Golf In Japan (Golf In Japan)

Join us for an engaging conversation filled with insights and laughter as we reflect on our decades-long journey of living and playing golf in Japan. Whether you're a seasoned player or just getting into the swing of things, "Golf In Japan" promises to deliver a unique perspective and some good-natured fun. So, grab your clubs and tune in for an immersive golfing experience in the Land of the Rising Sun!

About the hosts
4 foreigners living in Tokyo: KC from Ireland, Damon and Pro Joe from Australia, and Paulie B from Canada for a relaxed and friendly discussion. 

In this first episode, dive into the prefecture of the week; Hiroshima, the latest tour news, some discussion around Japanese pro golf, and also some recommendations on where to play.

Damon, Pro Joe, and KC shed some light on Yamaguchi prefecture,  talk about cherry blossom golf, the PGA tour headed to Pheonix to rock out, Japanese rising star Hoshino wins in Qatar, Tiger's new brand SUN DAY RED announced but the boys aren't impressed with the logo, and a new service to help more people play golf is offered by the Golf in Japan crew. Oh, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Join KC, Damon and Pro Joe as they explore this week's area of Shimane prefecture, talk tour news with Hideki Matsuyama's historic win at Riviera, and explore Japan's weird and wonderful golfing world; Liker why do Japanese golf courses have 2 greens? what kind of grass is Korai?  What is up with playing 4 and playing 3 tee grounds? All is revealed!

Join KC, Damon, and Paulie B as they explore Tottori prefecture, talk about the new Vokey wedges, and breakdown the latest tour news: Knapp wins in Mexico, Rory responds to Masters asterisk comment, and Anthony Kim debuts in LIV. Discover Golf in Japan's companion golf service and more!

Join KC, Damon, and Pro Joe as they dive into Okayama prefecture, share some insights on what kind of golfer is coming to Japan, tour news featuring the JPGA and JLPGA opening events as well and discuss Anthony Kim's debut on LIV; which captivated and intrigued global golf fans. 

Join KC, Damon, and Pro Joe as they chat about the good the bad, and the crazy at the Japan Golf Fair, Hyogo is our featured prefecture of the week, Netflix hits the sweet spot with Full Swing season 2, AK shoots a pretty credible 65 in tour news, and later the guys are joined by Trackman Japan Sales Director; David Cardew to learn more about swing tracking and building man caves in Japan.

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe are back after a small hiatus, and get stuck into this week's prefecture; Wakayama. Some insight into Tokyo's elite courses and the unique and highly requested Wakasu Golf Links. Tour news from around the world featuring wins for Nelly Korda and Peter Molinati, and for the crew's golf games, snow hinders them yet again in Japan, but good weather and Formula E have the boys looking forward to the weekend. 

Wakayama Courses: https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/wakayama
Mie and Wakayama Travel article: https://golf-in-japan.com/news-events/japan-travel/playing-golf-mie-combine-it-trip-nearby-wakayama

KC and Damon kick off the show with some Osaka essentials before wading into the Tour news (in Pro Joe's absence), then later in the show KC is joined by special guest Brendan Delahunty to talk about Tokyo's most beloved golf group; The Tokyo Beer And Golf Society (TBAGS) and then about his new service organizing golf events in Japan. 
Links mentioned in the show:

The Carbine Club of Tokyo

https://www.carbineclubtokyo.com/event-details/the-inaugural-carbine-club-of-tokyo-charity-golf-day-1-2

TBAGS

https://www.facebook.com/groups/tokyotbags

Prestige Golf Days

www.prestigegolfdays.com 

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe discuss Kyoto Golf essentials - like being a geisha. Tour news is back with Pro Joe, and inevitably the biggest week on the golfing calendar is here: Masters week, get all of our predictions for this weekend, and hear some weird made-up stories from KC. All that and more! 
Pro Joe's article as mentioned:
https://www.air-golf.com/instruction/guides/threading-shots-through-gaps-trees

KC and Pro Joe talk about our prefecture of the week; the wonderful Nara, with its very cool courses and persimmon sushi! Of course, the amazing Master's recap dominates the conversation, but we are also excited about our new Titleist rentals ready to go out, and we visit our course-of-the-week: Setouchi Golf Resort in Hiroshima. 

