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Editor's Pick

DP World Tour ISPS Handa Championship Comes to Japan This Weekend Mount Fuji Provides Backdrop to New Venue on the DP World Tour

Mount Fuji Provides Backdrop to New Venue on the DP World Tour

Shizuoka, Japan -- Japanese and European golf stars will battle for the tour’s penultimate event in its Asian swing this weekend (April 25th-28th). Now in its second year, the DP World Tour ISPS Handa Championship will be played at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course in Shizuoka. The star-studded event will be hotly contested, with a $2.25 million prize pool up for grabs as well as 'Race to Dubai' ranking points. Among the European players are top-ranked Matthieu Pavon, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Matteo Manassero, and Jordan Gumberg.

Japanese Stars on the Rise

The event is co-sanctioned by the Japan Tour, and as a result, 46 of the 156 players in the field...

Travel

JNTO Launches New Inbound Golf Site

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) has launched a fantastic new comprehensive golf guide for tourists. This site is the official guide of the Japanese government and is a tremendous guide for golfers coming to Japan.

You can discover some great courses, routes, and activity planners and it ties in with all the other amazing experiences in Japan- which are also part of the larger site.

Please check it out here: https://www.japan.travel/en/sports/golf/

AIR Golf Media was a proud collaborator in helping to create some of the golf guides and course listings, check out the 'Golfing Japan's Golfing Golden Route' here:

https://www.japan.travel/en/sports/golf/golfing-japans-golden-route/

What's it like to golf in Japan? FAQs when it comes to Asia's best kept golfing secret

Golf in Japan is as unique as the country itself. Across the more than 6,852 islands - including the four main islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu - there are no less than 2,349 golf courses, varying from revered top-100 courses to riverside pitch and putts. The below information is aimed at newcomers to Japan and attempts to cover the basic questions on teeing it up in Asia's best-kept golfing secret!

Image: © shibuya246.com

Courses

Kasumigaseki Country Club Kawagoe, Saitama

Not much is known about Kasumigaseki Country Club outside of its domestic fanbase, but an upcoming appearance in the world’s greatest sporting contest is about to change all of that. Kasumigaseki CC beat other prestigious Japanese golf courses, including Yokohama Country Club and Wakasu Golf Links, to lay claim to Japan’s second Summer Olympics hosting gig – and its first Olympic golf competition.

Following last year’s completion of the redesign from legendary American golf course architect Tom Fazio, the course is now ready to welcome the best golfers on the planet as the countdown to July 29 begins. I was able to pay the course a visit in early May and get a preview of its impressive new layout, as well as learn more of its fascinating history.
Playing golf at Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club, Mie prefecture, Japan

Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club Ise Shima, Mie Prefecture

As a mid-handicap golfer, I’ve never played in any serious golf competitions. The monthly medal at my home course or a "few bob" on a skins game with friends is as close to real tournament pressure as I will ever find. But as a fan of the game, I do love playing championship courses. Remembering the epic battles of professional tournaments fought by the greats of the game, the shots that won them the tournament, how they played the course and their composure never fails to inspire us to try and bring some of that into our own games.

On a recent trip to Mie prefecture in the southwest of Japan, I was lucky enough to enjoy a round at the fantastic Kintetsu Kashikojima Country Club. A masterful design by Mr Osamu Umeda, this 18-hole, par-72 course was made famous by being home to...

News

DP World Tour ISPS Handa Championship Comes to Japan This Weekend Mount Fuji Provides Backdrop to New Venue on the DP World Tour

Mount Fuji Provides Backdrop to New Venue on the DP World Tour

Shizuoka, Japan -- Japanese and European golf stars will battle for the tour’s penultimate event in its Asian swing this weekend (April 25th-28th). Now in its second year, the DP World Tour ISPS Handa Championship will be played at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course in Shizuoka. The star-studded event will be hotly contested, with a $2.25 million prize pool up for grabs as well as 'Race to Dubai' ranking points. Among the European players are top-ranked Matthieu Pavon, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Matteo Manassero, and Jordan Gumberg.

Japanese Stars on the Rise

The event is co-sanctioned by the Japan Tour, and as a result, 46 of the 156 players in the field...

DeChambeau Leads in Blustery First Round at The Masters 2024 The Masters 2024

The much-anticipated Masters 2024 kicked off amidst challenging weather conditions at Augusta National Golf Club. Blustery winds and intermittent showers greeted the players, causing a delay in the start of the first round. Despite the weather hurdles, the day unfolded with remarkable displays of skill and determination, none more impressive than that of Bryson DeChambeau, who seized the early lead with an outstanding performance.

Weather Conditions and Delay

Partly cloudy skies accompanied by showers in the morning set the stage for a demanding day on the course. With a high of 79°F and winds from the south-southwest blowing at 15-20 mph, gusting up to 35 mph, players faced a stern test of their abilities. The adverse weather conditions led to a...

Equipment

Titleist Introduces Its Next Generation Of Golf Balls Three New Models Released to the Japan Market

Titleist, a company renowned for dominating the golf ball market with both Pro V1 and Pro V1X models, has announced the simultaneous release of three new golf balls into the Japan market: The new AVX, Tour Soft, and TrueFeel model balls.

