Park In-bee "Did Kim Ha-neul retire and gain a lot of weight?"

Club Change After Playing Together 2 Years Ago
"Longer Distance, Sending the Ball Ahead More Than Me
Use Comfortable Products with Less Practice
Drop Stress and Enjoy Playing"

Following a friend led to meeting a ‘benefactor’.

This is the story of Kim Ha-neul, who transformed into a sportainer after retiring in November 2021. On the 16th, at the launch show of the 2024 model XXIO new product ‘All New XXIO’ held at Club D Cheongdam in Seoul, she revealed her story of falling for the new club. She said she was ‘persuaded’ by her same-age friend born in 1988, the ‘Golf Queen’ Park In-bi. Both players are ambassadors for XXIO.

Park In-bee is joking with Kim Ha-neul at the All New XXIO Launch Show.

Since leaving the field, Kim Ha-neul has been engaged in various sportainer activities. In particular, she has made a name for herself as a YouTuber. This anecdote happened while producing content two years ago where she played a round alongside Park In-bi. After seeing Kim Ha-neul’s tee shot, Park In-bi joked, “As a former pro player, what is this distance? You need to change your club. Isn’t it time to play with women’s clubs?”

Hearing this, Kim Ha-neul fell into serious contemplation. She picked up an XXIO club for the first time. She said, “I had never tried it before. It swung comfortably and well, which surprised me.” She continued, “When I was active, I practiced so much that it was hard to feel the advantages of the club. I was confident I could hit all clubs well,” adding, “When training is insufficient, a different approach is needed. After switching to the new product, my distance increased and my direction improved,” smiling. Park In-bi also joined in praising Kim Ha-neul. “Last year, I played a round with Ha-neul. I thought she had grown her body tremendously. Her distance really increased a lot. Some balls were even ahead of me.”

The two players also shared tips for amateur golfers to enjoy golf. Park In-bi explained, “It’s not about making a living, so just play for fun. When you become interested in golf, your score naturally improves.” Kim Ha-neul also recommended stress-free golf. She said, “In the past, before falling asleep, I used to think a lot like ‘What if my driver shot goes OB (out of bounds) tomorrow?’ But now, I enjoy it without worries, so my golf really improves.”