When to Book Golf in Japan
Lead times, busy seasons and short-notice requests
Lead times, busy seasons and short-notice requests
Quick answer
Request your tee time as soon as your travel dates are fixed. Each course opens bookings on its own schedule, and Japanese holiday periods are the busiest weeks for travel. With Elite Golf Japan, a request 10 or more days ahead needs no card at most courses until your tee time is booked; courses with longer cancellation terms need an earlier request. Short-notice requests are possible but depend on the course having space.
Last updated: 2026-10-05
There is no single national rule. Each course decides when it opens its tee sheet and how it treats small groups and solo players, so the useful answer is: tell us your dates as soon as they are fixed, and we check the course you want.
Booking early matters most when your dates cannot move, when you want a specific course rather than any good course in an area, or when your trip overlaps a busy season.
| When you request | How it works with Elite Golf Japan |
|---|---|
| 10+ days before play | At most courses, no card is needed (courses with longer cancellation terms need an earlier request). We book the tee time first, then email a secure link to pay the booking fee. The deadline is in the email: up to 48 hours, or sooner if the course’s cancellation terms require it. If the fee is not paid by then, the booking is cancelled. |
| Fewer than 10 days | The booking fee is held on your card when you request, and charged only once we secure the tee time. Nothing is charged if we cannot. |
| Rental clubs | Payment for the set must be received and confirmed by 12:00 noon Japan time, five business days before you play. |
Spring and autumn. These bring the mildest weather of the year. Green fees are often higher in peak seasons and at weekends.
Japanese holiday periods. Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and the New Year holidays are the busiest weeks for domestic travel, trains and hotels. How busy a given course is varies, so if your trip overlaps one, ask about your course early.
Summer and winter. Summer is hot and humid across much of Japan, and some inland and northern courses close or limit play in winter. Southern destinations such as Okinawa and Kochi are milder in the cooler months.
Sometimes. A request for the coming days depends on two things: the course having space, and the course being reachable during Japanese business hours. The closer the date, the fewer courses are realistic, so flexibility on the course helps more than anything.
We reply within 12 business hours (JST 9:00–18:00). A reply is not a confirmed tee time. You have a booking only once we confirm it with the course, and the booking fee is charged only then.
Our booking fee is refunded in full if you cancel 10 or more days before play. Within 10 days, or if you do not show up, it is not refunded.
Courses set their own cancellation charges, which vary by club, date and group size. We pass on only what the course actually charges. Full terms, including the exceptions for course closures due to severe weather, are on our cancellation page.
As soon as your travel dates are fixed. Each course opens its tee sheet on its own schedule, so we check the course you want for your dates. With Elite Golf Japan, requesting 10 or more days ahead also means no card is needed at most courses until your tee time is booked; courses with longer cancellation terms need an earlier request.
Sometimes. A request for the next few days depends on the course having space and on us reaching it during Japanese business hours, so options narrow as the date gets closer. For dates less than 10 days away, the booking fee is held on your card when you request and charged only if we secure the tee time.
Spring and autumn bring the mildest weather of the year. Japanese holiday periods such as Golden Week (late April to early May), Obon (mid-August) and the New Year holidays are the busiest times for domestic travel and hotels. Tee-time availability varies by course, so if your dates fall in one of these periods, ask about your course early.
Our booking fee is refunded in full if you cancel 10 or more days before play; within 10 days, or if you do not show up, it is not refunded. Courses set their own cancellation charges, which we pass on at cost. Full terms are on our cancellation page.
We reply within 12 business hours (JST 9:00–18:00). A reply is not a confirmed tee time; confirmation depends on the course’s availability.
Send your dates, group size and preferred course or area. We check availability and come back with options.
Request a Tee Time