Unique Hole-in-One Prizes "Car as Standard, Plus Officetel and Space Travel Tickets" ... "To Stand Out"

Recent Buzz on Dongbu Construction's 'Nonhyeon Centreville La Mer Officetel', Seo Ha-kyung's 'BMW i8' Jackpot, Park In-bi's Luxury Bed 'Wedding Preparation'

The Dongbu Construction and Korea Land Trust Championship recently made headlines by offering an officetel as a hole-in-one prize.

[Asia Economy Kim Hyun-jun, Golf Specialist Reporter] ‘Nonhyeon Centreville La Mer Officetel’.

It was the hole-in-one prize hung at the 16th hole (par 3, 144 yards) of the Jeonbuk Iksan Golf Course (par 72), which ended on the 17th, at the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour Dongbu ConstructionㆍKorea Land Trust Championship. Valued at 160 million KRW, it is comparable to the winner's prize money of 180 million KRW. Although no hole-in-one was made, the unique spoils attracted the spotlight. From cars as a basic prize to Korean beef, high-quality liquor, luxury beds, and space travel tickets, we looked into the "everything included" hole-in-one prizes on the professional stage.

Seo Ha-kyung hit a hole-in-one during the BMW Ladies in July 2015, winning the BMW i8 jackpot.

▲ Jeong Ye-na "Officetel jackpot", Seo Ha-kyung "BMW i8 jackpot" = Jeong Ye-na (33) became the owner of a 130 million KRW Biz Tweet 33㎡ officetel located in Guro-dong, Seoul, with a hole-in-one at the 13th hole (par 3) during the first round of the MY Moonyoung Queens Park Championship held at Seowon Valley Golf Course (par 72) in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in July 2016. She used an 18-degree hybrid from a distance of 174 yards. She said, "It was my first official tournament hole-in-one," adding, "After that, my hands trembled so much that I couldn't make a shot."

Baek Gyeong-eun (36) secured two cars. One was at ADT Caps (BMW 750Li) in November 2009, and the other at the Hyundai China Women's Open (Genesis) in December 2012. Kim Se-young (28, September 2013 Hanwha Finance Classic, Mercedes-Benz SUV G350), Choi Yu-rim (31, August 2013 MBN Women's Open, BMW 750Li), Seo Ha-kyung (28, July 2015 BMW Ladies, BMW i8), Oh Kyung-eun (21, June 2020 Lotte Cantata Women's Open, K9), and Kim Cho-yeon (26, May 2021 E1 Charity Open, Staria) also earned considerable side income.

Seo Yeon-jung (31) recorded the highest value with a Bentley Continental Flying Spur worth nearly 300 million KRW. It was at the 17th hole (par 3, 168 yards) of the Hanwha Finance Classic in September 2012. The 'Bentley controversy' caused a big stir. The KLPGA Tour explained that "special prizes are not awarded to amateurs according to golf rules," but Hanwha Finance claimed that "the rules had already been revised earlier in the year." Seo Yeon-jung's father eventually conceded by saying, "We will not accept the car," bringing the matter to a close.

In August 2010, Hoengseong Hanwoo appeared as a hole-in-one prize at the Volvik Women's Open.

▲ To stand out, "From a cow to high-quality liquor, luxury beds, and space travel tickets" = The 2010 Volvik Women's Open attracted attention with the appearance of a cow. It is worth noting that Hoengseong Cheongwoo Golf Course (par 72) in Gangwon Province is the hometown of Korean beef. The Hoengseong Livestock Cooperative sponsored a cow and even built a cowshed next to the teeing ground of the 13th hole (par 3, 151 yards). Players laughed as they fed grass directly to the cow just before tee shots.

Lim Ji-na (34) shared an interesting story about revealing her weight at the Orient China Ladies Open held at Xiamen Orient Golf Course (par 72) in Fujian Province, China, in December 2009. She made a hole-in-one at the 12th hole (par 3, 156 yards) in the second round and received Kinmen Kaoliang liquor equivalent to her weight. One 500cc bottle costs 500 yuan (92,000 KRW), so at 60kg, she received 120 bottles, valued at 11 million KRW. She joked, "There was so much liquor that I gave some to my colleagues and had to sell the rest."

Park In-bi (33, KB Financial Group) made news by acquiring a luxury bed. Right after her wedding in October 2014, she made a hole-in-one in the third round of the KB Financial Star Championship and received a 35 million KRW Duxiana bed. Andy Sullivan (England) secured a space travel ticket offered by XCOR Aerospace with a hole-in-one at the 15th hole (par 3) of the fourth round of the 2014 European Tour KLM Open. The itinerary includes departing from the Mojave Desert, orbiting about 39 miles (62 km) in space, and returning to Earth.