Aiming to cover a wider spectrum of golfers, the new lineup has something for everybody in terms of feel, performance, and price point, bringing the total to seven different ball offerings.

Let’s take a look at each ball’s information:

The Most Sought After Golf Club in Japan for 2024 Mizuno Pro 241 Masters Limited Edition

There is someone in Mizuno who is a marketing genius, maybe just a complete Otaku (geek), but a genius Otaku at that.

So the idea is simple: let's take their current iron- the fabulous Pro 241 model, and make a limited edition Masters series with it, let's brand it with the Masters logo, and make it in green by giving it a nano-coating mirror finish, and put in a sick Green Masters box. Only available at their stores in Japan. Simple, but surprisingly effective.

And people have just gone bonkers for them. I mean bonkers. Reports of guys sleeping outside of the Mizuno shop in Kanda are not exaggerated. The sad thing is I don't think anyone will play one of these clubs (only a very limited amount will be made) it's like the rarest of Jordans, or probably...

Instruction

Threading Shots Through Gaps In The Trees Stroke Savers

I have played golf for more than 40 years. Most days on the course I find myself shaking my head at the dreadful decisions people make, especially after hitting their tee shot into the trees. The sound of the ball pinging around amongst Japanese cedars happens far to often and even has begun to creep into my dreams. You cannot imagine my frustration as I watch hard-working students not improve their scores because they try to weave their ball through a gap in the trees that even Phil Mickelson wouldn't attempt. Inevitably they end up with scorecard wrecking 9 and I realise their recent lobotomy was a complete success.

Golf courses in Japan are mostly parkland-style courses whose fairways are heavily tree-lined. It is quite a rare occurrence to play links golf here. Even the...

How to prepare mentally for Matchplay 4 keys to remember

Golf is a sport that requires both physical and mental preparation in order to perform at your best. While many golfers focus on the physical aspects of the game, such as swing mechanics and course management, it is equally important to focus on the mental aspects of matchplay. Get yourself ready for that monthly medal and learn how to mentally prepare for matchplay in order to give yourself the best chance of success.

First and foremost, it is important to understand that matchplay is different from strokeplay. In stroke play, the goal is to shoot the lowest score possible over the course of a round. In matchplay, the goal is to beat your opponent. This shift in mindset can be difficult for some golfers to adjust to, but it is essential to understand that matchplay is a...

Lifestyle

Italian Fine Jewelry Brand "FOPE" Opens First Flagship Store in Tokyo's Ginza Distric

Italian fine jewelry brand "FOPE" has opened its first flagship store in Japan, "FOPE GINZA," marking a significant milestone for the brand. Nestled amidst the opulence of Ginza, where luxury brands reign supreme, FOPE GINZA will captivate discerning shoppers with its understated elegance, becoming the brand's third flagship store in the world, following locations in Piazza San Marco in Venice and Old Bond Street in London.

Amidst the towering buildings that define the vibrant cityscape of Ginza, FOPE GINZA stands out with its new elegant two-story white building, housing FOPE's finest creations and representing its inaugural flagship presence in Japan.

BMW I7

The electric car market has been rapidly expanding in recent years, and the BMW i7 is one of the latest additions to this growing market. As the world continues to shift towards more sustainable transportation options, electric cars are becoming increasingly popular. And with charging stations becoming more widespread, electric cars are becoming more practical for everyday use.

BMW, along with other car makers, is investing in increasing the availability of charging stations. BMW has partnered with ChargeNow, a network of public charging stations that offers BMW i owners access to over 65,000 charging points in 30 countries. The company is also investing in the development of high-speed charging stations that can provide a full charge in just a few minutes. This is essential...

More on Air

What happens if your ball strikes another players ball? Golfing Rules, Seriously!

On the course this past weekend, I putt from just off the green and my ball struck my playing partners ball, knocking it closer to the hole.

After a quick giggle, we began to discuss the ruling, 'I'll play from there and its a one-shot penalty for you' my friend said. 'I was off the green' I said, 'Doesn't matter' he said. Right, I said. 'Hang on, and I'll consult the rule book'.

Luckily, I had The R&A's Rules of Golf on my phone (Well worth a download and it's FREE)

Without quoting the book verbatim, there are basically three scenarios which you should be mindful of:

On the Fairway (updated June 14th, 2023) If your ball strikes a fellow player's ball on the fairway by accident, The 9.6 rule comes into affect, meaning If my ball...

What happens if I ground my club in a bunker? The new rules of golf explained

In 2020, the US Golf Association (USGA) and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (R&A) made several changes to the rules of golf.

One major change was to the "drop procedure" when a ball is lost or out of bounds. Players are now allowed to drop the ball from shoulder height, rather than knee height, making the process more consistent and less prone to mistakes. Another change was to the rule regarding penalty strokes. Players will no longer be penalized for accidentally moving a ball on the green, such as when marking or lifting it.

Additionally, players are now allowed to repair almost any damage to the course, such as spike marks on the green. The changes also include simplifying the rules for bunkers, allowing players to touch or move loose impediments...