East at Sunlake Country Club

The East Course at Sunlake Country Club represents a collaboration between American major champion Lee Trevino and Japanese architect Hideyo Sugimoto. Located in Imaichi, in Tochigi Prefecture north of Tokyo, the course occupies terrain characteristic of the region's transition zone between the Kanto Plain and the mountainous interior. Trevino's involvement in Japanese course design during the 1980s and 1990s reflected the era's international golf development boom, and his partnership with Sugimoto brought together American strategic design principles with local knowledge of site conditions and player preferences.

The routing takes advantage of the natural topography, with elevation changes that provide variety in shot-making demands and visual perspective. The design incorporates elements typical of Trevino's playing philosophy—emphasis on accuracy and course management, with strategic bunkering that rewards thoughtful play over pure distance. Sugimoto's contribution likely ensured the course integrates well with the landscape and meets the expectations of Japanese golf culture, where attention to conditioning and aesthetic detail runs high.

Sunlake Country Club operates within Japan's member-focused golf tradition, where courses typically emphasize service, dining, and the social aspects of club membership alongside the golf itself. The East Course serves as one of the club's layouts, offering members and their guests a design that blends international design influence with regional setting and maintenance standards characteristic of Japanese golf facilities.