2 items arrived today for me. 2 dozen golf balls and new gadget.
In one of my recent golf rounds at Pete Dye, I found a wayward ball. It was a Mizuno Cross Eight D301. Since the condition was playable, I decided to give it a try. Whoah! The distance was 1 club longer than the Callaway ERC Hot and HX Tours I was using. So I decided to research into it and found that Mizuno offers a very wide range of golf balls. The Cross Eight range is their top range ball, with eight patterns of cross grooves within the core for greater rebound and distance.
I found that Mizuno even match head speeds to their balls, with recommended head speed for each ball type/model. So instead of the D301 (which flies), I ordered 2 dozens of the T301 (T for tour) which is optimized for driver head speeds of 45m/s, exactly my head speed.
The second item is a GPS receiver that is designed for golfing in Japan It is called "Shot Navi Pocket " or Shot Navigator in your pocket. It has data of over 2,000 golf courses, almost all the courses in Japan and acts like your personal GPS unit at the golf course. Once switched on, it automatically locates the course and hole you're at and starts giving you the distance to the green. It also has the abilkity to keep track of your scores, and the distance you hit with each shot since it is GPS based. New course data can be downloaded from the net. What a gadget !
I can blame all and sundry including this duck like bird, but the course condition was poor and the layout funny. Its no wonder this course had changed name 3 times and is now managed by PGM (Pacific Golf Management).
I could not score any pars until the last 4 holes where I managed 2 pars. A forgettable day indeed.
This car is a 2003 model and has seen 60,000kms by three owners. Not the best of examples but then its low mileage by international standards. In Japan, anything touching 10,000kms pa is high mileage.
I started the car but couldn't test drive it due to insurance reasons, and saw very clear and nice water forming at the tail of the pipes. Very clean combustion. I guess people who owned this car must know how to look after it and would not spare any expense to do so.
Unfortunately the car has been reserved for someone who only telephoned. However, they would contact me should the deal fall through after the Obon weekend, next week. Meanwhile the seach is on....
Colours really look good in Winter as the light comes thru the crisp, clear skies to enhance colours. There was a heart "to care" campaign for charity around that time.
Here's a closer look at a wasabi plant. They don't come cheap, good ones costing $14 each. Kinda remind me of pineapples, perhaps post radiation contamination
Wasabi Ice Cream galore in this area! I actually tried some later and they tasted like err...Wasabi: Spicy!
Another view of the waterfall, with long exposure on trusty old Slik tripod.
We could not play in the stream at this waterfall as its been "protected" by the trout shop that allows you in only if you rent a rod.
This is a long exposure shot of fall number 4.
On the way home, we stopped by 熱海 (Atami), a well know spa resort area, and stumbled upon a Sapporo Beer Festival.
There was live music by a trio consisting of 2 guitarists and a bongo drummer, playing jazzie tunes of folk and sentimental songs. The atmosphere was great with the cool sea breeze keeping the heat under control..
Another view of the tower.
You can stand on a glass platform and look down 150m to the ground below. We didn't go up to the 250m level observatory, there was a queue.
Chloe showing her dress off.
Lunch was ハヤシ ライス （Hayashi Rice） at the Tokyo Hayashi Rice Club. Hayashi Rice is a Japanese style curry like stew, usually with beef. You can order it sweet, or spicy, up to your taste.
I ordered the 辛口 (Karakuchi or spicy sauce), with たぷり 牛肉 (tappuri gyuniku or plenty of beef) for $14. It was yummy. Chloe had the Hayashi bun, sweet style, of course.
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