Golf Japan

[Ben]

When I was a wee boy of only 19 I had the opportunity to work on a course out in Japan. For some reason, I'd never thought to see if they have a website, until now. And here it is...

http://www.mizunami.ne.jp/kogen/

They had 27 hole, the Higashi (east), Nishi (west), and Minami (south) courses. All relativley tough tracks, not many parallel running holes that meant for lots of holes with trouble on both side.

Golf in Japan, along with everything else, didn't come cheap. I was looking over the costs on the site, and this place isn't all too bad, $100 for guests on the weekends.

The oddest part about working there was playing in the snow. At night the grounds crew covered the greens with tarps to protect the greens from freezing. In the morning, off with the tarps, run the tractor down the fairways to clear the snow, then off you go. Nuts!

[iacas]

I've heard that golf in Japan is so crowded - and the wait is so long and the prices are so high - that many Japanese fly to Hawaii for a round of golf because they have to wait less time and it's less expensive. I don't know if that's true or what, but I heard it from several different sources ten years or so ago.

I sometimes wonder how they ever get any good juniors. The costs for juniors must be prohibitive. Unless, maybe, they "take care of their kids" in this sense.

[Ben]

It wasn't so crowded on our course, just typical 4.5 or 5 hour rounds. Then again, there were quite a few courses around the same area as our spot, so I'm sure that made for a better pace of play.

And yes, there was talk about people going to Hawaii, and Guam to play in cheap golf trips. As a matter of fact, the course I worked on had a trip for its employees during the worst of winter where everyone went to Guam. I didn't go with them though, I was stuck in the cold.

[gas_can]

I definately think I'd like to try that someday soon. The hole pictured on the course's home page looks like a lot of fun. Are the courses comparable to the US in terms of length?

Lost in Translation is one of my favorite movies, and the course where Bill Murray tees off in the shadow of Mt. Fuji seems like it's right up my alley.

[Ben]

I definately think I'd like to try that someday soon. The hole pictured on the course's home page looks like a lot of fun. Are the courses comparable to the US in terms of length?

Yeah, that's the 9th hole on the east course A fun par 5. Here's links with the maps and yardage. Check out all the OB, escpecially on the South course.

East http://www.mizunami.ne.jp/kogen/gf001-ch.htm West http://www.mizunami.ne.jp/kogen/gf001-cn.htm South http://www.mizunami.ne.jp/kogen/gf001-cm.htm Speaking of Lost in Translation, Bill Murray's swing has come a long way since his days in caddyshack. That was a gerat looking course though!

[gas_can]

Tight fairways, lots of hazards, multiple greens. Looks really neat, I think I'm going to have to take my next golf vacation there. That looks like a great course. How did you like living and playing there?

[Ben]

Needless to say, living and playing there was an opportunity of a lifetime for me. And to think, I was actually considering not going. What a dumb move that would have been.

On most courses in Japan they have kenshusei (trainee) that will caddy or work maintenance or work the proshop during the day, and practice in their off hours. The home course will pay for q-school for the trainees in hopes that the trainee makes it on tour. In turn, now pro, they still represent their home course, which will draw in play to that course.

At my course it was cool because there were four others besides me, and we always had big money games going. We'd also travel to other courses near us and play their trainees.

I'd go back in a heartbeat. My main goal is to get PGA certification out here. Once I have that, I can skip to the last level of qualifying for the JPGA.

[Mr_Slice]

$100/round in a lot, but I fully intend on getting in one when the my ship stops in Japan this Summer. May not be that course, because I'm not sure where we'll pull in yet, but I definitely had planned on golfing in the country. Looks amazing. I'm sure I'll have a wonderful time.