Remodeling Design examplesRenovation Design examples

Boso Country Club East Course

Location:2300 Myorakuji, Mutsusawa-cho, Chosei-gun, Chiba

Phone:0475-43-0111

Course: 18holes, Par 72

Opening Date:November 29, 1975.

Design:KAMAMATSU Touji　Modification Design:Yasushi Kaizu

Opened in 1975. It is a large club with 36 holes on the east and west sides and 18 holes on the Ogami Golf Course.
The East Course was converted from two greens of Korai and Bent grass to one green of Bent in 2007.
Course remodeling design is like arranging an original piece of music. It is a process of remodeling the original without destroying it. Considering the cost, we decided to convert the course to one green while keeping it open for business," said Mr. Yasushi Kaizu.
The work involved removing the high grade greens and extending the original shape of the main bent green, which averaged 550 m2, by about 250 m2 toward the center and cutting the opposite side by about 100 m2. A new green with an average area of 750 square meters was completed. The new green appeared in the center of the hole, and bunkers and a halo (depression) were placed on the site of the elevated green, requiring an effort to make it look natural by planting trees. The total yardage was extended by 130 yards to 7,107 yards by partially extending the tees.
Player response has been positive, with attendance quickly recovering to 45,000 per year and increasing.

Question and answer with Mr. Kaizu

Any difficulties with green modifications while operating?

Since this was a partial construction of the green, it was possible to simply put up a simple defensive netting. The key to the problem was how to make the New Green look like it was placed in the center of the hole, so we had to be creative in which direction to extend it and how to cut it.

What is the overall slope?

21 TP3T or less.

Do we need a specialty hole where play reaches a climax?

Two holes, No. 12 (540y, par 5) and No. 13 (379y, par 4).
Around the green of the 12th hole, the bent green at the back left was renovated and the elevated green on the right was removed to create an approach area. The entrance to the green from the 2nd IP was made a two-way fairway with two fairways. A small amount of wooded area that separated the greens in the two green era was retained as a vertical hazard, and a group of 5 petal-shaped bunkers were placed in front of the greens.
The 13th hole is considered to be a typical "short par 4 hole" and a pond was dug in front of the right side of the green. Although the hole is short, the layout is a little twisted.

Aren't the three finishing holes also important for the drama?

The 18th has a creek running across the fairway to add variety to the attack. However, since it is slightly uphill to the green, it is difficult to see the location and contours of the green, so the front portion of the green has been lowered to the front so that the entrance can be seen.

The impression is that the greens have become tougher for advanced players and more forgiving for average players.

The majority of golfers are average golfers, so I wanted to let them know what golf is all about.

From GCA JOURNAL No. 14 (December 2014)