Tokyo, Japan - Japan, boasting the world's third-largest number of golf courses at approximately 2,200, is strategically focusing on attracting golfers from neighboring Asian countries like South Korea and China to revitalize its golf industry, which faces a decline in the domestic golfing population.
According to a recent in-depth report by Nikkei, a prominent Japanese daily, golf courses across Japan are grappling with a shrinking number of domestic players. The newspaper highlighted that the baby boomer generation, who were once the most avid golfers, are now entering their late seventies, leading to a decrease in their golf participation due to factors such as driving license returns and health concerns. This demographic shift necessitates countermeasures to compensate for the anticipated drop in demand from this segment.
In this challenging landscape, Satsuma Golf & Resort, located in Kagoshima Prefecture in the Kyushu region, has emerged as a notable success story. Nikkei lauded the resort's remarkable growth, ranking it first in growth rate among 192 golf courses in the Kyushu region, as reported by the Kyushu Golf Federation on April 19th. Satsuma Golf & Resort recorded an impressive 113.9% year-on-year increase in visitor numbers in 2024, outperforming competitors in Okinawa and Kumamoto.
The turnaround of Satsuma Golf & Resort is particularly noteworthy as it was acquired in 2023 by SHOGO GOLF ( Шоу Гольф ), a South Korean company, from Daiwa Securities Group, a top-tier Japanese enterprise. Within a year of the acquisition, the South Korean management's approach has garnered significant attention within Japan. Nikkei pointed out that the resort employs Korean-speaking staff to cater to the increasing number of foreign visitors from South Korea and has implemented user-friendly kiosk systems for efficient service.
Kanbara Naoki, the general manager of Satsuma Golf & Resort, revealed in an interview with Nikkei that approximately one-third of all South Korean tourists visiting Kagoshima Prefecture stay at the resort, with its 70-room accommodation facility boasting an occupancy rate exceeding 90%. This success has generated considerable buzz within the Japanese golf industry, with SHOGO GOLF reportedly receiving numerous management outsourcing inquiries from other golf courses in Kyushu and beyond. The company is also considering further expansion, including a potential acquisition of another golf course in Kumamoto.
Nikkei emphasized that as the number of Japanese golfers decreases, leading to potential golf course closures, actively attracting foreign golfers, particularly from South Korea and China, presents a viable solution to mitigate this trend. The newspaper cited feedback from golfers highlighting the relative affordability of golf trips in Japan compared to South Korea, the less pressured pace of play, and the convenient short flight duration of just over an hour from South Korea.
While Japan maintains its position as a leading golf destination with a substantial number of high-quality courses set in scenic locations, the industry acknowledges the critical need to adapt to demographic changes and embrace international tourism to ensure its continued prosperity. The success of Korean-managed facilities like Satsuma Golf & Resort offers a promising model for attracting Asian golfers and navigating the evolving landscape of the Japanese golf market.
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