Waterfalls, ponds and the Suzuka skyline

Ryuo Golf Course lies in the hills of Ryuo town in Shiga Prefecture, east of Lake Biwa and within reach of Kyoto for a day out on the links. Opened in 1982, the 18-hole, par-72 course was built to follow the natural lie of the land, and it makes the most of it: natural waterfalls and ponds come into play, 67 bunkers guard the route, and the holes change character from one to the next. Throughout the round, the ridgeline of the Suzuka Mountains rises in the distance.

A varied, natural layout with mountains on the horizon.

Formerly part of the Prince Hotels golf portfolio and now booked through PGM, Ryuo is an approachable choice for visitors wanting a scenic round in the Kansai region. The surrounding Gamo area is rural Omi country, known for its premium Omi beef, and the Mitsui Outlet Park Shiga Ryuo sits close by. Historic Omi-Hachiman, with its canal-side merchant houses, and the shores of Lake Biwa make easy side trips, and Kyoto's temples are within about an hour, so a round here slots neatly into a Kansai itinerary – especially in autumn, when the hills around the course turn colour.