Aso Akamizu Golf Club ☆ Follow

Aso Akamizu Golf Club is located in Aso City, Kumamoto Prefecture, within the Aso Caldera area of a national park. The course is a 18-hole layout designed by renowned architect Shiro Akane, who considered this his final masterpiece. The facility features two distinct courses: the Kishima Course, a forest course lined with 50-year-old cedar and cypress trees, and the Nakadake Course, which offers wide fairways and varied terrain. The Nakadake Course is the active 18-hole layout, while the outer wheel course is currently suspended. The Nakadake Course presents a strategic challenge with a par of 72 and a total length of 5,520 yards from the back tees. The layout is characterized by undulating terrain that affects distance perception, with holes ranging from 130 yards to 552 yards. The course is heavily guarded by bunkers, water hazards, and out-of-bounds areas, particularly on the dog-leg holes and those with sloping greens. The difficulty is highlighted by the 12th hole, a 469-yard par 4 identified as a handicap 2 difficulty, which requires precise driving to avoid difficult approach shots. Notable features include the third hole, a 181-yard par 3 protected by water and bunkers that demands a precise approach from the front. The fourth hole, a 552-yard par 5, requires players to navigate over a cross bunker toward a cluster of cedar trees. The 18th hole is a 530-yard dog-leg right where accuracy is paramount, as any deviation to the right leads to deep rough or out-of-bounds. The course design integrates the natural landscape of the Aso region, with views of the caldera and surrounding mountains influencing the strategic play of each hole.