Only Knee High Socks With Shorts
The halfway point of the Olympic golf event is upon us. Entertainment value for the men was high as medals were bestowed on Xander, the Other Rory and C.T Pan.
The quality of the golf has been great but the star of the show thus far has been Kasumigaseki Country Club.
Unlike the made for TV course designed specifically for the 2016 Rio Games, the course hosting the Tokyo Games golf events has a long, storied history:
- Founded in 1929, comprised of the East course (Olympics site) and West Course
- Based heavily on the classic courses of the Northeastern United States
- Historically had two greens per hole, each planted with different grass species
- Allowed the course to be played continuously across different golfing seasons
Long before the Olympics, Kasumigaseki hosted the 1957 Canada Cup, an event dominated by Japanese players that jump started Japan’s love affair with golf that continues to this day.
Kasumigaseki has long been associated with the Japanese golfing elite.
- No female members until recently (shortly after the course was selected for the Games)
- 1270 full-time members, 1800 family/weekday members
- Family membership -> $36K annual dues, full membership -> $91K annual dues
- Even knowing a member, there is a two month waiting period for tee times
BEWARE! If you are lucky enough to secure a tee time, be wary of the dress code, as it is stricter than a 1950s dad laying down the rules on dating his daughter:
- Blazers are required upon arrival at the club
- Shorts cannot be worn to the golf course, but can be worn on the golf course
- Shorts must be paired with knee high socks. Must.
- Shirt collars can be popped up during play, but must be lowered in the clubhouse
While this all sounds kinda stuffy and starchy, we can all get behind one of the last rules they have onsite - “In the heat of the summer players are asked to have the courtesy to change their shirt and trousers before entering the dining room, to prevent leaving a damp seat for the next guest.”
Yeah, three cheers to Kasumigaseki for finally clamping down on swamp ass and back sweat.
