Hokkaido golf courses

Katsura Golf Club is seen by many to be one of the top golf courses in Japan. The golf course was designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr and opened for play in 1993. Situated in Tomakomaishi, Hokkaido this 18 hole, par-72 golf course is just 25 minutes from Sapporo International Airport and 70 minutes from the city of Sapporo, making it very convenient for golfers using the airport or staying centrally in the city.

Katsura Golf Club gets its name from the tree which grows naturally around the golf course. The Katsura tree is a Japanese endemic species that makes for a pleasant playing environment throughout the 18 holes. The golf course itself features undulating fairways plus strategically placed dry creeks and water hazards.

Welcome to beautiful A-Brand Golf Course and Hotel, a 7,000 yard plus, expertly crafted 18 hole golf club with slick and well undulated greens! One of Hokkaido’s premier clubs, this incredibly well appointed club and hotel will leave you and your cherished guests yearning for nothing!

The opulent clubhouse was designed after a luxurious northern European castle and includes marble floors with real stuffed Polar Bears and Wolves in the main hall. The hotel boasted 4 different styles of twin rooms to choose from and should you decide to stay, you will be impressed with the elegant decor throughout, as well as the expertly prepared local, seasonal cuisine on offer in the main dining room. It also features luxurious log cabins throughout the course that you can rent during the summer months and note, the facility is easy access from the famous nearby Port town and tourist area of Otaru.

Founded in 1971, Chitose Airport Country Club, is ideally located next to the Chitose Airport, offering great transport links for visiting golfers.

Chitose Airport Country Club boasts 27-holes of championship golf, designed by Japanese architect Nakamura and he has done a wonderful job incorporating the natural environment into his design, whilst still creating three distinctive loops of 9-holes which all merge perfectly when placed together.

Gently undulating throughout, Nakamura has included the natural Swan lake into the design which adds both to the challenge and the aesthetic beauty of the courses.

The beautiful clubhouse at Clark County Golf sits perfectly with the surrounding nature. Offering visiting golfers and members the ideal place to enjoy pre-round drinks or post-round dinner the clubhouse the hub of this wonderful 27-hole golf course.

Set on the mountainside, the course is gently undulating creating a huge variety of holes golfing challenges.

Split between the East, Middle and West course the major feature are the heavily wooded holes.

Although the courses are predominantly similar in design, each have their own stand out hole which will live long in the memory of the visiting golfers.

The East Course measures 3489-yards and is the longest of the three loops, and meanders through the mature native trees, requiring accuracy and good course strategy to achieve the best score.

To create the tournament course of 18-holes the East would normally be paired with the West course to give a total distance of 6944-yards, a nice change to many modern-day courses are the short target par 3s on the West Course.

The final loop of 9 is the Middle course, with a par of 36 covering a total of 3289-yards the Middle course is the shortest of the three, but no less demanding from a technical point of view.

When considering a golf holiday in Japan, many people look at Tokyo as being the starting point, especially for those arriving from outside the country.  However, in the summer months, it is possible to enjoy a round of golf in northern Japan.

The Bibai Course at Alpen Golf Club is located in Hokkaido, which is the northernmost of Japan’s islands.  Well known for its natural hot springs and ski slopes, Hokkaido is growing a great reputation for golf courses and Alpen Golf Club is one of the best in this region of Japan.  Alpen Group is a top Japanese sports company, so you know you are in good hands when booking a round at this venue.

If you are looking for a golf course that oozes class and quality, with a hint of tradition and a design that incorporates the natural beauty of its surroundings then you need to visit the Gozensui Golf Club.

Ideally located for those travelling to the area by plane, Gozensui Golf Club is located no more than 15 minutes from the Chitose International Airport in the Hokkaido region of Japan.

An area of outstanding natural beauty the Gozensui Golf Club blends seamlessly into the surroundings, offering a calm and tranquil lace to enjoy a round of golf.

Great Sapporo Country Club is a hilly golf course with 18 holes. The fairways of each hole 
are wide and you can enjoy playing with a relaxed feeling. Surrounded by Mt. Eniwa and 
Mt. Tarumae, it is a location where you can overlook the vast Ishikari Plain. The course 
is designed to make the best use of this terrain, so it is a golf course that attracts
attention from golfers who want to enjoy powerful shots. There are also ponds and valleys, 
so there are many places that require technique as well as distance. Fairways and trees 
are properly managed, so it has a reputation as a high-quality golf course. 
It is a golf course with many elements that can be enjoyed along with the location.

Hanazono Golf is an amazingly picturesque 18-hole golf course in a wonderful natural setting with stunning vistas of Mt. Yotei from all parts of the courses.  The course features a natural spring water creek and passes through the native birch forest. The course offers a great variety of different challenges with many elevation changes and you will pass through different types of terrain.

This is probably the best golf course in the area and most golfers are sure to enjoy the round and will love the beauty of the course.

