Landscapes that create various fairways make golf more exciting. Here are some highland courses in Asia Pacific

Horai Country Club, Japan
The course here is set in a scenic countryside near the Nishinasuno Country Club. It is a gorgeous flat forest links course with reasonably narrow fairways bordered by red pine trees of similar height. The layout of the course includes some dogleg holes, elevated big greens and strategically-placed lakes. It has a tough layout and stunning landscape, which will make you want to come back and play again. Each and every green has intricate undulations, making it a challenge to putt on them. The 10th and 11th holes require an increased level of caution because the hazards come into play so effectively on those holes. High scores on these two holes will jeopardise your chances of winning.

Karuizawa Golf Resort, Japan
At an elevation of 1,300 metres above sea level, Kita-Karuizawa features two 18-hole courses namely the Asama course and the Shirakaba course where you can play in clean mountain air. In the middle of summer, temperatures seldom climb over 30°C, but in the spring and fall, the brilliant colours of nature provide a lovely backdrop to your game. In Karuizawa, you can stay in the luxurious Taiheiyo Club resort, which is referred to as ‘Villa the Club’. While here, don’t forget to check out the restaurants, which serve sumptuous Japanese, Chinese and Western cuisines. Because the resort has the capacity to host up to 200 visitors, it is an excellent choice for hosting company outings as well as retreats devoted to corporate training.

Dongpusan Country Club, Korea
Dongpusan Country Club is a 27-hole mountain course in Yangsan, with three 9-hole courses: the Hill Course, Lake Course and Valley Course. The Hill Course has bunkers, hazards and great landscapes. The tricky hole #9 par 4, which boasts an elevated tee box with green on the left side behind a pond at the end of a dogleg left, is one of the best holes on the Hill Course. The hallmark hole on the Lake Course, #3 par 5, is 491 metres and plays straight uphill against the wind. The Valley Course’s par 4 finishing hole is rated the most difficult, with multiple challenging characteristics including an uphill climb to the clubhouse and a slight dogleg right to the green.

• In Malaysia, golf can be enjoyed in the highlands at Awana Genting Highlands Golf & Country Resort. It is just over 4 km or less than 10 minutes’ drive from Tropicana Grandhill