Kumihama Country Club

Overview: At Kumihama Country Club, the round unfolds through a coastal landscape where is one of Kyoto's clearest seaside golf experiences, with the outward nine following Kumihama Bay and the inward half turning toward hills and woodland. The 18-hole par-72 routing measures 6,551 yards and changes its attack almost completely after the turn.

History: Kumihama's documented history starts with its 1973 opening. Kumihama opened on 6 May 1973 to a design by Ken Sato. The club's own description still divides the course into a seaside outward nine and a more forceful mountain-and-forest inward nine. That dual identity is the central historical and architectural fact of the property.

Did You Know? The third is a sea-crossing par four and the sixth is a sea-crossing short hole. Having two clearly identified water-crossing holes on the bay side is what makes the outward nine feel like a coastal course rather than simply a course with a distant ocean view. The 6,551-yard total sits between those two moods: enough distance for the outward bay-facing holes to feel open, while the inward nine compresses the visual frame.