A 1 hour and 15-minute drive from the Japanese city of Sapporo you will come across the Hayakita Country Club.

The clubhouse and adjoining facilities are superb, with all the necessary amenities to cater for both the members and guests that choose to visit Hayakita Country Club.

Boasting two 18-hole golf courses, the North and South, Hayakita Country Club delivers two superb golf courses that are able to cater for golfers of all levels and abilities.

The gently undulating landscape, perfect for a golf course has been utilized to the maximum to create two wonderfully enjoyable golf courses.

The North course, measuring 7200-yards with a par of 72 is the more challenging of the two courses. Enjoying wide fairways, flanked by trees and bunkers the tee shots are not overly demanding and although the course is long it rarely tests from the tee.

Cleverly positioned bunkers and the use of additional water hazards blend to provide some difficulty.

The South course is shorter at 6941-yards and also a par 72 but is similar in design. Moving over the gently undulating terrain it is an easy walk, and much like the North course relies on the well-positioned bunkers and water hazards to provide the style and challenge to the golfers.

Course conditions are always good and both courses are a joy to play.

Hitsujigaoka Country Club is one of the most popular golf courses in the Sapporo area and was built on the remains of the cross-country skiing courses used at the 1972 Winter Olympics. The course runs through the thick forest of birch trees which is typical of the area.

The course is pretty flat with not too many severe elevation changes. On the outward nine the holes are almost all dead straight with not too many bunkers so providing you are straight off the tee you should score well.

The inward nine is a bit more varied with a few doglegs and the pick of the holes is the par 5, 17^th which is an S-shaped hole with a pond protecting the front of the green.

Hokkaido Brooks Country Club, is an incredible design that incorporates every single aspect of the natural landscape, whilst generating a golf course that is a true test of golf and worthy of championship golf being played here.

Designed by Ed Sneed and Taizo Kawata Hokkaido Brooks Country Club is a top destination that has the heart of each designer stamped all over it.

Set in a massive 1.65 million square meters the 18 holes blends with the natural beauty of the landscape, creating two distinctive sets of 9-holes.

The front 9 is undulating and the holes are framed exquisitely by the Japanese Larch and white birch trees. A small brook runs throughout the course adding a tranquillity along with additional difficulty. The final 6 holes are more of a traditional Scottish links, than a parkland course as it opens out, with wide, rolling fairways, enormous bunkers and large undulating greens that somehow blend effortlessly with both the landscape and the front 9, and it is this effortless flow that really stands out when you visit Hokkaido Brooks Country Club.

To complete the incredible set-up is the luxurious, large clubhouse that caters for every single need, with large, spacious locker rooms, bright and airy restaurant and a well-stocked pro-shop with additional features for members. Hokkaido Brooks Country Club boasts superb driving range and putting green maintained to the same exacting standard as the golf course.

Hokkaido is the northern island of Japan and a great place to visit for those who love nature, skiing and playing golf.  You will find a wealth of golf courses available to play in Hokkaido but arguably one of the best golf clubs in this region of Japan is Hokkaido Golf Club.

If you are travelling from outside Japan, you may be able to catch a direct flight to Sapporo Chitose Airport, which is Hokkaido’s only significant international airport.  You will find direct flights from China, South Korea and Thailand but for those coming from Europe and United States, you will need to fly to Tokyo and get a short connecting flight.

Kosaido Sapporo Country Club is a very picturesque course which is not too far from the centre of Sapporo so this is a popular course with locals.  The course winds its way through the attractive countryside and offer great views from the top of the course.

The fairways are quite undulating and its not easy to find a flat lie- also, at certain times of the year the rough can get quite thick.

The course is not too difficult providing you can keep out of the pot bunkers which are scattered across the course and once you get in you will probably lose a shot.  The course was designed by Peter Thomson and perhaps he had some thoughts of St. Andrews when building the course.

Located around an hour from the Chitose International Airport you will find the Makomanai Golf and Country Club.

Beautifully appointed the clubhouse is delightful and luxurious with everything the discerning golfer could want.

The Morning Lounge is the ideal start to your golf day, with the chance to enjoy a coffee and snack before you head to the course. A large, welcoming lobby is staffed by the most pleasant of personnel and the pro-shop is extremely well-stocked with the most recognised brands of equipment and clothing.

A two-hour drive from the New Chitose Airport you will come across the Niseko Golf Course.

As a sister course to the Niseko Village layout, Niseko golf course was designed by legendary American golfer Arnold Palmer.

Measuring 6805-yards from the championship tees, the Niseko Golf Club is a true test of golfing ability.

The majority of golfers will and most definitely should play from the forward tees, as the difficulty of the course is high. Deep, punishing rough and out of bounds on almost every hole, the championship tees demand both length and accuracy if you want to post a good score here.

Designed by Yoshaki Tsutsumi the Niseko Village golf course was opened in 1992 and boasts a par-73 course measuring 6845-yards from the back tees.

Unlike many courses in the area, Niseko Village Golf Course is relatively flat but that does not mean the course is easy.

