Palm trees and a Hawaiian mood in the hills of Mie

Cocopa Resort Club Mie Phoenix Golf Course opened in December 1998 in the hills of Ureshino, Matsusaka. Designer Kyoji Nakamura shaped it around the image of a Hawaiian resort, and palm trees line its broad fairways to give the round a distinctly southern feel. The 18-hole, par-72 layout measures 6,846 yards, and while the fairways are wide, players report deep rough and quick greens that keep scores honest. Caddies are available on request, and every riding cart carries touch-panel course navigation.

A tropical-style escape in central Japan, an easy drive from the Ise Expressway.

The course sits within easy reach of the Isshi-Ureshino interchange, and the Cocopa Resort Club hotel at its sister course makes a two-course golf stay straightforward. Matsusaka is famous across Japan for its marbled wagyu beef, and the grand shrines of Ise and the hot springs of Sakakibara Onsen are close enough to build into a relaxed trip through Mie. Without a car, take the Kintetsu line to Ise-Nakagawa Station, where a reservation-only club bus departs three times each morning.