Heavenly Hokkaido

Rusutsu Resort Riverwood – River *** 1/2

There are two Rusutsu golf facilities and be careful not to mix the two! The Jumbo Ozaki-designed course by the resort funfair and ski lifts can be safely bypassed, and instead make your way to the superb Riverwood facility, just over half an hour from Niseko. This features two Curtis Strange designs – not-so imaginatively called River and Wood – and a superb chalet-style clubhouse. The clubhouse is renowned locally for its “Genghis Khan Barbeque”, which takes place on a huge wooden deck and is cooked on a hotplate in the middle of your table. Ice-cold beer, which is poured from the taps on the deck itself, makes for a great finish to a highly enjoyable 36-hole day here.

Like some Scots I know, the River Course compensates for its shortness by being ill tempered and dour if not treated with respect. Narrow fairways with steep run-offs on either side would be painful enough. That the run-offs often lead to out-of-bounds makes this a tricky track to master. As the name suggests, water plays a part on many holes and it’s best to keep the big stick in the bag and plot your way around here. This is especially true on the par-5s, which are all short enough to reach in two, but all feature narrow landing areas. Overshadowed by the elegant Wood Course, nevertheless this is a very fun course in its own right, with the 208-yard par-3 17th and the brilliant risk-reward 18th – measuring less than 280-yards providing a nerve-tingling finish to any close match.

Par: 72 Yardage: 6,107
Contact: en.rusutsu.co.jp

Rusutsu Resort Riverwood – River ****

The Wood Course here is undoubtedly one of the best in the region. A more forgiving layout than the River, this is nevertheless no pushover. The picturesque second is an early wake up call: rated handicap index one, this is a tree-lined monster at 454 yards; accept a bogey and move on. As with every course in this area, the scenery is breathtaking and makes it difficult to concentrate on the mundane matter of keeping the ball in play. As ever, wind is a factor, made more challenging due to the sheer number of trees that shield its presence from the tees. Overall, a delightful combination of beauty and bother, you will want to play this again and again.

Par: 72 Yardage: 6,817
Contact: en.rusutsu.co.jp