Taiheiyo Club - Gotemba West

Taiheiyo Club Gotemba West 3rd tee. Mt Fuji is never far away.

Taiheiyo Club Gotemba West course is quite simply a gem. Some twelve years after Shunsuke Kato designed the Taiheiyo Gotemba course, this beauty opened its gates. “Gotemba Lite” is the best way to describe the course as it cuts through the same beautiful Japanese cedars (and sits just a few hundred yards away) as its older and more famous sibling. That is where the similarities end however which highlights the versatility of Mr Katos talents. The capacity to design two great courses, on similar land, yet demand a totally different skill set to conquer each course is quite the feat.

Autumn. Taiheiyo Gotemba West 9th hole with the hotel “Villa the Cub” in the background.

Opened in May 1989, Gotemba West is a smidge under 6,500 yards off the mens tees and 5,400 yards from the ladies making this layout relatively short by modern standards. Well designed short par 3 and 4 holes are by far the most interesting holes in golf of which Gotemba West has an abundance of. The shorter holes tend to be tight, slightly dog legged and have pinched landing areas. A well positioned drive will allow some birdie opportunities but doubles and triples do await for errant drives. The longer holes have ample space off the tee to let loose and provide bail out areas for golfers to recover from.

Like the Taiheiyo Konan and Mashiko courses, Mr Kato did not overuse bunkers, preferring densly grassed swales as hazards around some greens and beside fairways.

The course has bent grass throughout which always makes the best putting surfaces and its durability in cold conditions means the course is in fabulous condition all year round, even in the depths of winter.

Gotemba West 6th. Grassy swales in the fairway makes the tee shot interesting on this bunkerless hole.

Five holes on the layout are without bunkers yet they all have alternative design elements that make the holes appealing. Some of the bunkering, especially the front bunker on the 15th, is beautiful yet still allows access to run the ball onto the green from the right side. The artistic quirkiness that Shunsuke Kato is known for is quite evident on the 2nd hole at Gotemba West where a bunker divides the front quarter of the putting green. A pin tucked either front left or right can be difficult to negotiate if you ball ends up on the opposite side of the green. Chipping off the green over the bunker can be tricky and putting around the bunker seems a bit mickey mouse, but a fun hole nonetheless.

The 10th green at Gotemba West looking back towards Mt Fuji.

Gotemba West's strength is that it is a really enjoyable place to play golf. The most memorable is the 18th hole which is a straight Par 4 of 394 yards. The tee shot is devilishly tight but opens out into a wide fairway with the approach shot having to negotiate a pond that guards the front right of the green. The 10th green is the most iconic with the view of Mt Fuji quite dramatic. My favourites are the 3rd and 11th holes. The 11th is a short downhill par 4 of 339 yards. The tee shot and second shot are visually appealing with Mt Fuji watching you carefully as you putt.

The bunker that cuts into the 2nd green. Make sure you are on the same side of the pin.

The West course runs parallel to Mt Fuji so many of the holes are stepped which lends itself to holes without great level changes. There is a nice fall from the top of the property to the bottom with none of the holes drastically up or downhill. I urge our guests to walk the course as it will not test your aerobic capacity and the views of Mt Fuji and surrounding countryside can really only be seen from the centre of the fairways.

Pretty is the best way to describe the course and I think that’s quite suitable, especially if you are visiting during Spring or Autumn. The cherry blossom and colourful local deciduous trees against the backdrop of the Japanese cedars is quite the site. A snow capped Mt Fuji and the views towards the mountain range that divides Gotemba and Hakone is worth bringing your camera for.

Mt Fuji is always watching at Taiheiyo Gotemba West.

Having the 23 room Gotemba West Hotel or “Villa the Club” on site makes it a destination that must be considered. The club restaurant is open for breakfast lunch and dinner and serves fantastic Japanese and Italian cuisine. During the warmer months the Taiheiyo chefs will organise a feast at the BBQ area which is situated beside the 18th green. It’s a lovely place to sit after a round, under the canopy of the cedars and enjoy some great food and a few drinks.

