Gotemba Course at Taiheiyo Club

About the club

The Gotemba course, which is owned and operated by Taiheiyo Club (Japan's largest golf club), drew worldwide attention when it hosted the World Golf Championship EMC World Cup late in 2001. Such luminaries as David Duval, Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were in attendance—the latter two emerged victorious—despite the turmoil that had been unleashed by the terrorist attacks of September 11. The Gotemba is in fact perfect for tournament play, having both length and spaciousness, though the bunkers along the fairways do little to slow down the pros. The rolling parkland layout moves through dense evergreen groves under the shadow of Mt. Fuji, which is almost always visible in the background. In the winter the rough turns from green to brown, but the snow makes the great mountain even more spectacular. The course is superbly maintained, and within striking distance of Tokyo and Hakone.