Pond-dotted hills on the Kishu coast

Inami Country Club Fuji sits in the green countryside of Inami town in Wakayama's Hidaka district, just a few minutes from the Inami interchange on the Hanwa Expressway. Opened in October 1996 under the name Wakayama Golf Club and renamed in 2013, it is an 18-hole, par-72 layout by noted designer Shunsuke Kato, stretching to 6,381 yards across gently rising hillside. Moderate ups and downs, bentgrass greens and nine ponds give the round plenty of variety, and the sea comes into view from eight of the holes.

A bold, beautiful Kato design in the heart of Kishu, with the Pacific glinting between the pines.

With the expressway extended south toward Minabe, the course is about 90 minutes by car from Osaka's Matsubara junction, making it an easy addition to a road trip down the Kii Peninsula. The surrounding Hidaka coast is famous for Minabe's ume plums, fresh seafood and quiet seaside inns, and the hot springs of Shirahama lie a short drive further south. By train, take the JR Kisei Line to Gobo Station, then allow about 20 minutes by car to the club. It is a relaxed, good-value stop for golfers exploring Wakayama beyond the usual Kansai circuit.