Gotemba city is situated on the southeastern flank of Mt Fuji in the Shizuoka prefecture. Just 100 kilometers from Tokyo, this golfing mecca boasting twenty golf courses is also known as a major retail destination and a gateway to Mt Fuji. The golfing jewel amongst the Gotemba courses is the Taiheiyo Clubs flagship golf course, Taiheiyo Club Gotemba. The most stunning golf course in Japan is becoming recognised worldwide, not only for its breathtaking views of Mt Fuji but for the magnificence of its recently renovated layout.

In January 2020 Golf Digest ranked Taiheiyo Clubs Gotemba course as the fifth-best in Japan. If courses were rated purely on the iconic status I have no doubt Taiheiyo Gotemba would be positioned at the top of the list. Its illustrious reputation is due to a multitude of factors and its position at the base of Mt Fuji makes it a truly spectacular place to play golf.

The course opened in 1977 and was designed by the late Shunsuke Kato. Kato san was adamant from the course’s inception that Gotemba was built to hold professional tournaments. He also believed a golf course must change and evolve. Once the golf course was completed he felt it was the beginning of its life, requiring constant renovation to ensure continual improvement. From 1977 to 1985, fourteen of the holes had been altered to make the course more challenging.

As the years passed the perfect putting surfaces, floorless fairways, short rough, and little wind made for some unbelievably low scoring at the Taiheiyo Masters. The tournament is one of the biggest events on the men’s professional tour in Japan with players such as Ballesteros, Norman, Ozaki, and Olazabal having held aloft the winners trophy. In 2016 and 2017 the combined winning score was 41 under par. The distance the modern ball was travelling made Gotemba, like many other great courses, obsolete. The fairway bunkers that were once in play became aiming points for the professionals as they continually bombed their ball over them making the course a pitch and putting contest. The par 5 holes became mid-length par 4 holes and this once great test was no longer.

President and CEO of Taiheiyo Club, Mr. Shun Han, after much study and deliberation, decided to employ Rees Jones to renovate the Gotemba course. Hideki Matsuyama was employed as a consultant and with lead architect, Bryce Swanson, the project began.

The mandate of the renovation was to improve the member’s experience and make the course a more formidable challenge for the professionals. To my way of thinking these two goals were almost impossible to align as they seemed a contradiction. Make the course more playable for amateurs but more difficult for the professionals? Balancing these ideals and continuing Kato sans legacy of thoughtful and intelligent evolution rather than a total reconstruction was a difficult task.

The final product showcased during the 2018 Taiheiyo Masters clearly shows why I am not a course architect. Rees, Hideki, and Bryce were able to blend all the necessary requirements into something masterful. The routing was not altered and the course lengthened by only 81 yards. Every one of the original 62 bunkers were reshaped to blend with the natural terrain while some were moved to catch errant tee shots. New fairway bunkers were added so players could not overpower the course as they had to rethink their strategy off the tee. One subtle element of the redesign that I appreciate is the reshaping of some of the greenside areas. These new deeper, tightly cut swales now funnel the ball away from the putting surface. For the members, it simplifies the game as it allows them to putt from off the green. For the professionals, it creates an element of doubt as they now have an abundance of options. Execution of chipping or pitching off these tight surfaces must be pinpoint and putting from these low areas onto greens running at 13 on the stimpmeter can be difficult to judge.

Every tee box at Gotemba was made larger and squared off. Rees and Bryce also decided to increase the number of tee boxes to provide members more options. Since 1977 the landing zones in the fairways had become quite narrow so some were expanded. Ponds on holes #2, #4 and #14 were rebuilt and made larger to blend with the shape of the green. One of the biggest changes was the decision to remove more than 700 trees around the property. This has transformed the course into a spectacular viewing platform for Mt Fuji. The view walking up the 5th hole is quite overwhelming and definitely one of the best photo opportunities you will find. It has also improved the playing surfaces with the grass now basking in complete sunlight.

The Taiheiyo Masters played in 2018 and 2019 had winning scores of -9 and -13 respectively. This clearly showing the course became more formidable for the professionals as intended. The feedback from the members has been overwhelmingly positive which demonstrates the vision and talent of Rees Jones and his team.

The strength of Gotemba is that each hole has its own distinct personality, with no two holes alike. I also think it's a testament to great design that the course does not have a weak hole. If anything it has mostly great holes and a sprinkling of spectacular ones, especially the finishing stretch. As you play the course Mt Fuji will come into view early on the front nine and then overwhelmingly on the 5th tee. The back nine provides less viewing opportunities until you reach the 17th.

From the course to the clubhouse to the pro shop, each touchpoint has been thoughtfully covered to create an unforgettable experience for the guest. The service level throughout the day far surpasses anything I have experienced anywhere else in the world. The staff creates a sense that your presence is truly appreciated which is sorely lacking in the golf industry these days.

The four courses that currently sit above Gotemba on the Golf Digest rankings might be difficult to overtake. These courses are not only revered in Japan but also recognized worldwide for their timeless designs and storied histories. However, with a vision to continue Shunsuke Kato and Rees Jone’s work, Taiheiyo Clubs management may just succeed in getting Gotemba to reach the top of the rankings. Where there is a will, and there is a will, there is a way.