Hirono Golf Club
7 Chome-3 Shijimicho Hirono, Miki, Hyogo 673-0541, Japan
Hirono is an essential candidate for an Asian guide concerned with architecture. C.H. Alison laid out the course in the early 1930s across wooded, uneven ground at Miki. Its character emerges from the relationship between ridges, gullies and bunkers, with approaches that reward careful positioning as much as a well-struck shot. Golf Digest’s assessment singles out the bunkering and the restorative work by Tom Mackenzie and Martin Ebert, making the case for inclusion more substantial than reputation alone. The practical experience begins before arrival. Hirono is a private club, and its published rules make members responsible for the visitors they accompany. No ordinary public booking route was verified for this edition. Anyone hoping to play should secure an authorised introduction and written acceptance before committing to a journey. The club also publishes unusually detailed clothing requirements and restrictions on photographs and online posting. This is therefore a selection for golfers who value classic design and can arrange legitimate access. Its exclusivity is an access condition, not a reason for awarding it a higher position. Confirm the club’s visitor rules and photography restrictions with the host before arrival.