Asuka Country Club

Asuka Country Club (飛鳥カンツリー倶楽部) is a private golf club located in the Nina district of Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It traces its origins to a municipal initiative: after the Nara International Cultural City Construction Act passed the Diet in July 1950, Nara mayor Takamuku Shōji sought to use the law to develop golf facilities, and following the 1957 opening of Nara International Golf Club, the city planned a second course. In March 1956, land for the new course was secured with the cooperation of Iino Junshō, abbot of Ōryū-ji temple, whose son Junshō saw the project as a boon for the local area. On 15 July 1957, the operating company Ōryū-ji Golf Co., Ltd. was established with Kawai Rikizō as president, and course design was entrusted to Osamu Ueda. The mountainous site allowed only nine holes at first; those nine were completed and provisionally opened in November 1959, and in December the Ōryū-ji Golf Club was formed with Ichikawa Shinobu of Marubeni-Iida as honorary chairman, Ueno Jirōo of Sekisui Chemical as chairman, and Yatani Taizō of Nippon Shokubai as captain. The company was renamed Asuka Golf Co., Ltd. in January 1961, and the club was renamed Asuka Country Club in March 1963. A further nine holes were completed on 3 November 1963, giving the club its full 18-hole layout. In May 1966, Saeki Isamu of Kintetsu Corporation announced along-the-line development for the Kintetsu Nara Line and Kintetsu took a management stake in the club. Today the club operates an 18-hole, par-72, 6,630-yard hilly course with a course rating of 71.8, designed by Osamu Ueda, on roughly 900,000 square meters of land. The clubhouse, designed by Konishi Design and built by Dainippon Doboku, covers 4,585 square meters. The club offers caddie-accompanied riding-cart rounds, a 15-bay 200-yard practice range, and is closed Mondays, 31 December and 1 January. It is accessible by club bus about seven minutes from Higashi-Ikoma Station on the Kintetsu Nara Line, or about four kilometers from the Ichibu Interchange on the Second Hanna Toll Road. The club maintains a website with member competition results and event notices.

Asuka Country Club's history begins with municipal policy in post-war Nara. In July 1950, the Nara International Cultural City Construction Act passed the Diet, and Nara mayor Takamuku Shōji considered using the law to build a golf course. After Nara International Golf Club opened in November 1957 under that law, the mayor planned a second course, and construction and waterworks bureaus were set up within city hall to advance the project. On 1 March 1956, land for the course was secured with the cooperation of Iino Junshō, abbot of Ōryū-ji; the site had been a hidden temple since 1955, and his son Junshō believed a golf course would benefit the local area. On 15 July 1957, the operating company Ōryū-ji Golf Co., Ltd. was established with Kawai Rikizō as president. Course design was entrusted to Osamu Ueda; the mountainous land was difficult and only nine holes could be built at first. In November 1959 the nine holes were completed and provisionally opened, and in December the Ōryū-ji Golf Club was formed, with Ichikawa Shinobu of Marubeni-Iida as honorary chairman, Ueno Jirōo of Sekisui Chemical as chairman, and Yatani Taizō of Nippon Shokubai as captain. On 24 January 1961 the company was renamed Asuka Golf Co., Ltd., and in March 1963 the club was renamed Asuka Country Club. On 3 November 1963, the additional nine holes were completed and the full 18-hole course opened. On 27 May 1966, Saeki Isamu of Kintetsu Corporation announced along-the-line development for the Kintetsu Nara Line and Kintetsu took a management stake in Asuka Country Club. The club has since operated as a private members' club in Nara City, maintaining an 18-hole par-72 course of 6,630 yards with a course rating of 71.8, a 4,585-square-meter clubhouse, and a 15-bay practice range.

• 1966

  On 27 May, Saeki Isamu of Kintetsu announces Kintetsu Nara Line development and Kintetsu takes a management stake in the club.

• 1963

  In March, the club is renamed Asuka Country Club; on 3 November, the additional nine holes are completed and the 18-hole course opens.

• 1961

  On 24 January, the company is renamed Asuka Golf Co., Ltd.

• 1959

  In November, nine holes are completed and provisionally opened; in December, Ōryū-ji Golf Club is formed.

• 1957

  On 15 July, Ōryū-ji Golf Co., Ltd. is established with Kawai Rikizō as president; course design is entrusted to Osamu Ueda.

• 1956

  On 1 March, land for the course is secured with the cooperation of Iino Junshō, abbot of Ōryū-ji.

• 1950

  Nara International Cultural City Construction Act passes the Diet; Nara mayor Takamuku Shōji considers building a golf course.

Private members' golf club in Nara City with a long history and a course designed by Osamu Ueda.

• 18-hole golf course

• Clubhouse

• Practice range

• Rounds

1. 1飛鳥カンツリー倶楽部 公式サイトasuka-cc.co.jp
2. 2飛鳥カンツリー倶楽部 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org
3. 3Asuka Country Club - Wikidatawikidata.org