The North Country Golf Club

Course Data
LocationHokkaido, Japan
Yardage7078 yards　Par 72
Course Rating73.5
Playing Date24 May 2005
DesignerIsao Aoki
Opened1991
CaddyYes
Golf CartYes
Rating
Overall Rating
4.45
Course Layout
＊4
Difficulty Level
＊5
Greens Conditions
5
Fairways Conditions
5
Landscaping & Views
4
＊I estimated the course layout and difficulty level as if I had played from the 7078 yard championship tees. In fact I actually played from the 6530 yard back tees about 500 yards shorter.
 

This is a flat, links style course. There are few trees, so you can enjoy 360 degree panoramic view. There are few OBs and no trees to separate the holes. Instead, roughs are longer so that you will pay a small penalty missing the fairway. Waters come into play on 12 out of 18 holes, which makes the course challenging. Large greens are another feature of the course.


A view from the clubhouse

A view from 13th green
Deep rough

 

3rd　Par 5　574 yards
A straight, long par 5. The right fairway bunker is reachable 250 yards of the tee and the left lake 280 yards. There are a lot of hollows and mounds on the landing areas of the second shot. White birch trees behind the green are beautiful.
 

3rd　Par 5　574 yards (3)

3rd　Par 5　574 yards (2)

3rd　Par 5　574 yards (1)
 
5th　Par 4　346 yards
A left dogleg, short par 4. There is a large lake on the left and a swale on the right off the tee. The second shot is over the water and bunkers. This hole is not long but requires accuracy on both the tee & second shots. The green is double-tiered with higher right and lower left.
 

5th green

5th　Par 4　346 yards (2)

5th　Par 4　346 yards (1)
 
7th　Par 3　158 yards

A neat flower bed

7th　Par 3　158 yards
This neat par 3 isn’t overly long but a huge bunker in front of the green gives you some pressure. There is a flower bed shaping like “Hokkaido” inside the bunker.
 
8th　Par 4　437 yards

8th　Par 4　437 yards (2)

8th　Par 4　437 yards (1)
A sharp 90 degree right dogleg. A long hitter can take the short cut by hitting over trees on the right. The bunker protecting front left of the green is in play.
 
12th　Par 3　216 yards

12th　Par 3　216 yards (2)

12th　Par 3　216 yards (1)
A long par 3 surrounded by beautiful white birch trees. There is a large bunker which guard the front of the green.

 
13th　Par 5　540 yards
A straight hole with an OB on the right of birch trees. There is a pond in front of the green. The view of the green and its surrounding is good.
 

13th　Par 5　540 yards (3)

13th　Par 5　540 yards (2)

13th　Par 5　540 yards (1)
 
16th　Par 3　184 yards

16th　Par 3　184 yards (2)

16th　Par 3　184 yards (1)
A beautiful par 3 whose green floats in a lake. The green is relatively large, so it is not that difficult if you aim at the center of the green.
 
18th　Par 5　536 yards

A view seen from behind the 18th green
A straight hole with the green swung to the left. The lake and the bunker in front of the green are in play.

18th　Par 5　536 yards (3)

18th　Par 5　536 yards (2)

18th　Par 5　536 yards (1)

 
19th hole

Restaurant

It is an hour drive from Sapporo City and a 20-minute drive from the Sin Chitose Airport. Visitors can book a tee time through Internet golf booking agencies. Yardage sticks are up to the front edges of the greens. To play from the championship tees, the average handicap per player is 9 or below.

The course was awarded 85th place in 2002’s Japanese golf course rankings sponsored by Japan Golf Classic Magazine. Isao Aoki designed other courses are CC the Lakes, Ogane GC, Gold Kisarazu CC, Kamo GC in Japan, Shenzhen (深圳) GC, in China, and Eagle Ridge GC – Aoki Course in the Philippines.