築上郡
Suo-nada Country Club is a 72-par championship golf course located in Chikuzen Town, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture. Situated on gentle hills overlooking the Seto Inland Sea, the course layout is divided into front and back nines, each carrying a par of 36. The course features two sets of tees for each hole, designated as Main Greens (MG) and Sub Greens (SG), allowing for varied yardage and difficulty depending on the tee box selected. The total yardage for the Main Greens ranges from 5,162 yards for the Ladies tees to 7,069 yards for the Championship tees, while the Sub Greens offer a slightly shorter routing with a maximum length of 6,696 yards from the Championship tees. The front nine begins with a demanding uphill par-4 first hole, where the fairway is guarded by out-of-bounds on the right and a wooded area on the left. The second hole presents a tricky left dogleg where players must navigate between out-of-bounds on the left and a penalty area on the right to reach a green that sits significantly higher than the tee. The third hole is a long par-5 that requires a precise drive to avoid OB, setting up a second shot over a wide landing area. The fourth hole is another long par-4 featuring a dogleg left, with OB on the right side and a wooded area protecting the left. The fifth hole is a straightforward par-3 with OB guarding the back of the green, while the sixth hole is a straight par-4 where the landing area is obscured, requiring players to rely on navigation aids to avoid hitting the group ahead. The seventh hole is the longest on the course, a par-5 that offers views of the industrial area in Yamaguchi and Ube on clear days. The fairway narrows for the second shot, forcing a decision between a bold attempt at the green or a conservative layup. The eighth hole is widely considered the signature hole, a par-3 where the green sits directly in front of the horizon line of the Seto Inland Sea. This hole requires precision, as the green is protected by OB to the right and a penalty area to the left. The ninth hole is a gentle left dogleg par-4 with a penalty area on the right, concluding the front nine with a relatively accessible scoring opportunity. The back nine opens with a long par-5 tenth hole, followed by a challenging par-3 eleventh hole that plays uphill. The twelfth hole is the longest par-4 on the back nine, featuring an uphill approach shot. The thirteenth hole is a straight, uphill par-4 where the tee shot is played from beside a water hazard. The fourteenth hole is a shorter par-4 that plays straight, while the fifteenth hole is a long par-5 that requires a well-placed drive to set up an approach. The sixteenth hole is a short par-4 where accuracy off the tee is paramount to avoid OB. The seventeenth hole is a par-3 played from a downhill position, with penalty areas on both sides of the fairway. The eighteenth hole is a straight par-4 that offers panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea from the second shot location, providing a scenic finish to the round. Suo-nada Country Club opened in 1974 and has a history of hosting significant golf events. The course hosted the Kansai Professional Golf Championship in 1980, won by Teruo Sugihara. It also hosted the World Super Match Golf tournament in 1988 and 1989, featuring international stars such as Tom Watson, Seve Ballesteros, Jeff Sluman, Tsuyoshi Oozaka, Tsukamoto Nakajima, and Nick Faldo. The club has also been active in developing junior talent, establishing the Suo-nada Junior School in 1996 under the direction of Nobuhiro Sakata. In 2024, the club celebrated its 50th anniversary with a PGA Senior Pro-Am tournament. The course is designed to offer a strategic challenge with its undulating terrain and sea views, while maintaining reasonable fees for its members and guests.
