Hokkaido's Natural Contours, Shaped by Ronald Fream

Happy Valley Golf Club Sapporo lies in Tobetsu, in the quiet farm and forest country just north of Sapporo. Opened in June 1991, its 27 holes were laid out by Ronald Fream across some 1.35 million square metres of natural terrain, split into three par-36 nines named Dateyama, Aoyama and Kanazawa. Fream's intent was to let the land dictate the golf: mounds roll out of the fairways into the rough, and the bentgrass greens are contoured to flow into them as one continuous landscape. The club bills itself as a championship course, and from the back tees each nine stretches to roughly 3,350 yards.

A premium Hokkaido retreat where you can play, stay the night and play again.

What sets Happy Valley apart is The Lodge, a 27-room hotel tucked into the grounds, with breakfast included and dinner by reservation, so a two-day, 45- or 54-hole stay is easy to arrange. The stone-and-glass clubhouse has a restaurant and bath for unwinding after the round. The course is reached from central Sapporo by car along Route 275, or by JR Gakuen Toshi Line to Tobetsu Station followed by a short taxi ride. Combine a visit with Sapporo's food scene, from ramen to fresh seafood, and Hokkaido's crisp summer weather, when golf in the north is at its most rewarding.