Taiheiyo Club - Narita

Taiheiyo Narita. The difficult but beautiful 15th hole.

Taiheiyo Club Narita is a fabulous golf course in a perfect location. The property is situated just 6 kilometers from Japan’s Narita International airport so if your flight arrives early enough it should certainly be an option if your energy levels allow. Alternatively, if your flight leaves later in the day a morning tee time could be a great way to put an exclamation point on what I am sure was a fabulous trip.

Opened in 1999 and designed by Gary Player the Taiheiyo Narita course lives up to all the hype that should accompany a course designed by a grand slam winner. Player has designed over 300 courses worldwide but interestingly was never able to gain a foothold in Japan. The Taiheiyo course is a testament to great design and Player’s mandate of building a course to test all levels was achieved.

Taiheiyo Narita. 13th hole with the Clubhouse as the backdrop.

As you arrive at the clubhouse both caddies and a large set of roman columns will greet you. Perched upon the property’s highest point the elaborately decorated clubhouse and rolling course below reminds me of a manor in the English countryside with its sprawling gardens. That is until you watch an Airbus A380 sore into the sky from the trees beyond.

The course is set in a dense local forest and suits players who are able to control their driver. Each hole is quite separate from the rest and generally the only people you see are the group in front of you, especially on the back nine.

Taiheiyo Narita. The devistatingly difficult 14th. The start of a great stretch of holes.

The course is 6,581 yards from the black tees and 5,120 yards from the ladies but plays a little longer as the spongy Koorai fairways take the steam out of a well-struck drive. The par 3 and par 4 holes are all mid-length but the Par 5 holes that can be taken advantage of, except the 18th which is a long, fun finishing hole.

Taiheiyo Narita. The 7th. The changing colours of winter.

The course has short drives from greens to tee boxes which are mostly a little uphill so tee shots are mainly played from an elevated position. I have always like elevated teeing areas because the hole is in plain sight, allowing players to see their ball easily and also understand where the prevailing wind is. The course was originally designed with two greens, which can be hit and miss, but at some stage of the courses evolution, they decided to retain only one. Interestingly there are 3 holes on the course (7th, 12th, 18th) where the dual greens were joined which has created large, fast, and intriguing putting surfaces, especially the 18th.

Taiheiyo Narita. 18th hole during spring.

Player did a fabulous job making each hole quite contrasting and for possibly the best bunker player of all time, he used bunkers infrequently, especially on the fairways. However, the bunker that guards the green on the 6th might be the deepest bunker in Japan. This sweeping Par 5 dogleg is a birdie opportunity for the longer hitters but the perilous 50 yard long cavernous bunker in front of the green is a scorecard wrecker for most. The Taiheiyo caddies will do whatever is necessary to have you avoid this cavernous pit which has a vertical face of at least 10 feet. You have been warned.

The most iconic hole on the course is easily the 14th. At only 370 yards off the tee, this hole makes me nervous. The tee shot is elevated above an island fairway which is particularly daunting. The hole is a slight dogleg right and the green is very shallow from front to back, demanding a correctly struck shot to hold the putting surface. Short of the green is the place to miss as long is a somewhere where the devil fears to tread. It’s a hole that could sit perfectly on a postcard yet dwells in the depths of my mind, keeping me up at night.

I count 11 steps. The bunker that guards the 6th green. Avoid avoid avoid.

The restaurant in the clubhouse has a very elegant atmosphere and the menu is a mix of tasty Japanese and western dishes with the tuna rice bowl my favorite. The pro shop is another one of the Taiheiyo in house shops that is positioned beside the front entrance. The staff is a lovely group of enthusiastic young retailers who have all had a little english training so head inside, say hello, and make a cheeky purchase.

Taiheiyo Clubs in house pro shops are the best in Japan.

Taiheiyo Narita is a course that should always be on a golfer’s radar, not just because of its proximity to the airport, but because it's a great course. From the beginning to the end the Taiheiyo staff create an environment that cannot be surpassed. When management demands perfect service, delicious food, and a fabulous golf course, it combines to create a perfect day out for our guests.

Cherry blossoms @ Taiheiyo Narita

Transport

Taiheiyo Narita is just an hour by private transport from the center of Tokyo. If you prefer to take public transport then the Narita Express train is the right choice as it has assigned seating and importantly has large enough storage for golf bags and luggage. Narita International airport (terminal 2) is the place to arrive and leave at. From Tokyo, the option is to take the Narita Express (NEX) from Shinjuku (77 mins), Tokyo (54 mins), or Ueno (49 mins) stations. I encourage you to organize your tickets the day before to ensure you get a seat. Once at the airport there are plenty of taxis to get you to the Taiheiyo property.

The only catch with the trip back is having to compete for train tickets with the travelers getting off their flights at the airport. It can be busy and messy and that's why considering letting me organize private transport is the easiest and most efficient option.