The Japan Open has a different feel to any other tournament on the Japan Tour.  Keen to get back into the swing of things after a 3 week break,  we arrived at the Sagamihara golf course around midday on monday which would be a quiet day at any other tournament in Japan but this week alot of players were already out on the course trying to get a feel for the harder faster greens, narrow

fairways and thick rough.  So we got out there on monday afternoon for a few holes just to get a feel for the course.  With the atmosphere of a big tournament,  whilst walking down one of the fairways Wayne said to me he was excited about the week ahead and that he hadn't felt like that so early in the week before a tournament for a long time, which I thought was a good sign.

 

Alot of preperation has gone into the course to make it a real test,  so much so that I saw about 10 groundstaff on one hole raking the rough so that the grain of the grass sits against you when you hit towards the hole. As if the thick rough is not already difficult enough. On Wednesday we headed out for another practice round and Wayne was fortunate to have a practice round with three former winners of the Japan Open,  Craig Parry, David Smail & Paul Sheehan and picked up a few tips on how to win a Japan Open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the key holes at Sagamihara this week will be the monster par 5 3rd Hole, measuring 660yards. You have to drive on to the narrow fairway so you can place your second shot in the right position for what is still a full shot for your 3rd. An errant tee shot into the thick rough and it could be a four shot hole to get to the green.  Sagamihara is going to be a tough test playing as a par 72, it is played as a par 74 by the members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week we are staying in the city of Machida, just outside Tokyo.  We don't get the opportunity to stay in a big city like this very often.  One of the benifits of of travelling on tour is you get to eat out every night and there are plenty of restaurants to choose from here.  We have been to the American restaurant chain T.G.I Fridays twice this week where you are guaranteed to get a big meal.  I think Wayne might have over eaten on tuesday night after finishing his meal he proceeded to clean up everyone else's leftovers at the table,  which might explain why he couldn't complete wednesdays practice round due to severe stomach pain.   He is OK now and ready for a good week.