Cherry Golf Hitoyoshi Course

Tucked into the Kuma river valley in Sagara village, Cherry Golf Hitoyoshi Course opened in 1977 as a semi-private parkland layout and still maintains traditional Korai grass greens, a grass type well suited to Kyushu's hot, humid summers. The course measures 6,618 yards from the back tees, with regular and ladies' options at 6,205 and 5,484 yards, giving a workable spread for club groups and visiting societies. Hitoyoshi itself is well known across Japan for its hot springs and its historic shochu distilleries, and golfers frequently combine a round here with an onsen stay in the town before continuing on through the Kuma valley. The clubhouse is well equipped for a full day out, with a restaurant, sauna, jacuzzi, and shower and locker facilities that go beyond what many rural Kyushu courses offer. Golf carts and caddie service are both available, and the club accepts major credit cards. The valley setting keeps the course sheltered from the stronger winds that affect some of the more exposed Aso-area layouts, and the surrounding hills give a pleasant backdrop without adding excessive elevation change to the round itself. Golfers touring the more southern reaches of Kumamoto prefecture, away from the well-trodden Aso circuit, tend to rate Hitoyoshi as a relaxed, scenic stop. On CoGolfers, players heading into the Kuma valley for the onsen towns can search the community for locals who know the course well and are open to joining a game.