Pine Groves and Ponds on the Sea of Japan Coast

Set in Kakizaki on the Joetsu coast of Niigata, Yoneyama Suigen Country Club opened on August 3, 1973, to a design by Benz & Pollet. The 18-hole, par-72 course stretches to 6,900 yards across rolling hill country, where broad stands of pine separate the holes and wide, gently undulating fairways invite a confident swing. Water is a constant companion: the large Asahi Pond and more than a dozen smaller ponds give the layout an almost lakeside feel, and the club itself calls it a championship course that shows a different face in every season. Look out for the famous "Alison bunker" on the 11th, and a shared green serving holes 2 and 9.

A course that rewards accuracy over power, framed by pines and quiet water.

Play is self-service with riding carts that can usually head out onto the fairways, and a clubhouse bath, restaurant and practice area round out a relaxed day. The course stays open through winter, switching to a straight-through format from December to February. This stretch of Niigata is a fine place to linger: the Sea of Japan coast brings superb seafood and sunsets, and the castle town of Joetsu lies a short drive south. From Tokyo, take the Joetsu Shinkansen to Joetsu-Myoko and change to the Shinetsu Line for Kakizaki (about 2 hours 40 minutes), or drive via the Kan-Etsu and Hokuriku expressways to Kakizaki IC.