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Editor's Pick

What's it like to golf in Japan? FAQ of Asia's best kept golfing secret

Golf in Japan is as unique as the country itself, there are over 6,852 islands including the four main islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu. There are 2,349 courses in Japan, varying from some revered top 100 courses to riverside pitch and putt. 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

Destinations

Osaka Canal and Bright lights

Osaka Travel Guide Japan's 2nd largest city but still intimate, approachable, and welcoming

As Japan’s original commercial capital, Osaka prefecture, which wholly incorporates the city that bares its name, has been at the center of Japanese culture for over 1,000 years. Today, the Osaka metropolitan region is the world’s 8th richest metropolitan area, on par with cities like Los Angeles and Paris. The city is roughly divided by an uptown district and a downtown district. Uptown, or the Umeda district, is characterized by its many skyscrapers and Osaka station; while downtown’s Namba district is known for its extensive entertainment and shopping. Aside from its long history and modern cosmopolitan atmosphere, Osaka is known throughout Japan as the nation’s kitchen; it is said that what Tokyoites spend on clothes, Osakans spend on food!

fall leaves in iwate along river with boat

Iwate Travel Guide Japan’s most under-explored hidden wonder

Nestled in the northern region of Tohoku on Japan’s main island of Honshu, Iwate prefecture is one of Japan’s most underexplored hidden corners. Traditionally considered a remote frontier land, Iwate still retains much of its rustic appeal, complete with all the convenience of modern Japan.

Iwate happens to be Japan’s second biggest and least densely populated prefectures after Hokkaido; so, there’s plenty of room to enjoy the open air and get exploring. The prefecture contains some surprisingly magnificent natural and cultural scenery that will equally delight and stir your mind and senses!

Courses

Green Feel Golf Club Kataoka, Kochi Prefecture

It is no surprise that Green Feel has been voted the number 1 course in Shikoku for the last number of years. The designer, Mr Sho Tobari (a prominent tournament producer and TV commentator in his own right) got it right with a design that all levels of golfer can enjoy. He is quoted on their website as saying: 'This is a course designed to be enjoyed by regular amateurs, but also to offer a high degree of difficulty from the championship tees, keeping in mind that tournaments can be held at any time'. Stepping out into the caddy masters area you can see the 1st and 9th holes from a slightly elevated position and they look glorious in the September sunshine, there is a palpable air of excitement as players go through the bustle of their pre-game routine, and after a quick warm-up, we...

SkyHill Golf Club Takaoka-gun, Kochi Prefecture

Mountain courses are not everyone's cup of tea, but I love that they have personality and are memorable in a way some of the more ‘civilized’ courses are not. Sky Hill was no exception and we had a super fun day watching balls fly from the launch pad tees, calculating (guessing!) up and downhill yardages, and spotting various forms of wildlife (was it a Civet or a Japanese Badger?). My memories of the day are happily colored by an equal personal best stolen with a par on the signature downhill par five 18th.

Travel

Asia Golf Tourism Convention comes to Miyazaki in 2021 Tour Operators Come To Japan Prior To The Olympics

The event, taking place from 20-22 April, 2021, provides an opportunity for golf tour operators from around the world to meet with golf resorts, golf courses, hotels and other golf tourism suppliers from across the Asia Pacific region and to experience the incredible year-round golf destination of Miyazaki on Kyushu Island in southern Japan. Tour operators will arrive on 17 April for three days of golf before the convention gets under way on 21 April with golf inspection trips to other parts of Japan beginning two days later.

IAGTO Chief Executive Peter Walton said: “ After skipping a year due to Covid-19, we are really excited to have this opportunity to reconvene the convention in the iconic and magical golf destination of Miyazaki, just three months before the...

Winter Golf in Tokyo

Admit it, you think golf in winter is crazy talk. Only a fool would brave Japanese winters to play golf on a frozen course you say. Well, I am here to debunk this myth and explain why golfing in winter in Japan is not only great fun, but equally as enjoyable as any other season.

To be fair, Tokyo is nowhere near as cold in winter as people might imagine. Sure, everyone skis in the mountains of close by Niigata and Nagano, but the vast majority of golf courses in and around Tokyo are snow free year round. And aside from a few seasonal adjustments, winter golf is just like golf during any other season. To prove this point, I went golfing during a winter week at 4 separate courses--each with its own special way to handle the winter weather.

Community

Japan Golfing During Covid-19 Your guide to stay safe and enjoy the game!

Japan was ready for an awesome golf season. An unusually mild January and February saw the courses full, and we were looking forward to more of the same with the sakura season, early summer, and then the Olympics where we knew many visitors would also give golf a go.... 2020 was set to be a momentous year for Japan Golf. We all know what happened next, the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Since then we are doing our best to self-isolate, work from home, distance learning, and so on, and Japan has been stand-out in terms of flattening the curve.

The number of cases of Covid-19 are falling in Japan, and a likely lifting of the state of emergency as early as next week in all prefectures is expected, we dare to dream of hitting the links and enjoying the sport we hold so dear. But the 'New...

Tokyo American Club–Men’s and Ladies Golf Group The biggest expat golf group in Japan

So you’ve just arrived in Japan?

You’re one of the lucky ones.

One of the safest countries on Earth. Fast, efficient transit and top-notch customer service. Hundreds of Michelin-starred restaurants in Tokyo alone and, with the Olympics mere months away, the opportunity to take in a premier international event from your doorstep.

Yes, life in Japan doesn’t force you to make many compromises–unless you’re an ex-pat with a love of golf. Japan boasts one of the world’s most active golfing communities outside of the United States, but even with more than 2,000 courses, breaking in as an ex-pat can be tricky. Courses aren’t equipped to serve English-speaking golfers, and that can mean big headaches when booking tee times. Without a car, getting your clubs from the...

