A short, sharp round on the hills above Gifu

OGC Gifu Chuo Golf Park sits in the low hills on the eastern edge of Gifu City, about 5 km from the Seki interchange of the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway. It opened in October 1974 as Gifu Chuo Country Club and has since been reborn as a compact golf park: 18 holes at par 63 over just under 4,000 yards, laid out as an OUT and IN nine across gently rolling ground. Two greens per hole, one bent and one korai, keep things fresh through the seasons, and there is even a tee shot struck from a cliff edge.

Short in yardage, long on fun, and perfect for a relaxed half-day of golf.

This is the course for travellers who want to swing a club without committing a whole day. Remote-controlled riding carts, rental clubs and shoes, and a 42-bay range with approach and bunker practice make it easy for beginners and families, while the short par 3s and 4s reward a tidy iron game for better players. Afterwards, Gifu has plenty to fill the evening: summer cormorant fishing on the Nagara River, the castle on Mt. Kinka, and the blade-making town of Seki just up the road. The course is roughly 20 minutes by taxi from JR Gifu Station, itself only about 20 minutes by train from Nagoya.