BLACKBOOK SWING TIME The green of the 13th hole at the Hirono Golf Club is severely pitched from back to front seen. Situated on the outskirts of Kobe, Hirono is ultra-exclusive, with an Alison course that, like New Jersey’s Pine Valley, asserts its greatness from the first tee shot. (Pine Valley is presumably a design influence, given Alison’s involvement on a committee charged with its completion after founder George Crump’s death.) It’s one of those rare places in golf that has a kind of “aura” – that may sound vague, but it’s something well-travelled players will surely understand. Hirono is famous for its deep bunkers, nicknamed Alisons. Standing on the tee of the 5th or 7th holes, it’s hard to fathom that these hazards have been softened since the architect’s day. The course boasts a variety of features beyond sand traps, HIRONO IS ONE OF THOSE RARE PLACES IN GOLF THAT HAS A KIND OF “AURA” – SOMETHING WELL- TRAVELLED PLAYERS WILL UNDERSTAND though. Many are driven by the natural terrain; Hirono’s rolling property is ideal for golf, in part because Alison expertly used thrilling (but fair) forced carries and sharp doglegs to catapult around its elevation changes. In quieter sections, the architect built pedestal greens and bermlike fairway cross bunkers to keep the players alert. Recently in Japan’s Golf Digest Choice, Hanse said that a fully restored Hirono would rank among the top ten courses in the world. The truth is that most visitors will be floored by its current form. However, any course analysis is unlikely to survive the postround crocodilian submergence in the bath with a view of a garden. By the time the Asahis hit the grillroom table, at Hirono or anywhere else, it will be clear that hospitality – guided by protocol, yet deeply refined – is the essential ingredient of golf in Japan. PHOTO DAVID SCALETTI 60 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM FOR THE BEST NEW COURSES AND MORE, GO TO: CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
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