Links:
Setouchi Golf Resort: https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/hiroshima/setouchi-golf-resort

This week, a brief podcast from the guys, KC and Damon chat about Shiga prefecture, tour news, and having kids in Japan... while Pro Joe is on duty at the DP World Tour event: The ISPS Handa Championship. KC also heads to the event and catches up with fellow Irishman and tournament director Darrell to chat a little more about staging an event in Japan. 

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe have an early morning/giddy meetup in beautiful sunny Tokyo while talking about Fukui prefecture and their dinosaurs, also the dinosaurs and other wildlife at the ISPS Handa, and LIV golf has a really good weekend down under in Adelaide,  tour wrap up and more....
 
Referenced in the podcast:
 Fukui  on Golf in Japan: https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/fukui
Ocean Palace Golf course: https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/nagasaki/ocean-palace-golf-club-resort

This week KC, Damon, and Paulie B. meet as always to chat about Pro Joe's dress style?? we highlight the beautiful Ishikawa prefecture and the rebuilding of the region following the New Year's Day quake. We learn of the new resorts section on the Golf In Japan website, and we get uber-serious about the LIV V PGA Tour debate, all while looking forward to the PGA Tour Championship and supporting our patriotic picks this weekend.  What more could you want?

After a two-week hiatus, the boys are back and with a new voice- Ryan, exploring Toyama prefecture, catching up on an eventful two-week stretch in the professional game, and as always, random chats about golf and life in Japan!

Mentioned in the podcast:
Toyama Prefecture
Setouchi Golf Resort
Spa & Golf Resort Kuji

Join KC, Damon, Paulie B and Ryan 'Shooter' for a fast 30 minutes of dissing Pro Joe, we talk about Niigata Prefecture and its wonderful Sake and beef as well as recap of the Women's US Open and the Canadian Open. Why Handicap systems don't really matter in Japan and advise Ryan on which Youtube Golfers are worth a look, all this and more shinanigans than you can shake a stick at!

This Podcast is sponsored by Titleist, and their amazing Fitting Experience in Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe talk about Fukushima prefecture and recount stories of their Tohoku Earthquake experiences. The US Open kicks off this weekend, and anticipation mounts to see how the difficult Pinehurst No.2 plays, and if Tiger can make the cut! This and More!

Sponsored by Titleist FItting In Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

A skeleton crew of KC and Damon dissect the entertaining 2024 US Open, what went wrong for Rory and right for Bryson. We delve into Tochigi prefecture ( a place where some of us play a lot of golf!) And the boys are joined by a special guest: Tim, a Golf In Japan customer who while over visiting happened to bag an ace in Hyogo!

Sponsored by Titleist FItting In Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Join KC, Damon, Pro Joe, and Ryan from the rainy season in Tokyo, we visit Gunma prefecture to the north of Tokyo and talk about all the tour news including, Scheffler's dominance, great performances by Ishikawa and Koiwai in Japan, and Ryan looks forward to making his course debut.

Sponsored by Titleist FItting In Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe talk about the new GT driver - First impressions at their Tokyo fitting before its global launch, we talk about Tokyo's closest neighbor Saitama prefecture, as the Japan summer heat kicks in, Fujita's ALMOST US Senior Open breakthrough, and all the latest tour news and more on Golf In Japan #19!

Podcast Sponsored by Titleist Fitting in Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Hokkaido features on today's show, KC, Damon and Ryan talk to Ron from the Park Hyatt and find whats cool (literally) to do while in Niseko. We discuss tour news: low scores at the John Deere, preview this weeks Genesis Open, the European Tour says goodbye to Bernhard Langer,  Ryan learns how to to do a tempura, and lightening strikes in Tokyo during the Tokyo elections!

This podcast is sponsored by Titleist Fitting in Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

An action-packed show started with Donald Trump making his tee time the day after getting shot! We explore Chiba prefecture and talk about Tokyoite's favorite courses, Bobby Mc and the infamous drop that broke the internet... Furue wins big at the Evian, Netflix appoints Keegan Bradley as the next US Ryder Cup captain, Ryan overcomes driving range golf glove pressure (by wearing a glove) and we preview the last major of the year; The Open at Royal Troon, all this and more on Golf In Japan!

