Leisure golfers keeping Japan’s fairways busy
Japanese consumer spending is in the doldrums but a Singapore-listed business trust believes the nation’s golf market is in full swing.
While the number of golfers in Japan has declined as the population shrinks and ages, players are making more visits to the fairways.
The average golfer played one round a month in 2014, up from 10 rounds a year in 2013, said CEO Yoshihiko Machida of Accordia Golf Trust Management, trustee manager for Accordia Golf Trust.
Weather could have been a deciding factor – heavy snowfalls in 2013 probably kept players at home – but Mr Machida noted that demand from senior players could be driving the trend, as they are living longer and have more time on their hands after retirement.
“Golf has changed since its peak in the 1990s. It used to be more corporate players, but now we are seeing a shift to more leisure golfers,” he told The Straits Times.
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