Cat^® Ladies 2021
Behind the Scenes Part 1  

The CAT® Ladies 2021 (the 24th edition) ended with a dramatic come-from-behind victory for the winner Sakura Koiwai. How will the stage be set for this event that has marked the history of great games for a quarter of a century? We interviewed Tomomi Sakiyama, Chief Greenkeeper at　 Daihakone Country Club, who has full responsibility for course management.

Our role is to create the perfect setting so that the players can concentrate on their game and show 100% technique. We will continue our normal business operations until the day before the tournament, while we fine-tune the course to get it set up just right for the competition.

Professional tournaments are held on a much more severe course setting than during normal business hours. The course is mowed down to the millimeter and pin positions are adjusted to meet the strict setting requirements of the tournament directors, paying close attention to the natural conditions and the ecology of the grass. The most difficult part is making sure that the conditions are uniform over all 18 holes," says Chief Manager Sakiyama.

We have to adjust the hardness of the greens so that the ball speeds are the same on all courses, and we have to keep the greens in good condition throughout the tournament. The CAT Ladies is held in the middle of summer, when it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain the condition of the grass, so we call in support staff from our affiliated golf courses to help maintain the course prior to the tournament. Normally, we have a team of 11 people, including myself, but this year we had a 20-member team to handle the course maintenance.

This year's tournament was held without spectators due to the spread of COVID-19 infection, but Chief Manager Sakiyama says, "I hope that next year the galleries will actually walk on the grass and see the condition of the course and feel that they, too, would like to play on a course like this. Preparations for the next tournament have already begun.