Gotemba Golf August 13, 2007

Hi,
Joan and I have decided there is no point in trying to chronologically record our fun times here, so we will just throw them out on the blog as the spirit moves us....and if history is a guide, it will not move us often!

Last Monday was the first of a 3-day holiday here in Japan. Aside from doing some email checking from home, I put work aside and tried to relax and catch up on sleep. BUT, we took one day to go about 2 hours south of Tokyo to Gotemba and played golf. When we were here ten years ago, it was prohibitive to play frequently, if at all. The golf alone for one person was in the $400 range, and one still had to get there, eat, drink, and otherwise have a good time. Joan reluctantly went along with the idea of playing, but groused on more than one occasion that she was not sure she could enjoy any game that cost that much to play. It turns out the cost was about $400, but that was for the both of us and included all of the above plus rental clubs and shoes. So, she had a good time.

We started out from Tokyo with an overcast sky. This stayed the same all the way to Gotemba. When we got off the train, it was evident it was raining in the hills where the course was. And, it was even more evident when we got to the clubhouse and stood in a light mist.

Here we are exiting the station at Gotemba. We went to the Hakone exit.

By the time we got to the 2nd hole - which was about an hour after our original tee time(!), the clouds started to break up and Mount Fuji appeared in front of us. Even though the skys cleared, there was a ring of clouds around Fuji-san that only broke apart a few times while we were there.


The golf course is very narrow. While we did not have caddies, they did put in the four-person carts (first time I have seen that!) an English language "cheat sheet." This, for hole number 2 tells us to shoot for Fuji-san. I wonder what we should do when we can't see the mountain. Aim for the elusive center of the fairway?



Yes, there is a fairway out there somewhere!



Good form! Unfortunately, I remember the shot went left which was off the mountain!

You can be sure the only time you will see THIS form is when it is being posed! That is the 18th fairway and clubhouse in the background.


The fellow that is the Director of Golf for Gotemba met us afer the round. He is from Vancouver, BC, and has been here since just after we left in 1997. He talked to us about the lower course, where I think we may have played in '96/'97, and the complex of condos, etc. there. There is a very good chance we will go back for one last round before we leave!