Playing Golf in Japan: A Complete Guide to the Full Golf Course Experience

For many first-time visitors, playing golf in Japan can feel a little intimidating. People often worry that there will be too many rules, complicated procedures, or unspoken etiquette that they might accidentally break. But once you actually step onto a Japanese golf course, the feeling is usually the opposite. It is not strict — it is thoughtfully designed. Golf in Japan is not just about the swing itself, but about a full day that has been carefully planned from start to finish, allowing golfers to focus entirely on the game.

When you arrive at the golf course, you normally do not carry your golf bag yourself. At the entrance, staff will confirm your name and tee time and immediately take care of your bag, sending it directly to your assigned golf cart. After that, you check in at the front desk, where your tee time, cart type, caddie arrangement, and lunch details are confirmed. The process is efficient and smooth, but nothing feels rushed. Once check-in is complete, you are guided to the locker room to change shoes and store personal belongings. Many Japanese golf course locker rooms feel more like a high-end clubhouse or spa — clean, quiet, and very well organized.

Walking into the cart area is where you begin to see one of the most distinctive aspects of Japanese golf. Most courses use electric golf carts, commonly from brands such as Yamaha, E-Z-GO (Japanese specifications), and Club Car at higher-end facilities. Nearly all of these carts are equipped with a central touchscreen display that shows hole distances, course navigation, and scoring, while also serving as a pace-of-play management tool for the course. Carts usually do not require keys — they are activated by a button or touchscreen and are extremely easy to use.

Many courses also provide a remote control for the cart, but the design is intentionally minimal. The remote typically has only one button with two functions: move and stop. Press once and the cart moves forward; press again and it stops. There are no steering, speed, or directional controls. This is a very Japanese kind of thoughtfulness — it gives golfers convenience for short movements while completely preventing misuse or disruption of course traffic. The cart’s speed and route remain controlled by the course system, ensuring safety and maintaining an orderly flow throughout the day.

During the front nine, the cart screen continuously displays your group’s pace and the distance to the group ahead. If your pace slows down, the system usually shows a gentle reminder rather than sending staff to intervene immediately. This keeps the experience respectful while still maintaining overall efficiency. Safety and etiquette are taken seriously in Japan. If the group ahead is still within effective hitting distance, even if they appear to be moving away, it is considered improper and unsafe to play your shot.

Once the front nine is completed, the course does not wait until after lunch to give further instructions. In most cases, as soon as you return to the clubhouse, staff will already have confirmed your back-nine tee time and will hand you a small slip of paper indicating the exact afternoon departure time. This notice is important — it means lunch can be enjoyed comfortably, but the overall course schedule continues to run on a shared rhythm. Golfers are typically asked to return to their carts about ten minutes before the assigned restart time to ensure smooth coordination across all groups.

Lunch at Japanese golf courses is not an afterthought; it is part of the system. On non-holiday weekdays, most courses include a lunch subsidy as part of the green fee. This means your fee already covers a basic set meal, and the menu clearly marks which items can be chosen with no additional charge. Typical options include Japanese set meals such as curry rice, pork cutlet, ginger pork, soba or udon noodles with side dishes. Portions are balanced — filling enough to restore energy without making the afternoon round uncomfortable.

For golfers who want something more substantial, most courses offer upgraded menu options. These typically require a small additional charge of around JPY 1,000 and may include items such as steak sets, eel rice, or seasonal specialties. For Miramar Japan Golf & Travel guests, we generally plan a lunch budget of around JPY 2,500 per person, which allows clients to choose freely from the menu without worrying about small price differences.

The afternoon round follows the same structure as the morning. The cart system continues to manage pace and safe spacing between groups. If there is a wait ahead, the screen displays a notice asking golfers to pause. While some first-time visitors feel unsure about this level of structure at first, most quickly realize the benefit. Because of this system, rounds rarely run excessively late, and it is uncommon to finish in near-darkness or disrupt later travel or sightseeing plans.

After finishing the final hole, the cart returns to its designated area, and staff take care of your golf bag. You then return to the locker room to change and clean up. Most Japanese golf courses use self-service payment machines for checkout, similar to those found in banks or department stores. The screen clearly shows all charges for the day. Once payment is completed, a receipt is printed. You simply present this receipt at the bag counter, and staff will bring your golf bag to the correct pickup area. The entire process is quiet, efficient, and well organized.

Normally, golfers handle this process themselves. However, when traveling with Miramar Japan Golf & Travel, our drivers assist with communication after checkout and coordinate golf bag handling, allowing guests to head directly to the bath or relax without worrying about logistics.

One of the highlights of golf in Japan is the post-round bathing facility. Most courses have well-maintained bath areas where golfers can shower and soak in hot water to relax after the round. While these facilities are standard, it is important to note that not all of them use natural hot spring water. Only select courses are true onsen facilities; many use high-quality heated water instead. The experience is still comfortable and refreshing, but the distinction is worth knowing.

By the time you leave the course, you often realize that nothing felt chaotic. This is the true strength of Japanese golf. It is not about luxury for its own sake, but about integrating time management, safety, etiquette, and comfort into a single seamless experience. Because of this, many international golfers find themselves saying the same thing after their first round in Japan: playing golf here feels calm, reliable, and genuinely enjoyable.

FAQ

Q: Do you need to pay extra for lunch at Japanese golf courses?

A: On non-holiday weekdays, most Japanese golf courses provide a lunch subsidy. A basic set meal is already included in the green fee, and only upgraded menu items require a small additional charge.

Q: Can you drive the golf cart yourself in Japan?

A: Most courses use automatic-driving golf carts. Some also provide a simple one-button remote control with only two functions—move and stop—designed for safety and smooth pace control without disrupting the course flow.

Q: How does checkout work at Japanese golf courses?

A: Most courses use self-service payment machines. After payment, you present the receipt to staff, who will arrange your golf bag pickup accordingly.

Q: Do Japanese golf courses always have hot springs after the round?

A: Nearly all courses have bathing facilities, but not all use natural hot spring water. Many offer high-quality heated baths, while true onsen facilities depend on the specific course.

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