This podcast is sponsored by Titleist Fitting in Japan:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

With KC back at home, DJ, Pro Joe, and Ryan use the opportunity to give him some stick! Gifu is the prefecture of the week- complete with a history lesson from Ryan,  the open enthralled and entertained like nothing else, and the guys settle into another sweltering week in Japan as they get ready to sweat through the Olympics!
 
Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

KC, Damon, Pro Joe and Ryan look forward to some Olympic golf from Paris, we explore Ibaraki prefecture and the Love/hate relationship with the Japanese delicacy of nato! Pro Joe gets fit for the GT and we discuss the best (and worst) non-golf experiences to do in Japan. Add to that the latest news from the tours, more LIV talk and Ryan gets a lesson in fundamentals from Joe!

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Join KC, Damon, Pro Joe, and Ryan as we review the refreshing men's competition at the Olympics. Tokyo is our prefecture of the week, which although doesn't offer a lot of golf course options- its still a golf hotbed and we still love it! The new Golf In Japan Swag has dropped, so learn how to get some in our first giveaway, and everyone gets ready to game the new GT drivers this weekend!

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

KC, Damon and Ryan chat about Obon, the prefecture of the week- Kanagawa, give Joe some absentee abuse, discuss Matt Kuchar doing the most random move in professional golf, and In keeping with the prefecture of the week theme- bring in Kanagawa Country Club President Taka to chat about bringing a young vibe to Japanese golf, the background of his family's course and we also learn a lot about Japanese wagyu from his other entrepreneurial endeavors.

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Kanagawa Country Club
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/kanagawa/kanagawa-cc

Pro Joe is back from Europe having played the Olympic venue and the oldest course in the world, Yamanashi features as our prefecture of the week, Matsuyama wins the first PGA tour playoff event in epic fashion, and LIV announces Japan in its 2025 schedule.

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Yamanashi Golf Courses:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/yamanashi

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe are back after an unintended technical hiatus, KC heads to the press day at ZOZO, companion golf legend Mic calls in to help with a shameless plug for the service, Nagano and Aichi are our prefectures of the fortnight, learn about Pachinko, hear what's happening from the world of professional golf, and Pro Joe announces he will try for the Senior Japan tour next year!

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Aichi prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/aichi

ZOZO Chamipionship tickets
https://zozochampionship.com/en/ticket.html

KC, Damon, and Pro Joe delve straight into the Prefecture of the Week- Mie, one of the best golf and cultural destinations in Japan. Golf news and discussion about the ZOZO lineup, Liv gifts Rahm a championship ring of the ages, More Rory heartbreak at the Irish Open, Solheim Cup drama with Leona Maguire, and we discuss the dwindling spectatorship for the Japan tours. 

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Mie Prefecture Courses and info:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/mie

KC, Damon, Pro Joe with Ryan returning from a dodgy back discuss the cooling weather, arguably the most famous course in Japan- Kawana, and Shizuoka prefecture. We look forward to the presidents cup, Ripper GC wins the LIV team event, and discuss Rory's second place woes at Wentworth.

Titleist Fitting in Japan sponsors this podcast:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Shizuoka Golf Courses:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/shizuoka

 Mentioned: Ramjet Guest House: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/577980919445987116?source_impression_id=p3_1727628391_P3aJZ8UsmR8dJFh4

Join KC, Damon and Ryan on a far roaming journey through Japan's wild and beautiful Aomori prefecture, the conversation also goes far and wide chat about the Ainu tribes of Japan, the golfing Sumo of Japan, the amazing Ryu Takeda absolutely on a tear this season on the Japan ladies tour, and finally recap on what was an entertaining yet forgone President's cup in Canada.

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Aomoriprefecture
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/aomori

An experimental episode with KC, Damon, and Ryan, filming the podcast in Golf In Japan HQ in downtown Tokyo! The Prefecture of the Week is Akita, famous for Hachiko the faithful hound, and we check out the tour news; the highlight of which is Pro Joe picking up Rubbish and LIV players out in force at the Dunhill Links.

