Otaru Country Club

Course Data
LocationHokkaido, Japan
Yardage6812 yards　Par 72
Course Rating72.6
Playing Date23 May 2005
DesignerKokichi Yasuda
Opened1974
CaddyYes
Golf CartNo
Rating
Overall Rating
4.40
Course Layout
4
Difficulty Level
4
Greens Condition
5
Fairways Condition
6
Landscaping & Views
4
　

This is a flat seaside course with no ocean views. As it is a links course, there is small number of trees on the course, totals 27 holes with the 9-hole Old Course opened way back in 1928. Its layout is not that demanding but when winds from Sea of Japan blow strongly, it becomes very difficult.


A view from the clubhouse
A view from the clubhouse

A view from the clubhouse

A view
A view

 

2nd　Par 4　360 yards
A straight, short par 4. Lakes on both sides come into play on the tee shot and the left lake is 250 yards & the right lake 260 yards off the tee. The second shot is over water. The green slopes to the water, therefore be careful for a short shot.
 

2nd　Par 4　360 yards (3)

2nd　Par 4　360 yards (2)

2nd　Par 4　360 yards (1)
 
4th　Par 3　163 yards

4th　Par 3　163 yards
A beautiful par 3 over a lake.
5th　Par 4　400 yards
An almost straight hole. The green slopes from right to left. A bunker protecting the front left green is deep.


5th　Par 4　400 yards (3)

5th　Par 4　400 yards (2)

5th　Par 4　400 yards (1)
 
10th　Par 5　545 yards
A straight hole with the green swung to the left. Bunkering around the green is good.
 

10th　Par 5　545 yards (3)

10th　Par 5　545 yards (2)

10th　Par 5　545 yards (1)
 
16th　Par 4　450 yards
A dogleg to the right, a long par 4. A pond in front of the green makes the second shot demanding. This is the hole where both distance and accuracy are needed on both the tee and second shots.

16th　Par 4　450 yards (3)

16th　Par 4　450 yards (2)

16th　Par 4　450 yards (1)
 
17th　Par 3　157 yards

17th　Par 3　157 yards (2)

17th　Par 3　157 yards (1)
A short par 3. The green is more than 40 yards wide and slopes from left to right. A deep bunker guarding the front side of the green is in play. The 17th hole has 2 greens: this shorter one and a 195yards long par 3. The longer one is used at tournaments but I personally like the one I played this time as it is more beautiful with better layout and more fun to play.
 
18th　Par 4　430 yards

A left dogleg. The bunker on the right side of fairway reachable 230 yards off the tee and comes into play. The green is elevated, so you need to hit a high second shot to make it bite the green. Pay attention for the bunker on the left side of the green which is 2.5 meters (8feet deep). The green is large and double-tiered.
 

18th　Par 4　430 yards (3)

18th　Par 4　430 yards (2)

18th　Par 4　430 yards (1)
 
19th hole

Restaurant

It is a 30-minitue drive from Sapporo City and a 1-hour drive from the Sin Chitose Airport.

The course in fact boasts the course rating of 75.0 and 7342 yard distance. The championship tees are limited to professional tournaments or major club tournaments like the Club Championship. Advanced players may not be able to experience the daunting course and to understand its intrinsic worth if they play from back tees 500 yards shorter.

The course was awarded 10th place out of 2400 courses in 2002’s Japanese golf course rankings by the Japan Golf Classic Magazine. Kokichi Yasuda designed other courses in Japan are Tsukisappu CC, Chiba CC – Umesato Course, Camellia Hills CC, Mohara CC, Ashahikawa International CC, Hirakawa CC, Tama CC, Hamanako CC, etc.