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.

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.

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.

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.

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.