Lady golfers from Japan savour Sri Lanka for Taiheiyo and RCGC Golf Classic

The Japanese lady golfers from Taiheiyo  Club with counterparts of the Royal Colombo Golf Club. From left: Jane, Margot, Suwan, Setuko, Neranjali, Tamae, Keiko, Toshini, Fran, Lee (back), Suchiko, Suchiko Aoki, Masako, Sharon, Roshini, Kumari, Danny (back), Masako, Irene and Sumithra

As part of the Japan’s Taiheiyo Golf Club and Royal Colombo Golf Club reciprocal partnership initiated by NWS Holdings Ltd., yet another group of Japanese golfers, this time lady players, visited Sri Lanka to enjoy the game and hospitality. 

Eight lady Japanese golfers took part in a two-day friendly tournament played at the RCGC on 29 and 30 June. 

The two day tournament was played in the ‘Stable Ford’ format and two trophies were presented to the winners by NWS Holdings. Both trophies were won by the visiting team. The ‘Taiheiyo and RCGC Reciprocal Membership Golf Classic was presented by NWS Holdings. ‘

The lady players were Toshimi Sasaki, Masako Kabutoya, Keiko Sakai, Sachiko Aoki, Junko Hongo, Tamae Kunimoto, Sachie Sugino and Setsuko Kumaga.

NWS Holdings Chairman Takashi Igarashi in partnership with Bansei Securities Ltd., was instrumental in inviting this team from Taiheiyo Golf Club Japan to visit Sri Lanka. 

In October last year the 135-year old Royal Colombo Golf Club signed a reciprocal membership program with Tokyo’s Taiheiyo Club which has 17 courses including one overlooking Mt. Fuji and 17,000 members. 

The landmark reciprocal membership program is aimed at boosting sports tourism.  

In February this year a top group of 12 Japanese corporate executives who are golf enthusiasts visited Sri Lanka followed by the lady’s group.  

At present golf crazy affluent Japanese travel to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines to enjoy the game. Both RCGC and Taiheiyo Club expressed hope that around 1,500 members of the latter could be lured to explore and enjoy Sri Lanka and its golf.  NWS Holdings as well as Bansei Group are aggressively promoting golf tourism given the immense potential.

Pix by Shehan Gunasekera