Sodegaura Country Club ☆ Follow

Sodegaura Country Club operates two 18-hole courses in Chiba City, Japan: the Sodegaura Course and the Shinsode Course. The original Sodegaura Course, designed by Kazukichi Izumi, opened in November 1960. It is a demanding layout featuring significant elevation changes and narrow fairways. The course plays to a par of 72, with the back nine tees running from approximately 3,648 yards to 3,305 yards depending on the tee boxes used. The front nine totals around 3,490 to 3,077 yards. The layout is characterized by severe penalties for errant shots, with out-of-bounds and dense woods lining much of the hole. The Sodegaura Course is known for its strategic difficulty. The first hole is a par-4 that immediately tests players with a dogleg left, flanked by a cliff on the left and out-of-bounds on the right. The par-5 second hole is a dogleg right over a valley, where the fairway narrows and pine trees can obstruct the view. The ninth hole is the longest on the course, a par-5 measuring 587 yards from the back tees, requiring a precise drive between dense woods and a fairway bunker. The back nine features the 14th, a difficult par-4 that plays downhill and then uphill, with out-of-bounds in a valley on the left side. The 17th is the longest par-3 on the course at 231 yards, approached from a fairway known as the "flower path."

The Shinsode Course, designed by club committee member Taisho Ishii, opened in 1965 in response to requests for a course with less elevation change. It is a par-72 layout that plays from 6,845 yards from the back tees. The design features wide fairways on the first hole, which has no out-of-bounds, but quickly introduces challenges. The third hole is a par-4 dogleg left with out-of-bounds on the left side and large bunkers guarding the green. The 13th hole is a long par-4 where the drive is slightly downhill, with out-of-bounds continuing along the right side and cross bunkers on both sides of the fairway. The 17th hole is a 189-yard par-3 that plays over water, requiring an accurate tee shot to avoid the hazard. The club has a rich history of hosting professional tournaments. The 1966 Japanese Open was held on the Sodegaura Course, where Seiichi Sato secured his first official victory. The Shinsode Course hosted the LPGA Japan Classic in 1973, the first time the event was held in Japan, featuring a playoff between Jean Ferraris and Hisako Higuchi. The Sodegaura Course has hosted the Bridgestone Open annually since 1974, while the Shinsode Course has hosted the Nichirei Ladies since 2010. The club also hosted the Japan Women's Open in 1985. In 2019, the club suffered significant damage from Typhoon 15, which caused over 3,500 trees to fall, but the courses were restored for continued play.