Greetings golf lovers and Japan fans.
When you think about Japan, the first thing that comes to mind probably isn't golf.
But today we’re here to change that
Japan has some of the best golf courses not only in Asia, but arguably the world.
Additionally Japan’s internationally famous hospitality
has been integrated into the golfing experience
setting it apart as a unique and worthwhile golf destination.
However, there are a few rules, points of etiquette, and parts of the process of golfing
in Japan that might be different than you would expect which we’re going to cover
today to get you up to speed and course-ready.
With this in mind, we’re going follow our staff writer Sam and his golf partner Stefan
step by step through a typical golf round
at the lovely Kodama Golf Club in Saitama, Japan.
So get ready everybody as we learn
How to Play Golf in Japan
Ok, first off Sam and Stefan arrive and are greeted with a bow by two friendly caddies
who take the clubs from the trunk.
Notice what Sam does, or rather does not do right here
Let's see that again
In Japan there is no tipping,
so by not doing so here, Sam is making the right call.
Nice job Sam.
And a huge thank you to the Kodama Golf Club in Saitama Japan for allowing us to make this
video at their beautiful course.
Ok, with bag in hand Sam heads to reception
Here, each golfer must fill out a registration card
with his or her name, address, and phone number
Sam fills his out like a champ and receives his locker key
Now, it's important to point out for the viewers at home, that locker keys on Japanese courses
basically act as charge cards for all expenses that come up throughout the day
for example at the pro shop, practice range, restaurant, or rest houses.
Everything is charged the locker number and paid all at once at checkout.
In fact, Sam really doesn't even need to keep his wallet with him.
And it seems he knows it!
Here he is depositing his wallet and other valuables into one of the safe deposit boxes
which are common in Japanese clubhouse lobbies.
What a tour de force by Sam through the lobby!
In the locker room we see him turning his locker key with unnecessary drama
a sure sign he is feeling confident about the upcoming competition.
Let's take a quick timeout here to talk about clubhouse dress code
As Sam demonstrates, while in the clubhouse many courses require players to wear jackets,
collared shirts, pants (or skirts for woman), and decent shoes.
Alright, we'll let Sam get changed into his course clothes
which should look something like this
A collared shirt that is tucked in, pants, shorts (or skirts for the ladies),
but not too short,
socks and appropriate shoes,
so no sandals and no golf shoes with metal spikes
Having changed, and looking sharp might I add, Sam finds the caddy master's window to
get a token for the driving range
which is charged to his locker number.
After grabbing a few clubs from the cart, it's full speed ahead to the practice area.
As you might expect in Japan, balls are dispensed from
you guessed it,
a vending machine,
which is why Sam needed to get a token beforehand.
As the gentlemen warm-up, I'll also point out that some of the nicer courses
like this one
have specific areas for practicing approach
and even sometimes bunker shots.
Moving on to the practice green, our last stop before we hit the course...
aaaaaand...
oh ho ho it seems Sam is feeling ready
Alright, well ready or not, next stop hole one.
On courses in Japan, the front nine, or the first nine holes are called "out"
while the back nine are called "in"
and today our competitors will start by playing "out" beginning at hole one.
Here we see the caddy going over the rules
and now it's time to draw sticks and determine order
lowest number tees up first
Sam draws a 2, but Stefan gets number one
so it looks like Stefan will lead off.
Lots of pressure, this being the first drive of the day, let's see how Stefan handles it.
Not a bad start at all
it's worth mentioning that, if that drive had gone out of bounds, or "O.B."
like we saw him do in a few weeks ago in Okinawa,
he could've played his next shot from the OB tees.
OB tees are a unique feature of Japanese courses.
If your drive goes out of bounds, you can take your next shot
from these special tees much closer to the hole for a 2 stroke penalty.
Moving on to Sam's second shot.
*audience applauds*
Looks a little long, but not a bad "par on" and there's still a chance for a birdie
We've seen Sam sink longer puts than this in the past
let's see if he can do it again here
For birdie
What a heartbreaker
So let's take a second to talk about how these two are traveling around the course.
Today we see they're using remote controlled carts
which drive themselves along the cart path and are common in Japan.
Of course, others courses around the country
also have standard carts which players drive themselves.
And if you've hired a caddy usually they will do the driving for you.
One last point about carts in Japan
Some courses also have GPS units mounted at the front
so you can easily check how far the green you are, pin positions, and other useful information.
Ok, fast forwarding a bit, here are the standings so far after 9 holes.
Now, you might be thinking "why are they heading back to the clubhouse
halfway through the round?"
This is because after the front nine most courses in Japan have players stop for a meal
and give them a card with the their tee time for the back nine.
So, after our champions clean their shoes with the air guns
we're headed to the dinning room.
Here's how course restaurants work
Make sure to put your locker key on the table, since everything is billed to it.
Most menus have pictures of the meals, so if you don't speak Japanese,
it's fine to just point.
As as we see here, it's traditional to "kanpai" before eating.
Sometimes lunch is included in the price of playing but specialty meals, appetizers and
drinks often cost extra.
Usually players are given between 45 to 60 minutes
to eat before heading back out
Alright, moving on to the “In” course, or “back nine”, here are some brief highlights.
Also two final points about playing on a course in Japan
First, you should try to play quickly so as not to hold up the groups behind you
And second, a nice feature of courses in Japan are the rest houses which are placed about
once per 9 holes.
Here you can order drinks and snacks, and briefly recharge while playing.
Although bitter rivals, here we see Sam and Stefan able to take a moment and enjoy some
freshly squeezed grapefruit juice together.
Ah, the power of the rest house.
Ok, wrapping up the day, here Sam attempts a critial birdie putt...
aaaand...
not really close at all.
Well folks looking at the final scores
It seems Stefan has done it again.
Now returning to the clubhouse, a caddy has them double check they have all their clubs
and gives them bag tags they'll use to collect their bags before departing.
After a quick shoe cleaning, we're headed back to the locker room to grab clothes and
continue to the baths.
Sam grabs a plastic bag to put his dirty clothes in
proceeds to claim a cubby and prepares for a relaxing soak
Welp.
There go the underpants, next stop... the baths.
What a scamp!
In Japan, communal bathing is quite common and usually soap, shampoo, conditioner and
towels are provided by the clubhouse.
And finally we come to checkout where Sam hands over his locker key and pays for all
the expenses he's racked up throughout the day
Lastly, Sam hands over his bag tag to collect his clubs before departing.
That’s about it folks.
We’ve successfully played a round of golf in Japan
and we hope this video helps you to do the same.
For more information about golfing in Japan or to watch another video
click the links on the screen now
or head over to japan-guide.com
your comprehensive, up-to-date travel guide, first hand from Japan
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Happy travels!