South at Sunlake Country Club

The South 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 sits in a region known for its mountainous terrain and proximity to Nikko National Park. Trevino's involvement in Japanese course design during the 1980s and 1990s reflected the era's enthusiasm for international golf development, and his partnership with Sugimoto brought together American strategic design principles with local knowledge of the landscape and playing conditions.

The routing takes advantage of the natural topography characteristic of this part of Tochigi, where courses typically feature elevation changes and wooded settings. The design likely emphasizes playability and strategic options from the tee, reflecting Trevino's own playing style and his preference for courses that reward accuracy and course management over pure length. Sugimoto's contributions would have addressed site-specific considerations including drainage, turf selection for Japan's climate, and integration with the surrounding landscape.

Sunlake Country Club operates as a members' facility serving the greater Tochigi region. The South Course functions as one of multiple layouts at the property, a common configuration at Japanese country clubs where land availability and membership demand support extensive golf facilities. The course provides a regional venue for competitive play and member events within the context of Japanese golf culture, where attention to course conditioning and service standards remains consistently high.