Kijigamori: a public course among the Hokkaido firs

Iwamizawa Public Kijigamori Golf Course lies on the edge of Iwamizawa, northeast of Sapporo. It opened in September 1967 as Iwamizawa Kijigamori Country Club, designed by Robert Murashima, and later became a public course. The 18-hole, par-72 layout measures 6,410 yards and runs through stands of todomatsu fir: the outward nine is relatively flat and wide, while the inward nine rolls with uphill and downhill shots. Its well-kept bentgrass greens are the pride of the course, with subtle slopes that are hard to read.

Relaxed, friendly golf in the forest, with greens that reward a careful read.

With no dress code, optional caddies and a welcoming attitude to beginners and returning golfers, Kijigamori is an easygoing choice for a summer round in Hokkaido. Central Sapporo is about 50 minutes away by expressway and New Chitose Airport about an hour, so it slots neatly into a city stay of ramen, beer and the Sapporo Clock Tower. In late spring the moss phlox flowers bloom around the course. The season is short, since snow closes the course in winter, so plan a visit between late spring and autumn and drive or take a taxi from JR Iwamizawa Station.