Obihiro Shirakaba Country Club (Shirakaba Left)

Overview: The Shirakaba course at Obihiro Shirakaba Country Club uses the natural shape of the Otofuke site more visibly than its companion Sakura routing. Shirakaba's back-tee scorecard totals 6,332 yards for an 18-hole par-72 course, with white birch and the surrounding Tokachi scenery giving the course its character. The shorter yardage does not make it a pitch-and-putt experience. Natural contours, changing sightlines and the need to place the ball on the correct side of a fairway create a round built around position as much as power.

History: The facility opened in September 1974 under the design of Shukichi Azegami and has developed into a 36-hole club with separate Sakura and Shirakaba routings. Keeping this row tied to Shirakaba preserves the course identity used by the official guide, rather than flattening two different layouts into one generic entry. The current club remains active and presents both routings as part of the same Otofuke golf destination.

Did You Know? Shirakaba measures 6,332 yards from the back tees, 432 yards less than Sakura at the same facility. The official descriptions set up an interesting contrast: Shirakaba follows more of the site's natural form and is framed by white birch, while Sakura is the flatter layout associated with cherry trees. A two-round visit can therefore feel like a genuine change of course, not simply a change of scorecard.