栃木県
Tsutsujigaoka Country Club is an 18-hole par-72 course located in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, approximately one hour north of Tokyo. Designed by Katsumi Takizawa, who holds a doctorate in golf course design, the layout is classified as a hillside course with a total length of 6,670 yards from the back tees. The course was constructed by Shimizu Corporation, which executed a vertical layout design that required more than double the typical land area to maintain flat playing surfaces, resulting in a terrain that feels more like a forest course despite its hilly classification. The setting is defined by its integration with the natural topography, featuring wooded hills and sweeping valleys that border a national park. The grounds are home to approximately 200,000 azaleas of 30 different varieties, including some 300-year-old bushes, which bloom prominently across the property. The design emphasizes strategic shot-making over sheer length, utilizing large single greens, water features, and bunkering to challenge players' imagination and precision. Key characteristics of the layout include remote-control carts and the use of gondolas and travelators to assist players in navigating the elevated tees and transitions between holes. The course features a mix of par 3s, 4s, and 5s, with the longest hole being the 1st at 553 yards from the back tees and the shortest being the 12th at 146 yards. Local rules indicate that water hazards are generally marked as red penalty areas, and specific holes have designated out-of-bounds or drop zones marked by colored stakes. The club is known for its award-winning hospitality and facilities, including a clubhouse that won the Ashikaga City Architecture Culture Award. The on-site restaurant, Azalea, has been recognized for its food quality, particularly its hand-made soba noodles, which are prepared daily using traditional stone mills. The course also offers early bird tee times in the summer, allowing players to complete 18 holes before 9 a.m., a practice noted as rare in Japan.
