GOLF HOLIDAYS |
Hokkaido has the most golf courses in Japan, with 169 in total. Many of them are superb and located within 20-30 minutes' drive from New Chitose airport. Hokkaido is the large island in the north of Japan, famous for its snow festival held in February. Summers in Hokkaido are relatively cool and dry, making it the best season for golfing from June to October. Most golf courses are closed from November to March. There is also plenty to do besides golfing in Hokkaido, such as exploring the area around your golf resort and enjoying fantastic seafood, sushi, beef, BBQ, and a wide variety of ramen.
Sapporo Golf Club, which opened in 1932, was Hokkaido’s first 18-hole golf course and has many fairways lined with huge trees. Its Watts Course, designed by Inoue Seiichi and opened in 1958, is a venue for the ANA Open held in September. Otaru Country Club, which started with 3 holes in 1928, is one of Japan’s premier championship golf courses and has hosted several PGA and LPGA events (such as the 1999 Japan Open Golf Championship, the 2004-12 Sun Chlorella Classic, and the 2015 Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament). The North Country Club, a links-style course that opened in 1990, has also hosted PGA events (such as the 2005-17 Sega Sammy Cup Golf Tournament). Katsura Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr. and opened in 1993, is another LPGA host course (2010-13 Nitori Ladies Golf Tournament). There are many other excellent and worthy courses to play in Hokkaido, such as Gozensui Golf Club, Hokkaido Classic Golf Club, Hokkaido Brooks Country Club, Nidom Classic Golf Course, Hayakita Country Club and more.