A short, clever hillside course in the green hills of Toyota

Golf Club Daiju Toyota Course lies in Noguchi-cho on the hilly outskirts of Toyota City, Aichi, within about 40 to 50 minutes of Nagoya. Its roots go back to 1976, when it opened as the Toyota Public golf course, and the 18-hole, par-72 layout was built by Yahagi Construction. At 5,670 yards it is short, but the hilly terrain brings real ups and downs, with plenty of doglegs and blind tee shots that reward accuracy over power.

Short on yardage but full of strategy, a course where placement beats power.

That makes it a relaxed choice for beginners, seniors and anyone who enjoys thinking their way around, though the long 10th and 11th and the demanding 17th will test better players too. Riding carts with GPS, two greens per hole, a 230-yard practice range and a casual dress policy keep the day easy and friendly, and the restaurant looks out over the first hole. Toyota itself is home to the Toyota Kaikan Museum and the Korankei Gorge, famous for its blazing autumn maples, while the Sanage hills offer forest drives and views back toward Nagoya. The course is about 5 km from the Chikaraishi interchange on the Sanage Green Road and 10 km from the Tokai-Kanjo Expressway, so a car or taxi from Nagoya is the easiest way in.