※Translated with Notion AI. (Plus version)
The other day, I participated in a large golf competition held at a location in Chiba Prefecture. Under the expansive blue sky, I was surprised to see how this traditional gentleman’s sport is once again gaining hot popularity in Japan. Around me were men and women dressed in the latest fashion, some even wearing golf wear more expensive than their usual suits. In their appearance, I could sense that Japanese people were enjoying golf with a somewhat “cute” sensibility.
As a golf enthusiast purely enjoying the game, I, as an American, noticed several unique cultural aspects that made me think, “This is uniquely Japanese.” So today, I’d like to share some slightly puzzling points about Japanese golf culture while hoping to improve golf literacy in Japan.
Now, let me introduce the “three mysteries” I discovered at this golf course.
Japanese people are known for “following rules.” However, strangely enough, at golf courses, this spirit of rule adherence is often nowhere to be found. Golf is a healthy outdoor sport that generates vitamin D through moderate exercise and sunbathing, and can even be expected to maintain bone density, especially for older people.
Despite this, drinking alcohol during lunch has become the norm at Japanese golf courses, and it’s not uncommon to see players enjoying alcohol from the morning.
While it may be a matter of personal freedom, I can’t help but question the lurking danger of drunk driving.
