Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort Shirakaba Course (18H) Renovation Announcement

May 2, 2026

Key facts

Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort Shirakaba Course (18H) Renovation Announcement
Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort has announced a comprehensive renovation of its Shirakaba Course. The world-renowned design unit 'Fry/Straka' will undertake their first project in Japan, transforming the resort into a unique 36-hole destination. The renovation will commence in May 2026, aiming for a grand opening in April 2028.
Source: PR Times
Date: May 2, 2026

Direct answer

Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort has announced a comprehensive renovation of its Shirakaba Course. The world-renowned design unit 'Fry/Straka' will undertake their first project in Japan, transforming the resort into a unique 36-hole destination. The renovation will commence in May 2026, aiming for a grand opening in April 2028.

Citation: Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort Shirakaba Course (18H) Renovation Announcement (May 2, 2026), PR Times
Source: PR Times
Date: May 2, 2026

Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort has announced a comprehensive renovation of its Shirakaba Course. The world-renowned design unit 'Fry/Straka' will undertake their first project in Japan, transforming the resort into a unique 36-hole destination. The renovation will commence in May 2026, aiming for a grand opening in April 2028.

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📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 02:00
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To Whom It May Concern: May 1, 2026 World-renowned American design unit 'Fry/Straka' embarks on its first course renovation in Japan. Transforming into a truly unique resort course, with two distinct course renovations undertaken by different acclaimed designers across its 36 holes. Pacific Club Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director and President: Han Jun; hereinafter, Pacific Club) will sequentially renovate the 'Shirakaba Course' of Pacific Club Karuizawa Resort (Gunma Prefecture - Asama Course 18H, Par72 / Shirakaba Course 18H, Par72; hereinafter, Karuizawa Resort) starting from May 2026. The Pacific Club came under the umbrella of the Maruhan Group in 2014 and has since promoted . In 2015, they launched the new luxury shop brand "Select The Club" and the high-quality hospitality hotel brand "Villa The Club" at Karuizawa Resort. In 2018, world-renowned golf course architect Rees Jones, son of Robert Trent Jones Sr., completely renovated the Gotemba Course. While maintaining the borrowed scenery of Mt. Fuji, under the theme of "Restoration = Return to Origin," he undertook a comprehensive review of hazard placements and tee positions to match the evolution of modern clubs and balls, resulting in a more strategic, world-class championship course. Subsequently, Rees Jones renovated the Karuizawa Resort Asama Course in 2023. This primarily involved changes to bunker layouts, teeing areas, and some fairway lines, showcasing a unique "world-class resort course" specific to Karuizawa, distinct from the Gotemba Course. In 2024, the PGA Senior Tour "Maruhan Cup Pacific Club Senior" was held on the renovated Asama Course, marking its debut as a championship course. Having reached its 50th anniversary in 2025, the decision was made to renovate the "Shirakaba Course" to further enhance its status as a luxury resort course. This time, the design unit 'Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design' (Ohio, USA; hereinafter, Fry/Straka), based in the US and active worldwide, will undertake its first renovation project in Japan. Fry/Straka is the most highly acclaimed team in contemporary golf course design, with their courses consistently ranking among the top worldwide, drawing significant attention. The Shirakaba Course will undergo a full 18-hole renovation starting in May 2026. The renovation will proceed by closing 9 holes at a time over two years, with a grand opening planned for April 2028. This will complete the renovation of all 36 holes at Karuizawa Resort, transforming it into a truly unique resort course with two distinct courses designed by world-renowned architects, along with various activities. During the construction period, operations will continue with 27 holes, consisting of Asama 18 holes and Shirakaba 9 holes, aiming to minimize impact on players. Further details on the renovation will be announced periodically on the Pacific Club website and other channels. 1. Bold layout reversal, switching OUT and IN sections. Enhancing the course's iconic status by concluding rounds with an impressive final hole. 2. Renovation of all 18 greens and bunkers, and nearly complete overhaul of tee positions and shapes. 3. New short game area adjacent to the hotel and a signature putting course. New 7,600 sqm+ expansive putting course. Developing an extensive practice environment to further enhance the elegant "Stay & Golf" experience. Dana Fry and Jason Straka founded Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design in 2012 after working together as colleagues for 20 years. Both are relatively young in the field of golf course architects but have a wealth of design experience in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, China, and other parts of the world. Recent notable works include Erin Hills Golf Course in Wisconsin, USA, which hosted the 2017 U.S. Open and will host the 2025 U.S. Women's Open. Their design philosophy emphasizes environmental preservation and excels at restoring original designs and renovation projects. They possess high technical capabilities to handle a wide range of design styles, from classic and traditional to modern courses.

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PR Times: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000041.000077333.html | May 2, 2026

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