“Special Day” for Children, the Community, and Ourselves enters its fourth year

The children's laughter echoing across the golf course seems to herald the early arrival of spring. On Friday, March 8, the sky unexpectedly cleared despite a forecast of rain, and 138 sixth graders from Chigasaki City Hamasuka Elementary School arrived at the GDO Chigasaki Golf Links in high spirits. The graduation event “Special Day,” which began during the COVID-19 pandemic, is now in its fourth year, and the normally closed back gate that welcomes the children to the course is becoming a "familiar path" for us.

The fun began with a game of tag in which everyone participated. Not only the GDO staff, but also the principal and homeroom teachers became it and ran around the vast lawn for five minutes. After quenching their thirst with juice, it was time for the free time children had been waiting for. They can play snag golf, footgolf, putting, and even catch using a baseball glove donated by Shohei Ohtani and have as much fun as they like in any area they choose. In the free area on the lawn, where there is no trash or stones, children are spending their time as they like—doing bridges, cartwheeling, lying down, or deep in conversation.

However, if you look closely, it is not just the children who have a sparkle in their eyes. This event was born out of the idea of contributing to the community and helping each other during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we are by no means a one-way "giver.” About 40 GDO staff members participated in the operation that day. These staff members all received smiles from the children and experienced the joy of physical activity through innocent interaction with them. The "privileges" go beyond just that.

Nobuya Mike Ishizaka, President & CEO of GDO, explains, “GDO originally started as a venture, and everyone worked together on tasks and events regardless of department or position, and that in itself had its own positive aspects. These events allow people from different departments, and people who might be in accounting, or who work in the warehouse or in the center to get together and socialize, regardless of their usual roles. Even those who stay inside all the time in their daily work can visit golf courses and interact with golfers. While this event started out as a way to help the children and the community, it's also a very rewarding way for us to educate and train our employees, as well as a refreshing change of pace."

In fact, starting this year, GDO has institutionalized event management, which was previously volunteer-based, as the "Event Experience Program." How can we facilitate smooth communication among employees as we grow? How can we efficiently and deeply share our corporate philosophy and the direction to aim for? How can we make golf more accessible to employees who do not play golf? By planning and self-managing externally valuable events, we aim to solve these issues.

The staff members who participated in the event management on that day also gained a variety of insights. Aozora Takasugi, who coaches elementary and junior high school students at KIDS GOLF by GDO, said, "Kids who have just started playing golf can’t drive a ball very far and need to hit a lot of shots, so they can't stay focused for nine holes. I always wanted them to have more fun.” For him, this was a challenge. “After experiencing today’s event, I thought of a new idea. Like today's event, for example, starting with six holes of golf followed by three holes of footgolf might keep them more engaged.”

Kanako Taniwaki, a first-year golf course sales representative who recently graduated from college and joined the Company, says, “The golf course where I am currently working was half-destroyed by a typhoon, and we have been accepting filming and events at holes that are unusable.” What else can be done at a golf course besides golf? Her ideas were transformed from imagination to conviction when she saw the children playing on site. “I'd love to tell the staff at the golf courses about what we did at today's event!"She was proud of the "tips" she had learned from her own experiences.

The balloons carrying the children's wishes painted a vivid picture in the blue sky, and the "Special Day" quickly came to a time to say goodbye. Kosuke Fujimoto, a member of the Hamasuka Elementary School SDGs Committee, who donated shortened pencils following last year's event, said, "It was a lot of fun. I'm very happy to have such opportunities for experiences that are not normally possible," he looked back on with a big smile. The 12-year-old who likes reading history books said, "I enjoyed putting golf, even though the balls didn't go in the hole even once. I thought professional players were so good!"It seemed that he also got a little taste of the depth of golf.

On the golf course, where the children had been sent off and tranquility had been restored, we reflected on the words left to us by Kazutomi Aoyagi, Hamasuka Elementary School Principal. “I was very impressed with the truly welcoming attitude of the staff. I think the children were able to sense their attitude, and it got them hooked, too," he said. But we are not the only ones who should be thanked. The local elementary school and the children who provided us with a wonderful setting are also supporting our growth.

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