Golfing in Japan..

Just moved to japan, i am african american and wanna play professional golf during the 2011 season.
I do not know anything about the Japan Tour or the Challenge Tour. Do they have open qualifiers like they do in the US? And trying to look for some playing partners or someone that works at a golf course where i can play or practice with them sometimes... Since golfing seems to be very expensive at golf courses. I am in the Yokohama area. I practice at Sugita Or Nase golf range, but hitting off the mats is not very good if you know what i mean.

Ethnicity is not an issue.

Hitting off the mats long term will not only hinder your progress, but eventually will lead to elbow and wrist problems.

If you are serious about becoming a pro golfer, you should consider moving to Kyushu, Kobe, Shiga, or Chiba (closest to where you are now though Shiga has the cheapest golf).

The only way to get good is to go where the golfing is plentiful and cheap because unlike the US, there aren't public courses that have $15 rounds.

Pick a few courses, go as much as possible, get your face known to the pro staff and ground crew. Sign up for monthly lessons. If things go well, eventually you will make friends and they will welcome you to use the practice greens for free even if you don't play a round or 9 holes.

If things go really well, you will make friends with enough club pros that you get invited to tournaments, offered a chance to caddy, and meet some touring pros who will share information and opportunities with you.

The above is my experience when I spent a short time (5 years) playing with the idea of going pro but I started too late and life always gets in the way...

Good luck to you!

Ibaraki is also quite good for golf. I lived there for a couple of years and it's possible to get a round of golf for 4000-5000 yen on weekdays at many courses in the prefecture. From my experience that's pretty cheap for Japan.

The OP wants to play pro golf in 2011, which means that he/she is already pretty darn good.

Ibaraki I've heard has some reasonably priced courses but it's a trip up there from Yokohama.

If you want to know about competitions and qualifiers, I'm not knowledgeable, but I'd head to any/every golf shop you can find since they might have fliers and printed materials (dunno if they have English ones) You could always try and pay a visit to Callaway Golf in Tokyo, HQ is located in:
§108-0071@“Œ‹ž“s`‹æ”’‹à‘ä5-12-7@MG”’‹à‘äƒrƒ‹
Tokyo, Minato-ku Shirokanedai 5-12-7 MG Shirokanedai Bldg

They should have a massive shop and customization studio plus a good place to ask patrons and sales staff about how to go about competing (they should know). Even if you don't like Callaway clubs (I like Executive myself), I think theyd be courteous enough to educate you on the pro golf scene in Japan.

Every pro I've ever known takes lessons (i.e., works with someone).

Just because you're a "pro" and just because you are good doesn't equate to running out and becoming a touring pro for several reasons. And it certainly takes more than skill to make it on the pro tours.

You need a support group, you need connections, you need local knowledge. You really need a "home club" to support you and it doesn't hurt to have a sugar momma or daddy (in the platonic sense or course) to support you logistically and financially.

On the whole, the life of a pro golfer is not nearly as straight forward, rewarding, or glamorous as people might think.

google golf in japan..
and the website has all courses listed in
japan and their rates...