddies in lightweight canvas bags.  It has 10 par threes over 175 yards…and the hills are unbelievable.  The weather was very foggy and rainy and it was the toughest walk I have ever made and we only played 13 holes (1-6 and 11-17).   You can get a sense of the conditions on these pics.   This was Kobe’s opening day and I was deeply honored to be able to play it on this occasion…and outstanding capstone to a fabulous trip.  My score remains a state secret!

First tee at Kobe GC---note canvas bags

Weather that day!!

Kobe GC clubhouse

That evening I flew from Osaka to Tokyo to catch a nonstop to London’s Heathrow airport.  Believe it or not, did not play a hole in the UK and after a 4-hour layover, flew nonstop to Raleigh, NC, arriving the afternoon of April 12.  Good to be home!, and have grandsons Kingston and Duggan arriving Sunday.

Postscript:  About 5 weeks after my visit, it was announced that “Mackenzie & Ebert have been appointed by Hirono Golf Club to carefully advise upon the restoration of the original design characteristics of their Charles Hugh Alison designed golf course as well as making sympathetic adjustments to provide suitable challenge to the best golfers.”  Marin Ebert was the architect responsible for the recently completed and highly acclaimed renovation of Trump Turnberry.