So, let me get this straight- A birdie is better than a hole in one?
Are you good at golf? Do you consider yourself lucky? Well here is some food for thought. Imagine it is a beautifully clear day at your local round of 18. You’ve been down at the driving range each night after work, making sure you’ve got what it takes for the weekend’s company tournament. At the first tee you connect with the ball in a way which can only be described as ‘perfection’. What happens next is unbelievable. The ball softly touches down on the green and after a few short bounces lands straight in the cup. You have just achieved what the Japanese call an ‘albatross’ (a hole in one). The cheers from your fellow golfers can be heard around the course, and at first, you think the raucous display of jubilation is a result of your superior skill…or luck.

However, it isn’t until after one of your colleagues explains that you are now obliged under Japanese custom to throw a celebratory party, and shower your fellow golfers (if not your entire entourage of friends) with gifts, that you realize how unlucky you truly are. If only you had signed up for ‘hole-in-one’ insurance.

That’s right folks. Just when you thought you knew about all the quirky little things in Japanese culture, along comes one that blows you away. For about 2,000 yen per year, you can insure yourself against the possibility of making the sweetest of sweet shots in golf. This, albeit strange preventative act, can save the average golfer 100,000 yen or more if the unthinkable happens.

Will I be lining up to reorganize my insurance? With my game as it is, probably not- I have a tough time even getting on the green. I just hope you’re as unlucky as I am. Or, should I make that ‘lucky as I am’?