Tanegashima GC ☆ Follow

The Tanegashima Golf Resort, located in Nakatane, Tanegashima, Kagoshima, is a coastal 18-hole course designed by American architect Karl Litten. Opened on August 1, 1991, the facility spans 530,000 square meters and plays to a par 72 from the back tees, which stretch 7,024 yards. The course is built on a single bentgrass green and is situated on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, integrating the natural terrain and wind patterns into its strategic layout. The front nine begins with a wide, downhill par-5 that challenges long hitters with a water hazard, followed by a flat par-4 where a right-side pond pressures the tee shot. The third hole introduces a link-style feel with grass and pot bunkers on a gentle uphill climb. The fourth hole features a cluster of bunkers on the right that catches slices, while the fifth, though short and wide, is guarded by deep wood bunkers and undulations that punish approach errors. The sixth hole is a downhill par-3 where a green surrounded by sand traps and a gap leading to the sea demands precise wind calculation. The back nine presents a more varied challenge, starting with a 534-yard par-5 that plays downhill with a water hazard guarding the second shot. The short par-3 eleventh requires accuracy over a bench cut and large bunkers. The twelfth is a long par-4 with a small, heavily bunkered green, while the thirteenth offers a view of the horizon and fairway bunkers that create an illusion of hitting into the Pacific. The fourteenth is a tough, uphill par-4 without sand traps but with significant difficulty, and the fifteenth plays along a ria-style coastline that tests concentration. The sixteenth hole features impressive link-style mounds on the right that pressure the drive, leading to a two-tiered green. The seventeenth is a long par-3 played down a natural valley into a narrow, bunkered green. The closing eighteenth is a 601-yard par-5 that plays toward the space center launch pad; a large water hazard guards the green, making club selection on the third shot critical for scoring. The course features a 300-yard driving range with 30 bays and two putting greens, and play is conducted with 2-person electromagnetic induction carts.