Gary Player golf with a hot spring at the nineteenth

Set in the quiet hills of Ichishi, on the edge of Tsu in Mie Prefecture, Excellent Golf Club Ichishi Onsen Course opened in 1999 with design supervision from Gary Player. The 18-hole, par-72 layout measures 6,420 yards over gently rolling ground, and its distinctive fairway lines reward a thoughtful plan more than raw power. Shorter hitters can still reach some par fives in two, while the bunker-guarded 5th, the long 9th, the left-bending 11th and the pond-crossing par-three 16th keep everyone honest.

A relaxed, strategic round in the Mie hills, finished with a soak in natural hot-spring water.

What sets Ichishi apart is what happens after the last putt: the clubhouse has its own natural onsen with an outdoor bath and sauna, and a hotel upstairs, so a two-round stay with dinner and breakfast is the classic way to play it. GPS carts make the round easy to manage, and the course is open all year. It is a natural base for exploring Mie, with Tsu and the Ise-Shima region within driving reach, including the great shrines of Ise. Drive about 10 minutes from Ichishi-Ureshino IC on the Ise Expressway, or take a 15-minute taxi from Kintetsu Ise-Nakagawa Station.