BBQ area at Gotemba West. No better place for a BBQ.

If you did not have the chance to visit the pro shop at Taiheiyo Gotemba then make sure you visit the shop at the West site. This stand alone shop is conveniently positioned beside the starting area for the 1st and 10th tee and has everything you need and more. It's also a great place to buy a few gifts or just sit on its balcony and contemplate life.

Gotemba West Pro shop. Taiheiyo Clubs in house pro shops should not be missed.

One last suggestion. The road to the front entrance of the Gotemba West property continues up beside the boundary of the course . If you have a little time, walk across the footbridge beside the hotel, turn left and walk up just a few hundred yards, making a little left at the top. The unobstructed view of Mt Fuji from here is totally worth the short walk and also the price of your plane fare over. You will not regret it.

The road to Mt Fuji beside the club's entrance.

How to get there – Public Transport

Bus to Gotemba

The first bus leaves Shinjuku bus terminal for Gotemba station at 6.35am each day. After this they leave every 30 minutes. For about $16 USD you can throw your clubs in the belly of the bus, receive a designated seat and enjoy a very comfortable ride. It takes about 2 hours and the views of Mt Fuji are fantastic. The only catch can be the traffic ( weekends and public holidays should be avoided) making the ride a little longer. If your bus arrives before 8.25am at Gotemba Station the Taiheiyo Club bus can transport you to the course, arriving at Taiheiyo Gotemba at 8.45am and Gotemba West just a few minutes after.

If you arrive after 8.25am then a 3,000 JPY taxi ride will get you to the course.

Return by bus

Bus tickets can be purchased on the Hakone Otone side of Gotemba station. Buses leave every 30 minutes for both Shinjuku and Tokyo stations. Weekends I would always suggest the train back to Shinjuku station as traffic can be quite busy. Weekdays the traffic is generally ok, often taking 2.5 hours to reach Tokyo and Shinjuku stations.

Train to Gotemba

This is the way I travel and I highly recommend it. Shinjuku station has a line called the Odakyu Line. Each day at 6.40am a train called the Romancecar Fujisan 1 runs on the Odakyu line, arriving at Gotemba station at 8.13am. It's a limited express train has assigned seating and plenty of overhead space for clubs and luggage. It's about $27 USD but worth every cent as it is always on time, comfortable and spotless. The advantage is you have plenty of time to get on the Taiheiyo Club bus leaving at 8.25am from the Hakone Otomo exit.

Note: I always suggest buying the tickets the day before if possible just to ensure you are able to get a ticket. It also allows the opportunity to see where the Odakyu Line is and the platform you will leave from. Shinjuku can be difficult to navigate so arrive with plenty of time to spare.

Return by train

This same train returns back to Shinjuku every day but is limited to the times below. It’s nice to buy a couple of drinks from the convenience store at Gotemba station and enjoy the trip back into Tokyo.

Gotemba station to Shinjuku Station.

6:47 pm Monday to Friday Romancecar Fujisan 6

4:47 pm & 6:47 pm Saturdays and Sundays Romancecar Fujisan 12, 6

Shinkansen

The Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen Kodama leaves Tokyo Station at 6.56am and arrives at Mishima station at 7.51am. As you exit through the ticket turnstiles at Mishima station you will see the Taiheiyo Club bus which will leave at 8.10am for both Gotemba courses. The ride to the Gotemba courses is about 45 minutes so you will arrive at Gotemba West around 9am. The cost of the bullet train is $43 USD and of course is great fun. The only downside, apart from being more expensive, is the shinkansen has less room for golf clubs and baggage. The aisles are narrow so you need to be pretty nimble not to concuss other passengers as you pass by with your golf bag.

Return by shinkansen

There is a bus which leaves the Gotemba West clubhouse daily at 5pm. Its travels to the Gotemba clubhouse then Gotemba station and finally Mishima station, arriving about 6.30pm. The alternative is to take a taxi after golf to Mishima Station which is about $80 USD. The Shinkansen runs every 30 minutes and takes under an hour to arrive back at Tokyo Station.

Gotemba West 4th. Don't be short!