Kawana Hotel Golf Course Fuji Course

Kawana is a beautiful course spread out over a lava plateau, offering views over the Sagami Sea. The course was built with raw manpower in the period before heavy machinery. No two holes are alike, and the experience of playing here is unforgettable.

Every one of its 18 holes is a highlight, but Kawana's most famous aspect is the 15th, familiar to televised tournament viewers. This long hole, whose scenery exemplifies Kawano, offers an exciting downhill tee shot. The fairway leans left toward the sea, so if you swing without knowing that, a seemingly nice shot can end up veering off into the red penalty area on the left. The wind direction is subject to frequent change, with golfers predominantly swinging with the wind in winter and against it in summer, with winds coming from land in the morning and from the sea in the afternoon. Also, the wind direction can differ between ground level and the sky overhead, testing a golfer's ability to read the air. The hole is famous for pro golfer Masashi Ozaki, known as Jumbo Ozaki, once hitting his ball out of bounds toward the sea three times in a row.

Another hole famous among golfers is the 16th. It plays a key role as a deciding factor in the final stages of the Fujisankei Ladies tournament. It has a decent length at 185 yards, but the green is very small (with very little room for error), making landing on it tricky, and if you miss, you are left with a very challenging approach.

Kawana Hotel Golf Course Fuji Course is known as one of Japan's foremost links courses, offering a true golfing experience, and that status is supported by its zoysia grass greens.
It is common for golfers to dislike zoysia, but Kawana's greens are different.
The greens, maintained for firmness and roll, are worked to provide speeds of 11-12 feet in preparation for the April tournament (the usual speed is 10 feet). Even in summer, they maintain a speed of 8-9 feet. Anyone who says they don't like zoysia greens should give them a try.

Alison bunkers are bunkers with a steep lip, said to be based on the image of a looming wave. They are one of the well-known features of Kawana, and they have recently undergone alteration work to improve drainage. As a course constructed atop a lava plateau, good drainage is one of its advantages, but over long years of use, the bunkers had started to collect water in rainy weather. Repair work has improved drainage, so golfers can enjoy more comfortable play even during or after rain.

Generally speaking, the Kawana Hotel Fuji Course is meant to be walked with a caddie in classic golf style. By experiencing the course's ups and downs with one's own feet, it's easy to appreciate how young pro golfers can excel at the Fujisankei Classic.

Also, while limited in number, the Fuji Course does have "Limousine Carts"—carts with drivers provided. They can enter the fairway, so golfers of all ages can experience what Kawana has to offer.