Musashigaoka Golf Course

From the teeing area, the fairway appears wide and open. This tournament course may seem easy at first glance, but it should not be underestimated. After the first refreshing tee shot, each stroke is imbued with the essence of what makes golf great.

The roughs around the bunkers surrounding the plateau greens are cut short like the fairway, making it easier for balls that slip off the green to fall into the bunkers. The green also features complex undulations and speeds over 10 feet (9-10 feet in summer), requiring precise line reading. With roughs of around 65mm in length (or 80mm during tournament periods), strategy is key.

The course as a whole leaves many with the feeling that the long holes are easy to score par on, but the medium-length ones are difficult.

Take the 5th outgoing hole (Par 4) for example. Though it's a straight shot of 384 yards from the regular tee, the second shot point is sloped toward the left foot, and the green slopes toward the back. This makes it difficult to land on the green with a high ball.

The popular 17th hole (Par 4) is, at 403 yards from the regular tee, on the longer side of medium-length. It has no bunkers, but a large pond awaits challengers in front of the green. Caution is required as here, too, the second shot point has a left-foot slope.

In 1997 Tiger Woods made his Japanese tournament debut at Musashigaoka Golf Course, one year after his professional debut. Even now, the driving distances are marked with flags at his second shot locations on the 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 14th, 16th, 17th, and 18th holes. Not all of them are driver shots, but many people are surprised by just how far Tiger was able to hit the ball.

The course is brought up to tournament conditions in October for the Hisako Higuchi Mitsubishi Electric Ladies Golf Tournament held in that month. Why not take the opportunity to try a genuine pro tournament experience at least once? After playing for yourself, watching the tournament is sure to be all the more enjoyable.