Arnold Palmer's 36 holes beneath the Aso caldera rim

Aso Resort Grandvrio Hotel Golf Course spreads across the wooded slopes of Akamizu in Aso City, Kumamoto, framed by the mountains of the Aso outer caldera rim. Designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in 1990, it offers 36 holes on two courses: the East, with rolling fairways and complex green contours, opening with a downhill par five past a large pond, and the West, where water comes into play on many holes, including the 11th with its full-length hazard on the left.

Two Palmer courses, a resort hotel and an open-air onsen, all in the shadow of an active volcano.

With the hotel adjoining the course, a one-night, two-round stay is easy, and an open-air bath fed directly from the Yonezuka hot spring soothes tired legs after play. A 300-yard range and GPS carts complete the setup. Beyond golf, the Aso area offers the Kusasenri grasslands, the Nakadake crater and Aso Shrine. The course is about 500 m from the Aso-Nishi interchange, or take the JR Hohi Line from Kumamoto Station to Akamizu Station (about 60 minutes) and a short taxi ride.