Checkmate Country Club

Overview: Checkmate Country Club uses its elevated setting to shape the round. The course climbs the foothills of Matsuda in western Kanagawa, where the high ground opens toward the Ashigara landscape and Mount Fuji. Its 18 holes stretch to 6,913 yards and the course's changes in elevation give the long game a clear role without turning every hole into a blind mountain shot.

History: Checkmate's history reaches back to 1983. Checkmate opened on 21 April 1983. The project was designed by Ichikawa Landscaping Civil Engineering, the company that also operates the club. Official information presents the course as a full par-72 routing with a demanding back-tee rating, a useful indication of how much the uphill and downhill transitions matter.

Did You Know? The name is a small piece of the course's character. The layout is built around decisions that can look straightforward from the tee but become less forgiving once elevation and the angle into the green are taken into account. The club's official profile presents the mountain setting as part of the challenge: elevation changes influence both the view and the angle left for the next shot.