Too popular…A round-table discussion on the love lives of professional female golfers

The popularity of women professional golfers knows no bounds. They spend their days competing on tours throughout Japan every week, and at the same time, they are treated like celebrities and idols. What kind of love lives do they have in the midst of such a busy schedule?

Hinako Shibuno♡Haruhi Nozawa (TV TOKYO Announcer)
February 12, 2009 issue

Female golfer A: “ Our love life?　I guess it’s not with girls of my generation. Talking about love is one of the main themes when players talk to each other. They talk about their boyfriends, who they like, and so on, even during the game.

A member of the golf media said, “ The world of women’s golf is very small. People who become professionals often have known each other since childhood or have some kind of connection with each other. Many of them have known each other for a long time, so it is likely that they talk about things quite frankly, isn’t it?”

A “ I don’t know about the rest of the world, but it’s not like they hide much.”

Golf association member C: “ A while ago, I was having a drink with some people in the industry, and one of them said, ‘I had sex for the first time the other day,’ which surprised me. It was better than I thought it would be. She told me a lot of details, but I can’t say much more than that (laughs).”

Pro Caddie D: “ I hear that kind of story a lot (laughs). When a pro who had sex the night before scores well in a match, he or she will tell a “carnal” episode and the crowd gets excited (laughs). But there are some who hide it. In those cases, it’s usually a member of their own family.

Why are there so many relationships in the industry?

B: “ ‘Friday’ reported on the love affair between Rikako Morita, the 13th year Grand Prize winner, and her trainer Kazutaka Yasufuku, and showed Morita visiting his house frequently. Also, Sakura Yokomine is married to her personal mental trainer, and Ai Miyazato’s husband is her own manager. I get the impression there’s a lot of romance in the industry.”

C “ That can’t be helped. The women’s golf tour is a caravan. Every week, the same group of players gather at various locations around the country to play matches. Trainers, coaches, caddies, managers, and JLPGA (Japan Ladies Professional Golfers’ Association) staff…. …. The venues for the matches are not in the city and the mornings are early, so it is not possible to go out at night. During the season, I rarely have a chance to meet men outside the industry.

D “ For a four-day tournament, professionals usually arrive at the tournament site on Tuesday. After practicing that day, there is a pre-tournament party. On Wednesday, sponsors and others are invited to a pro-am tournament. Thursday through Sunday are the tournaments. Monday is off but spent taking care of their bodies and practicing. They are quite busy. During the season, female pros rarely drink alcohol. If they do drink, it’s one or two drinks. Even if they do go out to dinner, they don’t stay until late because they say, ‘It will affect my game.

A. “ Golf is a mental sport. A. “Golf is a mental sport, and I want someone I can talk to frequently and who understands my job as a golfer. People in the golf industry are always nearby, they understand me, and I think it makes it easier for me to fall in love with them.

D “ Yes, the golf industry person who was dating the e-pro said that he received lines every day from the e-pro saying, ‘Tell me you like me,’ or ‘Come see me right now’ even though he was in the countryside, and that it was hard for him to take care of his mental health. He said it was hard to take care of his mental health.”

B “ If you go out with your people, how do you date?”

A “ I almost can’t go on dates (laughs). We just meet in the room where we are staying at the match venue. We meet in the room where we are staying at the venue of the match (laughs). Then, after the match on Sunday or on Monday when we are off duty, sometimes.

D “ When we are dating within our own family, we are somewhat embarrassed and try to hide it, but to be frank, it’s obvious (laughs). (laughs). It inevitably comes out in my attitude. (Laughs) Since most of the venues for the games are in the countryside, there are limited places to stay. There are often several people involved in the tournament staying at the same hotel, so it is easy for witnesses to say, ‘Zero came out of XX’s room,’ and it is easy for them to find out.

Little interaction with male pros

B: “ I don’t hear much about romance with male pros on tour. Aoi Onishi, who recently made headlines for abandoning her caddie job, is married to pro Yuji Ito.

A “ There is very little interaction with male pros on tour. A: “I have very little interaction with the men’s pros on the tour. We only meet at off-season events.”

C “ If it is a male pro who runs a golf school or works as a coach, I can make contact with him, but Mr. F, a male pro, has been involved in various affairs with female pros… D “Mr. F is a female pro…”

D “ Mr. F is the one who was caught coming out of a female professional’s room (laughs). Also, from what I’ve heard, there are some male pros who are like ″garcy″. A tanimachi who attends to the women. I wonder if those male pros would date a strong-minded female pro without any contact.”

C “ Like baseball players, there are “Tanimachi” in each region. Like baseball players, there is a “Tanimachi” in each region, like Gyasi in Kyushu and Gyasi in Hokkaido.

B “ This may be a bit of a misguided observation, but in Japan today, women’s games are overwhelmingly more popular than men’s games, and the level of competition has been rising. There are more matches. Women’s income is also higher than men’s. I think male professionals have a bit of a competitive edge over female professionals.