News

Japan Loses ZOZO Championship Tournament moves to Sherwood

The PGA Tour officially announced Monday night that this year's ZOZO Championship will not be held in Narashino Country Club, but instead will move to Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks, California, and be temporarily renamed 'The Zozo Championship @ Sherwood'.

The official press release read:

As the effects of the coronavirus continue, we have been working hard towards hosting this year’s ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. However, in light of the current circumstances of this global pandemic, and with many of the PGA TOUR’s premier players already competing in the US and all over the world, we have come to the conclusion that it is impossible to invite players to compete in Japan. We had the option of canceling the tournament, however, we believe in the positive power of golf,...

Iconic match between Europe and USA heads back to Ireland for the 2026 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor

Irish golf is set for an extended spell in the golfing spotlight following Shane Lowry’s Open Championship victory, with the announcement of Adare Manor as host venue for the 2026 Ryder Cup. Since reopening in April 2018 on completion of a two-year reconstruction commissioned by its owners, the McManus family, The Golf Course at Adare Manor has been propelled to global recognition by a host of well-wishers.

The property has been an immediate hit with industry figureheads and top players alike, each rich in praise for the Tom Fazio design and, in particular, its pristine condition. In its first eighteen months of operation, Adare Manor has collected numerous global accolades, capped off with today’s confirmation of its Ryder Cup host venue status.

Equipment

Taylormade Golf Japan Ginza Store English- friendly Flagship store launches in Ginza

Taylormade Golf Japan opens the doors to its latest store in the Ginza area of the capital today. Ginza is a mecca for tourists and Tokyoites alike, known for its world-class shopping, restaurants, and buzzing nightlife, it will now offer the best in golf technology and style with the opening of the new Taylormade flagship store.

Located on the very exclusive Sotobori street just a few minutes walk from Ginza station, the Taylormade GINZA aims to have a full service for its its international visitors, with trilingual staff (English, Japanese, Chinese) and offering a free testing and assessment service, giving advice on clubs and their set-up as well as offering a tax-free shopping for overseas visitors (that's 10% off!).

TP Patina Putter Collection By Taylormade Golf

Featuring the new 'Pure Roll' insert technology, TaylorMade announced the anticipated release of the TP Patina Putter Collection. Comprised of seven distinct models, the TP Patina Putter Collection is a modern take on a classic design, built with TaylorMade’s patented Tour-proven Pure Roll insert. All in, TP Patina is a look from the past that plays like the future.

Delivering a rich and classic colorway to the line of TP Putters, the TP Patina Putter Collection features a naturally tarnishing patina finish. Through combining black nickel and copper properties, they have created a unique reveal on the edges and sole of the putter. The TP Patina Putter Collection is built for golfers who favor a smooth and traditional putter shape, backed by modern performance...

Instruction

Making of Good Alignment

If you are hitting a lot of shots offline and struggling with your consistency, try taking a look at your alignment. To align your body properly, your feet, hips and shoulders should be square (parallel) to the target line. You should imagine two lines running parallel to each other. Railroad tracks should be something easy to envision. The ball is on the outside track (target line) and you are standing on the inside track with your feet, hips and shoulders parallel to the outside track.

Next time you are on the practice range, choose a target. Then have your friend hold an alignment stick up to your feet, hips and shoulders to see if they are square (parallel) to the target line. This might cure some of your offline shots.

Tempo drill Mini Lesson

Golfers sometimes struggle to be consistent from one club to another (especially irons to woods) because their tempo varies from club to club. If your tempo varies from club to club, it makes it very difficult to have the proper timing to hit consistent golf shots. To work on your tempo, try the drill below.

Get in your athletic set up position. Without a ball, do continuous swings for 15 seconds. To help with your tempo, try counting (1.................2). Do this drill with woods, long irons and short irons. Hopefully, your tempo will remain the same for each club.

Lifestyle

The Cool California Coast

When golfers think of the California Coast, they think of Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, The Olympic Club, and the most recent PGA Championship course, Harding Park among others. These are some of the best golf courses in the USA and all have one thing in common: the California coastal climate.

When winemakers and wine lovers think about California Pinot Noir, they think Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara. These coastal wine regions are some of the best for growing and producing Chardonnay and Pinot Noir due to the proximity to the coast.

Image by: Hari Nandakumar

Big Easy On The Course And In The Winery

I am very excited about AIR Golf allowing me the opportunity to write about 2 of my favorite things: Golf and Wine. Golf and Wine complement each other in so many ways and in this quarterly column we will be exploring the intersection as well as how each can be enjoyed on their own.

Several South African PGA golf professionals have had great success on the course as well as catching the wine bug and starting their own wine brands in their native land. With some of the most picturesque vineyards in the world, almost perfect Mediterranean climate and a diverse food and wine scene, there is no wonder why these South African’s got involved in wine.

David Frost (29 professional victories) and his family have been in the wine business for over 60 years. David has been in and...

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 If your ball strikes a fellow players ball on the fairway by accident, both players will play from where their balls lie. There will be no penalty...

Up Your Golf Game With an Apple Watch More than an accessory!

Mark your score after that awesome birdie, check the yardage via GPS, decide strategy on the next hole. But first, a quick press of the digital crown to have Siri remind you to call your wife when you get back to the clubhouse. Wait,… what? Yep! All of that was just done on your Apple Watch. It's certainly not your father’s Rolex anymore when it comes to golfing and the Apple Watch.

Just like how the iPhone and other smartphones revolutionized how we communicate and use technology 10 years ago, the new Apple Watch has changed how golfers approach the game today, and possibly changed the game itself. And, with onboard GPS, increased water protection and other performance enhancements Apple Watch Series 2 has the potential to make an even bigger impact. It comes as no surprise...