Sapporo (Wattsu)

Sapporo Golf Club operates two 18-hole layouts at separate locations outside the city of Sapporo, with the Wattsu course located 20 kilometres southeast of the city centre and the Yuni course situated a further 30 kilometres to the east.

Prolific architect Seiichi Inoue designed both of these parkland tracks in the late 1950s and they’ve been the venue for the ANA Open since it was established in 1973. All but three of these competitions have been held on the Wattsu course.

According to tournament statistics, two of the toughest holes for professionals are the left doglegged par fours at the 435-yard 2nd and 440-yard 6th, with the par fives at the 5th and 12th rated the easiest, playing 0.53 and 0.37 strokes under par on average.

The most difficult hole is actually the long par three 12th, measuring 234 yards from the championship tees, which plays slightly downhill to a green that’s circled by bunkers with a white birch tree offering further protection to the front right of the putting surface.