ABC Golf Club
A genuine championship test in the hills of Kato, Hyogo, laid out by Shoichi Suzuki with Ken Sato and opened in 1985. At par 72 and about 7,235 yards it is one of Kansai's longest courses, and as the home of the Mynavi ABC Championship it is set up year round to a tour standard.
Photo: ABC Golf Club via Google.
The verdict
ABC Golf Club is one of the better known tournament courses in the Kansai region, set on rolling, wooded ground in Kato, Hyogo, within reach of Kobe and Osaka. Designed by the prolific Japanese architect Shoichi Suzuki with Ken Sato and opened in 1985, it was built with championship golf in mind, and it has delivered: the course is the long standing home of the Mynavi ABC Championship on the Japan Golf Tour.
What that pedigree means for a visiting golfer is a course presented to a high standard and stretched to a real length. At par 72 and about 7,235 yards from the back tees, ABC is one of the longest layouts in the region, with tree lined fairways, well placed fairway bunkering and firm, defended greens that have identified plenty of professional winners. It is not a links or a coastal spectacle; it is a strong, fair, inland tournament test, the sort of course that rewards the player who can drive it long and straight and control the ball into the green. For golfers who like to walk the same fairways the tour plays, ABC is a satisfying round on a Kansai itinerary.
ABC Golf Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1985
- Designer
- Shoichi Suzuki, Ken Sato
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 72
- Yardage
- 7,235 yds
- Green fee
- Indicative
Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from leading course databases and tournament records. ABC Golf Club was designed by Shoichi Suzuki with Ken Sato, opened in 1985, and plays to par 72 over about 7,235 yards from the championship tees. Green fees vary by day and season; published rates change by season and year, so always confirm current rates directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
ABC plays the way a tour venue should, putting a premium on driving. The fairways run between mature trees, so the line off the tee matters as much as the length, and from the back markers at about 7,235 yards there is no hiding from the par 4s, which ask for long, controlled approaches into greens that are kept firm.
The greens are the course's defense. They are well bunkered and subtly contoured, and in tournament trim they run quick, so the round is decided by the quality of the iron play and by the discipline to take the right side of the pin. Watch the closing stretch, where the Mynavi ABC Championship is so often settled, a finish built to test nerve as much as swing.
For all its length, ABC remains playable from the forward tees, and the conditioning, polished to host a tour event each autumn, is a highlight in its own right. It is a course that gives a visiting group the feel of competition golf without the punishment of an unfair setup.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Visitor tee times can generally be arranged outside tournament weeks, often through a Japan golf specialist |
| Green fee | Varies by weekday or weekend and by season (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Book ahead, and note the course is given over to the Mynavi ABC Championship and other events at certain times |
| On the day | Full length championship layout; traditional Japanese club service and a mid round lunch break |
| Getting there | Kato, Hyogo prefecture, within road reach of Kobe and Osaka in the Kansai region |
| Best months | April to June and September to November for the most comfortable playing conditions |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; policies and rates change and tournament weeks restrict play, so always confirm directly before booking through the club or your trip planner.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers base themselves in Kobe or Osaka, both an easy drive from Kato and both offering excellent hotels, dining and onward connections to the rest of Kansai. Kobe in particular pairs a comfortable city base with quick access to the cluster of fine courses in the Hyogo hills.
ABC sits naturally on a Kansai itinerary alongside the region's classic clubs, so a city base lets a group play several of the area's best courses across a few days.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near ABC Golf Club.
Build a Kansai golf trip
We arrange tee times at Japan's tournament and members courses where they can be secured, pair them with the best of the Kansai region and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
ABC Golf Club questions
Who designed ABC Golf Club and when did it open?
ABC Golf Club in Kato, Hyogo was designed by Shoichi Suzuki with Ken Sato and opened in 1985.
What is the par and length of ABC Golf Club?
ABC Golf Club plays to par 72 over about 7,235 yards from the championship tees, a genuine full length test by Japanese standards.
What tournaments does ABC Golf Club host?
ABC Golf Club is the long standing home of the Mynavi ABC Championship on the Japan Golf Tour, and also stages the Sky Ladies ABC Cup, so it is set up to a tournament standard.
Can visitors play ABC Golf Club?
Visitor tee times can generally be arranged, often through a Japan golf specialist, outside tournament weeks. Always confirm access, rates and availability directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.