Watch this episode on the Golf In Japan Youtube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eicgG627Pgk&t=273s

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Akita prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/akita

KC, Joe, Damon and Ryan explore the beautiful Iwate prefecture and discuss UFO's and the supernatural, while Joe recounts the recent Asian Amateur in Gotemba, before delving into the Japan open and its ridonculous rough- Adam Scott is not a fan having miss the cut by 11!

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Iwate prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/iwate

Join KC, Pro Joe, and Ryan for episode #30, the guys share some interesting ZOZO Championship anecdotes, the highlight of which is KC getting a diss from Justin Thomas!  Miyagi Prefecture is the prefecture of the week, Pro Joe plans his senior tour debut, while KC and Ryan head to Mizuno to check out their Tokyo Shop. Ryan discovers Park Golf- the Japanese version of mini golf, and Joe raves about the new PROV 1X left Dash ball. That and more on Episode # 30!

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Miyagi prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/miyagi

Mizuno Tokyo:
https://golf-in-japan.com/shops/tokyo/mizuno-tokyo

Join the full squad with KC, Damon, Pro Joe, and Ryan as they delve into Tokyo Disneyland and the Japanese Otaku culture. Visit Yamagata in the prefecture of the week on our Tohoku swing. Lots of discussion with tour news including ZOZO's best and worst hair, the Iwai twins back to winning ways, and Ryan preparing to make his playing debut at the MK cup.

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Yamagata prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/yamagata

Ryan finally makes it to the course at the MK cup, and even though thwarted by bad weather, comes out with some nice swag! KC comes face to face with the mother of all Golden Orb spiders, we offer up a new segment with questions provided by listeners- this time Steve asks what are the best courses we have played in Japan and is Golf In Japan kid friendly? Rio Takeda dominates the co-sanctioned TOTO Cup with the LPGA- will she leave the Japan tour next year? In Joe’s absence we plot a scramble loaded with Del cups to gain advantage and more!

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

The boys return as a full squad, getting straight in with a listener Monday: Ollie in Ohio asks: what resorts would you recommend in Okinawa? The boys talk about Atta Terrace, Kanucha and Miyako Jima, Okinawa’s colorful history gets explained by Ryan, and we learn of a psychedelic snake drink called ‘Habu’. 

Listener Questions: Seik from Singapore asks: Do you need a handicap to play Japanese golf courses? And what’s happens if there is bad weather? 

Tour news: Rory McElroy wins the Race to Dubai and sheds a few tears reflecting on a season of close calls, Ryo Ishikawa wins in Japan Taiheiyo masters and Max McGreevy wins at the Dunlop Phoenix in Miyazaki, Campos wins in Puerto Rico for the most emotional win of the year. 

Titleist give us next year’s PRO V1s, and the boys rave about the -Pro V1X (left dash)

KC and Damon play golf with influencer power-couple Derek and Alison, check their profiles for lots of Japan Golf and Travel content below:

Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Featured: Yamagata prefecture:
https://golf-in-japan.com/courses/okinawa

Check out Derek and Alison:
Monterey_golf_guy.  &  Suginofilter 

Questions for the boys: info@golf-in-japan.com

Joe comes back from a Vietnam trip, Ryan plays 18 holes on a course with ‘Verticality’; Brick n’ Wood in Chiba, a favorite among ex-pats in Tokyo boasting one of the few gated communities in Japan.

Damon talks about the best courses for Mount Fuji views; Fuji Classic and Fuji country club, open year-round and close to Gotemba area. Trash talking goes up a notch for the upcoming inaugural GIJ scramble .

Listener question: What Apps or tips do the boys have for Japanese translation? Walking bare footed on Japanese golf courses a taboo?

Rio Takeda captures the Japanese money list for a tidy 265m yen, The Japan men played the JT Cup at Yomiuri won by South African Sean Norris, and Kannai won the money list. Australian Open talk, and speculation abound of Tony Finnau joining LIV Golf in 2025, and a shout out to Ben Warren- Course architect nearing completion on a big project in Fukuoka.
 
Today's Podcast is in association with Titleist:
https://golf-in-japan.com/titleist-fitting-experience

Fuji Classic Golf Club