Terms of use

1. Who we are

Golf Time Japan, by Chotto Sketch, is run by Kentaro Kusumoto as a sole proprietor (個人事業主) under the trade name Golf Time Japan. “We” and “us” in these terms means Golf Time Japan. You can reach us at hello@golftimejapan.com.

2. What we do

We are a booking service. The golf course provides your round; we pass your booking to the course and handle the deposit.

• You pick an open tee time and pay the deposit. Your booking then waits for the course.
• The course confirms the time, or, if it has just been taken, offers up to 3 other times on the same day. You pick one and it is confirmed straight away.
• If the course can't take your group that day, it declines and your deposit is refunded in full.
• A booking is final once the course confirms it. We email you at every step.

3. Your account

You sign in with a one-time link sent to your email. Keep access to that email safe: anyone who can open it can manage your bookings. Give the lead golfer's real name, as the course checks it at the desk.

4. Price and deposit

• Prices are per player, in Japanese yen, tax included, and depend on the day (weekday, Saturday, Sunday or holiday). What a price includes is listed on each course page.
• The price shown includes a ¥2,500-per-player deposit. You pay the deposit online to Golf Time Japan when you book, for arranging your booking. It counts toward the price, so it is not an extra charge.
• You pay the balance at the course front desk on the day, together with anything else you use there (food and drinks, rental clubs, caddies and so on).
• If you add rental clubs, they are shown in your total and paid at the course.

5. Your card and the no-show fee

Your card is processed by Stripe. We never see or store the full card number. The card you pay the deposit with is saved for that booking only, so that we can charge the course's no-show fee if the cancellation rules below call for it. Each course sets its own no-show fee per player; it is shown on the course page and on the booking page before you pay. We charge it on the course's behalf and pass it to the course.

6. Cancelling

Cancel in My bookings. Days are counted in Japan time, up to the date of your round.

• Before the course confirms (waiting for the course, or other times offered): always free, deposit refunded in full.
• 7 or more days before: free, deposit refunded in full.
• 1–6 days before: the deposit is kept.
• On the day, or not showing up: the deposit is kept and the course's no-show fee is charged to your saved card.

To change the date or time, cancel and book again; the rules above apply to the cancellation. Refunds go back to the card you paid with. Banks usually take 5–10 days to show them.

7. When the course can't take you, or closes

If the course declines your booking, or closes on the day (for example for heavy rain, snow or a typhoon), your deposit is refunded in full and no fee is charged. Whether to close is the course's decision. If the course is open and you decide not to play, the same-day rule in section 6 applies.

8. On the day

The course's own rules apply at the course: dress code, bath rules (including tattoos), pace of play, and anything its staff ask. Each course page explains the main ones. If the course turns your group away because a rule wasn't followed, it counts as a same-day cancellation.

9. Our responsibility

We are responsible for passing your booking on correctly and for handling your deposit as these terms describe. The round, the facilities and everything that happens at the course are the course's responsibility. Unless we acted on purpose or with gross negligence, we are not liable for losses caused by the course, the weather, transport, or events outside our control, and our liability for a booking is limited to the amount you paid us for it.

Nothing in these terms limits rights you have under Japanese law that cannot be limited, including the Consumer Contract Act.

10. Changes to these terms

We may update these terms. We post the new version here with a new date, and tell you by email about important changes. Bookings already made keep the cancellation rules shown when you booked.

11. Law and courts

These terms are governed by the laws of Japan. The Utsunomiya District Court is the court of first instance for any dispute.

12. Contact

Email hello@golftimejapan.com. Our seller details are on the commerce disclosure page and how we handle your data is in the privacy policy.