Scottish echoes in the Nasu foothills

Mayflower Golf Club lies at Yaita in northern Tochigi Prefecture, a short drive from the Tohoku Expressway. It opened in 1992 with a layout by Eiichi Motohashi under the supervision of Major champion Sandy Lyle, and plays 18 holes at par 72, stretching to 7,092 yards from the full back tees. Set among woodland on gently rolling ground, its fairways are flat with not a single blind hole. The front nine is meant to recall a Scottish links, while the back nine shows a more traditional Japanese style, with bentgrass greens throughout.

Two nines, two golfing traditions, and nothing hidden from the tee.

The club suits a golf weekend well: there is a hotel on site, a cypress-wood bath, a 250-yard range with approach and bunker practice, and GPS-equipped riding carts. Without a car, the club's shuttle bus collects golfers at JR Nasushiobara Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen (reserve ahead). The Nasu highlands nearby are known for their hot spring towns, dairy farms and cool summer air, and Nikko's shrines and autumn colours are within reach for an extra day.