Phoenix Country Club
Host of the Dunlop Phoenix every November since 1974, Phoenix Country Club runs through a vast black pine forest on the Hyuga Sea, one of Japan's most storied tournament courses and the centerpiece of the Seagaia resort.
Photo: Phoenix Country Club via Google.
The verdict
Phoenix is one of the great names in Japanese golf. Opened in 1971 and a fixture of the international calendar since the Dunlop Phoenix arrived in 1974, it has been won by Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods and a long line of the game's best, and the roll call alone tells you the quality of the test. The Takachiho and Sumiyoshi nines combine for the par 71 championship course, laid out through a dense forest of black pines on the Miyazaki coast.
It is classic Japanese parkland golf at its finest, tree lined and demanding, where position off the tee matters more than power and the pines punish the wayward without mercy. For the traveling golfer it is a bucket list round, a chance to play a genuine tournament course on the warm, sunny coast of Kyushu, and the heart of the Seagaia resort that surrounds it.
Phoenix Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1971
- Designer
- Kokichi Ohashi
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 7,000 yds
- Green fee
- From about 30,000 yen
Design, year and tournament history verified June 2026 from the resort, the JNTO and course databases. Phoenix opened in 1971 and the Takachiho and Sumiyoshi nines form the par 71 championship course of roughly 7,000 yards used for the Dunlop Phoenix. Green fees are indicative 2026 visitor rates, around 30,000 yen with seasonal variation. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
The black pines are the defining feature. They line every fairway and stand sentinel around the greens, so the round is an exercise in driving the ball into position and resisting the temptation to overpower a course that asks for precision instead. The Takachiho and Sumiyoshi nines each have their own character, but both reward the straight hitter.
The greens are firm and subtle, built for tournament speeds, and the par 71 routing along the coast brings the sea breeze into play on the more open holes. It plays to around 7,000 yards from the championship tees, not long by modern standards but a stern test when the pins are tucked and the rough is up for the November event.
Conditioning is immaculate, as you would expect of a course that hosts a flagship tournament every year, the turf manicured and the greens true. The setting, a warm sunny pocket of southern Kyushu with the pines and the Hyuga Sea, makes Phoenix as pleasant to walk as it is challenging to score.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | A resort and members course at Phoenix Seagaia, open to visitors, with the best access for guests of the Seagaia resort hotels |
| Green fee | Around 30,000 yen for visitors in 2026, with seasonal variation and higher rates around the tournament period (indicative) |
| Booking | Book through the Seagaia resort or your trip planner; staying on the resort makes tee times and rates easier to secure |
| On the day | Full practice facility, clubhouse and onsen at the resort, with caddie options and carts; the resort has further courses alongside |
| Getting there | On the coast just north of Miyazaki city in southern Kyushu, around fifteen minutes from Miyazaki Airport |
| Best months | Spring and autumn are ideal; Miyazaki is mild and sunny much of the year, with the Dunlop Phoenix played each November |
Access and indicative green fees verified June 2026; they change without notice, so always confirm directly before booking with the club or your trip planner. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Phoenix sits at the heart of the Phoenix Seagaia Resort, so most visitors stay on property at the Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort or the wider Seagaia complex, which puts the first tee, the onsen and the beach all within the grounds.
Miyazaki city is a short drive south for a wider base, and the warm, relaxed pace of southern Kyushu makes Phoenix an easy anchor for a Japan golf trip that mixes tournament courses with hot springs and local food.
Planning a Japan golf trip? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Phoenix Country Club.
Build a Japan golf trip
We pair Phoenix with the best of Kyushu and beyond, sort the Seagaia resort and the tee times and cost it to the head. Tell us roughly when and who is traveling and one concierge handles the rest, with no obligation.
Phoenix Country Club questions
When did Phoenix Country Club open and who designed it?
Phoenix Country Club opened in 1971 to a design credited to Kokichi Ohashi, and has hosted the Dunlop Phoenix Tournament every November since 1974, making it one of Japan's most storied courses.
What is the par and length of Phoenix Country Club?
The Takachiho and Sumiyoshi nines combine for the par 71 championship course of roughly 7,000 yards used for the Dunlop Phoenix, a tree lined parkland test among black pines.
Who has won the Dunlop Phoenix at Phoenix Country Club?
The Dunlop Phoenix has been won by many of the game's greats, including Johnny Miller, Seve Ballesteros, Bernhard Langer and Tiger Woods, reflecting the course's standing on the international calendar.
How much does it cost to play Phoenix Country Club?
Indicative 2026 green fees for visitors run around 30,000 yen, with seasonal variation and the best access for Seagaia resort guests. Fees change by season and year, so always confirm directly before booking.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.