A Grand Hillside Layout near Fukuroda Falls

Fukuroda no Taki Country Club lies in Daigo-machi in the far north of Ibaraki Prefecture, formerly known as Takahiko Three Country. Opened in 1987 and designed by Kentaro Sato with Jumbo Ozaki, it is a big-scale 18-hole, par-72 course that uses the natural lie of the land, reaching 7,239 yards from the full back tees with a course rating of 74.0. Mounds, trees and hazards give each hole definition, ponds guard the short 3rd and the 4th, and the bentgrass greens allow four pin positions. The course grows steadily harder as the round goes on, demanding every club in the bag.

Scale, scenery and a stiffening challenge, with views that recall a Scottish painting.

Highlights include the long uphill 9th, climbing toward a green that floats against distant mountains, and the tough 13th, whose view from the fairway has an almost Scottish feel. In spring azaleas line the 4th tee, and maples frame the 8th in autumn. Daigo is famous for Fukuroda Falls, one of Japan's celebrated waterfalls, as well as for its autumn colour, apples and local hot springs, so the course pairs well with a night in the area. It is a drive of about an hour from Nishinasuno-Shiobara IC on the Tohoku Expressway, or 75 minutes from Naka IC on the Joban Expressway.