I travel extensively overseas and will start heading to Tokyo in about a month to start busines development for my company and will be going back every 8 weeks for the next 2 years; would appreciate any information on the following:

-Courses to play around Tokyo
-Any good golf stores in Tokyo I can spend $$$ at
-Tips on golf course ettiquite in Japan

Don't know anything about courses or stores, but you have to go to a driving range at least once. When I was in Kobe in the spring, I went to a range that was by far superior to anything we have here in the states. The driving range was entirely automated. You purchased cards out of a vending machine that gave you a a spending limit. The price per ball varied on the time of day. You then took the card and went to a hitting bay where you inserted the card into another machine. from that machine you could control the tee height (with the press of a button and not having to mess around with switching rubber tees (any mat users know what I'm talking about)). Once the card was in, the tee disappeared under the mat, and reappeared with a ball pre-tee'd. When they needed to pick up range balls, long sticks attached to flags swung around in circles and knocked all of the balls into a gutter system that brought them back to the main ball dispenser where they were washed and put back into circulation. The other neat thing about the range was that it had a fully synthetic putting green and a practice bunker. Ranges are pricy, but golf in Japan is in general. I'll try to find the video I took of the range.

I can't give any advice regarding Japanese golf, but from a business culture standpoint, whatever you do... do NOT ever do anything that could be considered a "slap on the ole back..." here in the US it's considered a congradulatory "atta boy!" but in Japan, if I remember some of my core business class work from college, it's considered something of an insult... I think

Yes, I agree that you should go to a range in Japan. They are very nice and alot much nicer than any I have been to in the states. They are very expensive, though. Actually, all golf in Japan is very pricey. There are some nice golf stores in Tokyo, but right now I can't recall the names of them.

(already posted in april)

TPC ichihara in Chiba

very good course , cheap (for tokyo) 12.000 yens week day , 20000 yens week end

site of a match Stadler Maruyama for Shell wonderful world of golf

JR station Goi at 15 min

http://www.ichihara.korakuengolf.co.jp/

also Kimisarazu

http://www.orix.co.jp/kimisarazugl/

+ taiheiyo gotemba

http://www.taiheiyoclub.co.jp/course/west1.html

see the website (in english) , not exhaustive but easy for people who don't speak japanese

http://www.golf-in-japan.com/courseguide.php

Thanks everyone for the information, definitely have to hit a driving range from sounds of it.

Thanks for web links also

2 hours from Tokyo an historic course designed by CH Allison in 1936 (one of the 100 world top courses), the pebble beach of japan

Fuji course at Kawana hotel

http://www.princehotels.co.jp/kawana-e/fuji.html

(normally you have to stay at the hotel to play the fuji course)







review of the course on golf atlas

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/opinionfreeman.html

As for the shops have a look at victoria golf shops (shinjuku, jimbocho/ochanomizu , ...)

www.victoria.co.jp

Victoria
3-4 Kanda-Ogawamachi, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: 03-3295-2955. Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 10:30-7:30. Nearest stn: Jimbocho


for better prices ameyoko between okachimachi and ueno park , a lot of shops lined below the raised viaduct of the subway