Hannou Golf Club

Hannou Golf Club - B Green

Course Data

Location	Saitama, Japan
Yardage	6888 yards　Par 72
Course Rating	72.7
Playing Date	10 Aug. 2004
Desingner	Ichisuke Izumi
Opened	1959
Caddy	No
Golf Cart	Yes

Rating

Overall Rating

4.10

Course Layout	(Estimated) 3
Difficulty Level	(Estimated) 5
Greens Conditions	4
Fairways Conditions	5
Landscaping & Views	5

* The course adapts 2-green system. I played the shorter B greens and estimated the evaluation of the course layout and the difficulty level as if I played the longer A greens.

This is a woodland course separated by thick pine trees. It adapts 2 greens per hole. Most of the greens are elevated, and all of them are designed with slopes from the back to the front. If your approach shots go past the greens, you will be heavily penalized as there are down slopes behind the greens. The front 9 is flat with many easy holes. The back 9 is longer and more challenging. Each hole has different character at the back 9. The B greens I played this time are as short as 6532 yards, and the course rate 70.8. However, the A greens are 6888 yards long and tougher and the course rate is 72.7.

A view from the clubhouse

Beautiful red pines in the 4th hole

4th　Par 4　380 yards

An almost perfectly straight par 4. If you hit the tee shot onto the left side rough, the trees hanging over the fairway in front of the green would hamper your second shot. The green is slightly elevated, and the red pine trees behind the green are absolutely beautiful.

4th green

4th　Par 4　380 yards (2)

4th　Par 4　380 yards (1)

8th　Par 4　386 yards

8th　Par 4　386 yards (2)

8th　Par 4　386 yards (1)

A straight par 4 with a relatively narrow fairway. A bunker on the right of the green comes in play.

10th　Par 4　379 yards

10th　Par 4　379 yards (2)

10th　Par 4　379 yards (1)

An excellent par 4 with a left dogleg 230 yards off the tee. A gentle uphill continues from the tee to the green. The green is slightly elevated.

12th　Par 3　168 yards

The green is protected by bunkers on this par 3. The green slopes from the back to the front.

13th　Par 4　401 yards

13th　Par 4　401 yards (2)

13th　Par 4　401 yards (1)

A right dogleg. Both sides of the tight fairway are gurded by pine trees. The green is slightly elevated.

17th　Par 5　551 yards

A long and almost straight par 5. The fairway is narrow and the tee shot is difficult. The elevated green has subtle undulations. The two red pines in right front of the green are spectacular.

17th hole seen from the green

17th　Par 5　551 yards (2)

17th　Par 5　551 yards (1)

18th　Par 4　325 yards

18th　Par 4　325 yards (2)

18th　Par 4　325 yards (1)

A short par 4. However, the left hand side of the hole is OB and a carry of 230 – 250 yards is needed to clear a lake on the right, so it isn’t an easy hole. The green is slightly double-tiered. This hole is short but one needs to be careful.

19th hole

It takes a little over 1 hour from Central Tokyo by car.

Usually, the player has to be accompanied by a member to hit from the back tees. Eventually, I was able to accomplish with a special connection.

The course was awarded 43rd place in 2002’s Japanese golf course rankings sponsored by Japan Golf Classic Magazine. Ichisuke Izumi designed other courses are Sodegaura G, ShimazuGC, Suginosato CC, Sousei CC, Manna CC and Siam CC in Thailand.