Fuji Classic 17th Hole - The Great Wave of Kanagawa

Fuji Classic is a public golf course situated in the Yamanashi prefecture on the north west side of Mt Fuji. The 25 year old Desmond Muirhead design is probably the closest course to Mt Fuji I have played. Mt Fuji is literally right on top of you. If the weather is not clear then Mt Fuji wont be visible, but even without it, playing the course is still a wonderful experience. I played the Fuji Classic during October 2020 and I was quite looking forward to playing this Muirhead design. The entrance to the course is grand and the course sits on an enourmous property with the clubhouse, although a little tired, still exuding an old world charm. I would encourage anyone who came to Japan to play the Fuji Classic course as its fun, interesting and has some of the largest rolling greens I have ever seen.

 Katsushika Hokusai was a famous Japanese artist during the Edo period. His most famous work was the woodblock print series called the “thirty six views of Mt Fuji”. The prints included 36 landscape prints depicting Mt Fuji from various locations in different seasons. As Muirhead used art to influence his course designs he decided to use eighteen of the thirty six Hokusai prints as inspiration for the holes on the Fuji Classic course. The most notable being the 17th hole where the outrageously famous “Great Wave of Kanagawa” print (picture above) was used to create one of the coolest holes I have seen.

Google maps view of Fuji Classic 17th

The 17th is a Par 3 that plays 161 yards from the back tee. Muirhead preferred holes that were played downhill so he built an elevated tee box which is perched about 20 feet above the greens surface. From the tee box its difficult to distinguish the Kanagawa Wave, which I like, because it doesn't distract you from the fact that its a really good looking hole. The day we played the pin was located middle/front which is quite a daunting position. Its a treacherous pin position because water looms close to either side of the green. It's a hole that requires a good shot to hit the putting surface, although if the pin is back the shot becomes relatively easy as he back section of the green is substantially wider than the front. On this particular day I chose an 8 iron and hit the ball 15 feet left of the flag and made the putt for birdie (brag). As you walk closer to the green the Wave of Kanagawa becomes more apparent but is still not nearly as clear as when you view the hole on google maps. Some people might consider the hole a bit mickey mouse but until you have played it I would reserve judgement. Muirhead was right that this hole is better viewed from the air but playing the hole is still a wonderful consolation.

View of the 17th hole at Fuji Classic from the tee box.