Wide fairways and long holes in the Boso hills

Chiba Isumi Golf Club spreads across about 450,000 tsubo of gently rolling hills in Otaki, in the heart of the Boso Peninsula. The East and South nines opened in 1979 and the West in 1989, all under the design direction of Kokichi Yasuda and Shiro Kawamura, giving 27 holes at par 108. The idea behind it is simple: hit it straight and hit it far. Fairways are around 40 metres wide, few holes are blind, par 4s average 400 yards, and the club notes that its championship-tee course rating is among the highest in Chiba.

A serious test for long hitters, framed by the quiet hills of Boso.

Each nine has its own character: the East builds to a tough uphill finish, the South has a par 3 over a 90-yard valley, and the flatter West is known for its autumn colours on the sixth. Visitors can book online and choose between a caddie and self-play in a riding cart. Drivers can reach Otaki from Tokyo over the Aqua-Line, and on weekends a reservable club bus meets the limited express at JR Mobara. Otaki is an old castle town on the charming Isumi Railway, and the hot springs and gorges of the Yoro Valley are close by, so it is easy to turn a round into a countryside escape.