THIRD ASIA PACIFIC HICKORY SHAFT CHAMPIONSHIP
TOKYO 2025
Les Browne, chair of the Asia/Pacific Championship, reports:
We started in Melbourne in 2023, which was a great success, then last year in Christchurch, NZ, which was a step up ;and this year in Tokyo which was a further upward step.
The formation of the Asia Pacific Society of Hickory Golfers has been a great success and thanks to the SoHG for its assistance, particularly Matt Dodds, for introducing the concept.
The Asia Pacific Society not only has established golf events but created a bond between the players in each country. We started with NZ, Japan and Australia, now we have China, South Korea, soon Malaysia and hopefully more in the area. Next year the event will be hosted by Australia in Brisbane and in 2027 in China.
This year’s event, the third annual, was played in Tokyo in conjunction with the Japanese Hickory Masters and Classic, hosted by the Taiheiyo Club, one of the premier golfing facilities in Japan with 18 courses. Taiheiyo Club President Mr. Shun Han, a keen hickory golfer, was in attendance. Players from Australia, New Zealand, China, Canada and Malaysia joined the locals.
Japan Hickory Golfers Club Captain Tokuyama welcomed competitors.
The first day was an introduction with a fourball competition at the Narita Course.
Winners on the day, which were announced at the celebration party, were Mark Lawson (New Zealand) and Bruce Collins (Australia) for the gross division; and Ge Ergan and Tang Jinsheng (China), in the net division.
2025 APAC four ball winners Mark Lawson and Bruce Collins.
Day 2 was hosted at the Ichihara Course for the Japan Hickory Classic and Round 1 of the Asia Pacific Hickory Championship.
Winners on the day were Yuji Yasuda (Japan) in the gross division, and Abdul Halim Jantan (Malaysia), in the net division.
Japan Hickory Classic winners Yuji Yasuda and Abdul Halim Jantan.
After freshening up in the club’s hot bath house, the players and partners were entertained at a welcome party that included an international table tennis knock out, won of course by the Chinese. Highlight of the night was the ‘Kagami biraki’ a 300-year-old traditional Japanese ceremony which involves the breaking of the lid of a large round sake barrel with a wooden mallet. The International team were seconded to perform the task, which also involved sampling its contents.
The saki ceremony at the 2025 APAC.
Day 3 was hosted by the Yachiyo Course for the Japanese Hickory Masters and the final round of the Asia Pacific Hickory Championship.
The course was a more traditional style and featured two greens on each hole (one used in summer and the other in winter – a green keepers nightmare).
Taiheiyo Club Vice President Kazuhiko Kawamoto presents awards to the Japanese Hickory Masters winners: Suguru (Scott) Nakase, left, gross division winner; Rie (Alice) Mitsuhashi, ladies winner; and JHGC Captain Masahide Tokuyama., the senior division winner.
APAC Chair Les Browne, left, and Captain Tokuyama, far right, with 2025 Asia Pacific Society of Hickory Golfers Champions Suguru (Scott) Nakase from Japan; and Ladies Champion Wei Rui Fen from China.
The tournament’s overall team winner was from Japan. In 2026 the APAC Championship moves to Brisbane, Australia.
The evening finished up with a sumptuous BBQ, with players appreciative of the Japanese hospitality and all keen to attend the events in 2026.
For information on the Asia Pacific Hickory Championship, contact Les Browne at: lesnkate@bigpond.net.au
The players at the 2025 Asia Pacific Hickory Championship.