Asago Santo Country Club ☆ Follow

Located in Asago, Hyogo Prefecture, the Asago Santo Country Club is an 18-hole, par-72 championship course situated on the expansive 1,000,264 square meter terrain of the Houshito Hills, a designated natural park. Designed by Sadayoshi Mano and Hisashi Morioka, the course opened in April 1977 and is characterized by its undulating terrain and significant elevation changes. The layout is divided into an outward nine that is notably long and demanding, and an inward nine that features more intricate, tricky contours and strategic ups and downs. The course measures 6,902 yards from the back tees, with a course rating of 71.5 and a slope rating implied by the varying yardages for regular, front, and ladies tees. The greens are maintained as bentgrass, providing a consistent putting surface across the rolling landscape. The design emphasizes accuracy over distance, with hazards strategically placed to penalize wayward shots. The front nine includes several long par fours and a formidable par five, while the back nine offers a mix of scoring opportunities and technical challenges. Key characteristics of the layout include the par-4 1st hole, which requires a precise tee shot to avoid the OB line on the right and a bunker that guards the approach. The 2nd hole is a demanding par-3 with a horseback-shaped green, flanked by OB and a lateral water hazard that makes accuracy paramount. The 9th hole presents a long, downhill tee shot over a pond, requiring players to carry the water from the regular tees to set up an approach to the green. The inward nine is defined by its strategic complexity. The 11th hole is a short par-3 where the green is surrounded by bunkers, with OB lurking behind the back edge. The 17th hole is a dramatic valley-crossing par-3 that features an exceptionally wide 40-yard green, requiring a bold and accurate shot. The signature hole is the 18th, a par-4 where the tee shot must carry a pond for over 220 yards, followed by a second shot that also requires carrying water, making it a memorable and challenging finish. The club hosts various amateur tournaments, including the Santo Amateur Golf Championship and the Santo Match Play Tournament. It is a self-play facility utilizing electromagnetic induction carts, and it is managed by Asago Santo Country Club Co., Ltd. The course is known for its challenging nature, often described by golfers as a course that provokes a desire to challenge every hole.