[Kim Ha-neul's FunFun Golf]⑮ "How Much Do You Need?"

Monthly 1-2 Million KRW Needed for Golf Beginners
5-10 Million KRW per Month for Serious Player Preparation

Since retiring in the winter of 2021, I have often been asked this question: "How much money is needed to raise a professional player?" Many people want their children to become golf players. The costs vary greatly. You need to purchase practice range fees, golf clubs, golf shoes, gloves, golf balls, and so on. On top of that, there are lesson fees.

When starting golf for the first time, the costs are not very high. You begin at an indoor practice range. Including lesson fees, it is possible with about 1 to 2 million KRW per month. However, when you start seriously training to become a player, a large investment is required. If your child is playing as a player in middle and high school, about 5 to 10 million KRW per month is needed. You need to budget around 1 million KRW for golf practice range fees and 1.5 to 2 million KRW for lesson fees. You also need to go to the field once a week. Caddy fees and others cannot be ignored.

In addition, junior players must undergo winter training. This costs at least 10 million KRW and up to 20 million KRW per year. Overseas training expenses are not cheap, but I have often seen young players improve their skills through this. Junior players need to hit many balls and acquire knowledge about golf.

Even after becoming a professional player, the expenses are high. During my 15 years of touring in Korea and Japan, I spent about 2.2 billion KRW. After becoming a tour player, you still have to pay for practice range fees and lesson fees. Also, to achieve good results, you need to hire professional caddies, trainers, and managers. Hotel fees, food expenses, and transportation costs cannot be ignored. I stayed in Japan for 7 years, and I think I spent about 200 million KRW per year on expenses. You have to invest even on the professional stage to have a long career.

Sportainer and 14-time champion on the Korea-Japan tour