What happens to golf cancellation fees when a typhoon approaches?

This year’s Silver Week gave us a five-day holiday from Saturday through Wednesday.

Of course, GOL Husband couldn’t let a long holiday go by without playing golf!

I had two rounds planned: one on Sunday, September 20, and another on Wednesday, September 23.

But just before the holiday began, the weather forecast started to look worrying.

A Typhoon Heading Toward the Kanto Area

Looking at that forecast, my first thought was:

“Hmm…this might be too much for golf.”

Of course, typhoon paths and weather forecasts can change quickly, so I decided not to cancel immediately.

I waited until Saturday, the day before the round.

Unfortunately, the forecast still showed heavy rain, and the golf course was in an area expected to be affected by the typhoon.

Considering the weather and safety, I finally decided to cancel.

What About the Cancellation Fee?

I called the golf course and told them that I wanted to cancel my reservation.

The staff then explained the cancellation policy.

I already knew when I made the reservation that a cancellation fee would apply if I cancelled within eight days of the round, so the rule itself was not a surprise.

I asked what would happen in the case of a typhoon.

The answer was quite simple.

If the golf course decided to close, there would be no cancellation fee.

However, if the course remained open, the normal cancellation policy would apply.

If a cancellation fee was charged, I was told that I would receive the payment information later by text message.

I understood the policy.

Still, when a typhoon is approaching and heavy rain is forecast, deciding whether or not to play is not so easy.

When Should You Cancel Because of Bad Weather?

I can also understand the golf course’s position.

Weather forecasts change, and it would probably be difficult for a golf course to waive cancellation fees every time rain is forecast.

At the same time, golfers also need to make their own decision based on the forecast and safety.

That makes the timing of a cancellation quite difficult.

Before ending the call, I simply asked whether they could take the circumstances into consideration when deciding about the cancellation fee.

And that was it.

So, What Actually Happened on Sunday?

Sunday arrived and…

It did rain, just as forecast.

But the rain was not as heavy as originally expected.

Instead of the forecast 5–8 mm per hour, it was more like 1–2 mm per hour.

Looking back at the actual weather, perhaps it would have been possible to play.

But when I had to make the decision on Saturday, the forecast was still showing a typhoon and heavy rain.

Unfortunately, we can’t know exactly what tomorrow’s weather will be.

And what about the cancellation fee?

So far, I haven’t received the text message asking for payment.

Perhaps the golf course took the weather conditions into consideration.

If so, I appreciate it.

What Would You Do?

This experience reminded me how difficult it can be to decide whether to cancel a round of golf because of bad weather.

Golf courses have their cancellation policies.

Golfers, on the other hand, have to make a decision based on the weather forecast and safety.

And as this experience showed, the forecast the day before and the actual weather on the day can be quite different.

So, what would you do?

If a typhoon was approaching and the forecast showed 5–8 mm of rain per hour, would you wait until the day of your round?

Or would you cancel the day before, even if there was a possibility of paying a cancellation fee?