A Golfer’s Guide to Kochi

Golf is a big deal in Japan, with over 2,000 courses across the country, ranging from top championship courses, to riverside pitch and putt spots. Although famous clubs near major cities like Tokyo tend to steal the spotlight, traveling just a little further away gives you access to some real gems.

Playing golf in any country is certainly a cultural experience, and Japan is no exception. The metal cups that catch your putt on the green are purposely made to give players that oh-so-satisfying “kerplunk” sound. The first nine is usually followed by a delicious lunch and cold Japanese beer or local sake. The staff at the club is always super helpful and utterly professional. For years, golf was used to strengthen business relations in Japan so every club tries very hard to be the place you would want to take a valued business partner. Since many of the players will be with important guests, rules are pretty strictly enforced and slow play is a huge faux pas. Basically, someone playing too slow is holding up another player and his important business contact. No one wants to do that to each other so I notice that “slow play” (about 20 minutes per hole) is something Japanese players value and adhere to.

So, a day of golf in Japan, the pace, the food, the service, will give you an interesting peek into both business and personal aspects of life in Japan. Careful observation of how people conduct themselves will have you nodding your head at how different things can be, country by country. Despite these differences, though, you are sure to have a full day of fun and don’t forget the uniquely Japanese post play hot bath available at most clubs!

Shikoku Island’s Kochi Prefecture is not (yet) internationally known as a golfing destination, which is unfortunate as the year-round temperate climate, nutrient-rich soil, Pacific Ocean views, and lush valleys make it an ideal golfing destination any time of the year. More than 80 percent of Kochi is covered in forest, it boasts Japan’s last untouched and pure river, Shimanto River, and is famous for the kind local residents. Kochi can be reached by plane from Haneda Airport, train via Okayama station or by car. Because of the Setouchi Inland Sea, etc., along the way, the vistas would make a one-week road trip totally worth your while.

For golf enthusiasts, in particular, the fact that Kochi is still a hidden gem means courses aren’t overrun with day-hackers from the big cities. Kochi City itself offers all the fun you may need (Kochi Castle, Karaoke, restaurants, etc) so before your golf day, a day in the city visiting the castle, going to the Hirome Market dining emporium, riding the tram down main street or heading to Chikurinji Temple is highly recommended. A few miles out of the city and Kochi is a peaceful green and blue oasis that moves to the beat of a slower drum, like a Fred Couples wedge shot.

Kochi is known for readily welcoming visitors into their family or “Kochi Ke” and you can enjoy this same hospitality across the prefecture. Despite Kochi being one of Japan’s least densely populated prefectures, it offers several golf courses to choose from. Courses are visitor friendly, and you won’t find any of the elitist snobbery displayed by some of their Tokyo or Osaka counterparts.

The local golfers here are mellow and good-natured, happy to share their favorite courses with visitors. At the first course I played in Kochi, I emerged from the locker room and was trying to get my bearings when an elderly member strolled over and asked: “Have you had any yuzu juice today?” When I said I hadn't, he smiled and told me to go to the restaurant and ask for a glass. “It will give you an extra 20 yards off the tee,” he noted with a grin as he strolled off.

Besides the potentially yard-giving (and definitely refreshing) yuzu citrus fruit, Kochi is also known for katsuo (bonito), which often appears on the menu at clubhouses around the prefecture. Our lunch featuring seared Bonito slices and cold Japanese beer made our final nine holes all the more fun and energetic. Many clubs also offer Japanese sake to compliment the local dishes.