An incredible feature of the Niseko Village course is the 10th hole. A monster par 6, that measures a massive 721-yards from the back tees requiring 4 well-struck shots to reach the green.

The incredible Mount Yotei creates the perfect backdrop to many of the holes that meander through the towering native trees, creating the feel of a “millionaires” golfing experience in some of the most spectacular scenery in Japan.

Strategically placed water hazards, create additional difficulty to the course as well as creating yet more aesthetically pleasing holes designs.

Facilities include the large hotel and clubhouse complex with various dining and accommodation options, and while the golf course is closed during the winter months the resort at the foot of the mountain is busy year-round with the ski resort.

Niseko Village Golf course is a course that caters for your every need, with first class facilities, both non-golf and golf related.

It is certainly a place that you must visit.

The South Course is longer than the East at 6587-yards, also a par 72. Following a similar theme as the East, The South has narrow fairways, cleverly positioned bunkers and, unlike the East the inclusion of water hazards to increase the difficulty level.

Perhaps the most favoured course here is the West course. At 6734-yards it is the longest of the three courses and also boasts a par of 72.

The stand out hole of the resort is without doubt the par 3 third of The West course, measuring 182-yards from the elevated back tee, you are afforded a perfect view of the island green below, simply stunning.

Similar to the East and South the West´s main protection are the narrow tree-lined fairways, with strategically positioned bunkers and the occasional water hazard.

The spectacular golf course at Sapporo Minami is an absolute must visit if you are ever in the area.

A backdrop of mountain ranges, native trees and woodland set the course off beautifully offering breath-taking views and an air of tranquillity that you can only find in the Japanese countryside.

The course weaves and undulates across the natural terrain and is by no means out of place.

Shin-Chitose Country Club is a very popular course not far from the international airport and around 30 minutes from the centre of Sapporo set in a very hilly location with wonderful scenery.  It is a 36-hole layout - the Hamanasu Course is a very tough course where each hole is separated by the white birch trees and Karamatsu, which has plenty of elevation changes and undulations together with numerous water hazards.

The pick of the holes on the outward nine of the Hamanasu Course include the par, 4^th with a large pond protecting he front of the green and the b7th which is a short dogleg par 4 with pond along the left waiting for the mishit approach.  On the inward half the par3, 15^th demand an accurate tee shot over a valley to a well-protected green.  The final 18th is the toughest hole on the Hermanus course as the green has 3 tiers and several undulations – a bogey is a good score here.

On the other hand, the Holoca course is a highly strategic course that demands accurate shot making because the fairways are very narrow and there are numerous bunkers protecting the greens.  The most dangerous holes include the 7^th, which although it’s quite a short par 4, requires you to flirt with danger to get in the right position off the tee. The elevated green on the 13ht is difficult to hold and you can easily drop shots here.

Sun Park Sapporo Golf Course in Hokkaido is a golf course owned and operated by Pacific Golf Management and is located about 30 minutes from the centre of Sapporo.

The course offers 27 holes spread over a large area with few elevation change but the holes are interspersed by plenty of water hazards of various sizes.  The course is not too difficult with very wide fairways and greens without too much protection in the way of bunkers.

The North Country Club on the Hokkaido Island of Japan is located just 15 minutes from Chitose Airport and boasts a wonderful 18-hole golf course that is presented throughout the golfing season in pristine condition.

Designed by Isao Aoki, the course was opened in 1990 quickly gaining recognition for its simplistic design.

At 7078-yards the 18-hole par 72 course is links-like in style.

In comparison to other courses in the region, The North Country Club stands out as different, with few trees or hidden water hazards to test the golfer. Instead Aoki has created a stunning layout from the natural landscape and has sparingly used water hazards to achieve a testing course that is different each time you play it.

The Tomakomai Golf Emina Club is a beautiful golf resort boasting 4 golf courses set within the beautiful Japanese country side.

Each course has its own unique character, offering 4 unique golfing experiences.

The South Course measures 6852-yards and meanders through beautiful white birch, water hazards and bunkers, creating a challenging but highly enjoyable and picturesque golf course.

 At 7051-yards The East Course is a long hitters course with long holes and wide fairways offering the chance to open the shoulders. A delightful course that will test your ability from the tee and with the inclusion of water hazards you will need to be accurate to boot.

Emina West Course presents a much more technical challenge for golfers to enjoy. At 6877-yards from the back tees the course demands accuracy and good course management.

The fourth and final course at Tomakomai Golf Emina Club is the Iris course. It is much shorter than the other three courses at 6541-yards, and coupled with the wide fairways and fewer trees, the Iris course is more forgiving and perfect for beginners and less experienced golfers.

A modern clubhouse combines the modern requirements golfers expect with Japanese tradition, creating an incredibly relaxing atmosphere.  The facilities at the club include luxurious locker rooms, banqueting rooms, swimming pool and a great practice facility including a large driving range and shot game area.