Playing a round: The ultimate Japan golf guide

Thu, 03/08/2012 - 00:55 — Anonymous by Jason CoskreyWhen it comes to
swinging leisure activities, every man and his dog knows there's nothing
quite like hitting the links for a round of golf to escape the slings and
arrows of everyday life. Equally understood is that golf in Japan has long
had a reputation for being -- putting it politely -- somewhat exclusive. So,
what's a plus-four-loving weekender to do? Just outside the reach of the
commute schedules, meetings and drab office buildings, hundreds of manicured
golf courses dot the landscape of Japan (so much for it being a "small
country"), just waiting to offer weekend warriors a breather from city
life. "Golf is a sport that you basically need a certain amount of money to
play, so there is a tendency that men in their 40s, who can afford it, play
it," says Weekly Golf Digest's Yukiyo Inagaki. "Maybe younger people can't
really afford to, but since some began playing as children, like pro golfer
Ryo Ishikawa, many are playing in their teenage years. Thus, the Japanese
golf scene is full of players are either very young or those who are past
their 40s."read more