[Field 3GO] Jack Nicklaus GC Korea 'Coexistence of Nature and City'

The Only Golf Course in Korea Named After Nicklaus
Urban Golf Course with Extreme Difficulty of Hazards and Bunkers
Presidents Cup and Genesis Championship Tournament Course
Diverse Cuisine Surpassing Luxury Hotels, Self-Developed Liquors
‘Central Park’ Best Place Full of Entertainment

Golf culture is gradually changing. It is shifting from a personal hobby to a family leisure activity. Golf is no longer just the enjoyment of golfers but a sport to be enjoyed with family. Due to this change, a golf course being good alone is not enough to be considered the best. It must have good field conditions, food, and attractions. We introduce the ‘Field 3GO’ golf courses that are suitable for spending happy times with golf.

Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea is an urban golf course where the city and the golf course harmonize.

◆EnjoyGO= Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea is a place to enjoy the class of golf games. It opened in October 2010 in Songdo, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon Metropolitan City. It was built on 946,702.6㎡ with a golf course (771,912.7㎡) and fairway villas (174,789.9㎡). It is the only golf club in Korea bearing the name of the ‘Living Golf Legend’ Jack Nicklaus (USA). Nicklaus has participated in the design of 290 courses worldwide. Among them, over 700 golf tournaments have been held on 95 courses.

Jack Nicklaus (center) is closely examining the design plans of the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, which he designed.

The golf course harmonizes with the Songdo International Business District. It offers a wide range of strategic choices with various teeing areas. It is a tournament course with a total length of 7,470 yards. It has hosted major tournaments. In 2015, it held the Presidents Cup, a golf competition between the USA and the International team, and in 2018, the UL International Crown, a women’s golf international competition. Since 2017, it has also hosted the Genesis Championship of the Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour. This year, it will be held in October as a joint event by KPGA and the DP World Tour.

This is the view of the signature 18th hole at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.

It is regarded as the most challenging course in Korea. The greens are contoured with hazards and bunkers. It has an ‘extreme difficulty’ level comparable to the PGA Tour. The signature hole is the 18th hole (par 5). It is where Bae Sang-moon bowed his head after attempting a bump and run during the Presidents Cup. The tournament length is 542 yards, and the white tee is 488 yards. There is a large pond on the right side of the fairway. To successfully reach the green, both the tee shot and the second shot must avoid the hazard on the right and be sent to the left of the center of the fairway.

It is an urban golf course. The scenery of the West Sea, the beautiful atmosphere of the fairway villas, and the city’s building forest blend together to offer a unique view. It is rare among inland golf clubs in Korea to have bentgrass planted not only on the tees and greens but also on the fairways. It provides excellent shot feel and maintains greenery throughout all four seasons. It offers a comfortable feeling like walking on a carpet. Appropriate rewards are given according to the golfer’s patience and accuracy. It is a true landmark that will be talked about for many years. It offers the best golf practice facilities in Korea, including a driving range made of bentgrass, separate chipping and putting greens, and a bunker practice area.

At the clubhouse of Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea, golf, leisure, business, and various food and beverage services are offered.

◆EatGO= The clubhouse is the largest in Korea, combining modern design and comfort. It was designed by Mehrdad Yazdani, a world-renowned architect from California, USA. The multi-story building has a total floor area of 17,716㎡ (about 5,359 pyeong) and includes conference rooms, dining rooms, wine rooms, lounges, and more, linking business and leisure. The clubhouse offers golf, leisure, business, and various food and beverage services.

You can enjoy sophisticated and elegant dining services and banquets. It offers Korean, Chinese, Japanese, and Western menus that surpass those of luxury hotels. A la carte dishes include abalone perilla seaweed soup, grilled tilefish with seafood soybean paste stew, Jack Hanwoo burger, and handmade Japanese-style pork cutlet. New menu items have been added, such as premium Hanwoo jjamppong, Gapyeong pine nut noodles, spicy cream sauce seafood spaghetti, water parsley crab fried rice, and enchiladas.

Korean set menus are popular. They include caviar and scallop tartare, black sesame porridge, crab claw shrimp with ginseng sauce, grilled Hanwoo flower ribs with chili sauce, grilled tilefish with soybean paste stew set, master’s sikhye (sweet rice drink), and seasonal fruits. All course menus are operated by advance reservation. There are also house-developed liquors such as Jack Lager, Jack Stout, Mahan (17, 24, 48 degrees), and Mahan Oak (40 degrees).

Songdo Central Park is a seawater park located around the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea.
[Photo by Incheon Facilities Corporation]

◆SeeGO= There are many attractions around Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. Among them, Songdo Central Park is representative. It is Korea’s first seawater park using seawater and an urban park that reflects Korea’s geographical characteristics. The artificial waterways have water leisure facilities such as water taxis and canoes. It is a landmark and resting place in Songdo where you can enjoy various cultures and arts throughout the park.

Central Park has a special resting area. The Sunset Garden, located at the west end of Central Park, has many attractions such as the West Boathouse, waterfront stage, children’s garden, and cube sculptures. The Sensory Garden is a scenic observation space consisting of facilities such as the Faces of the World, a work made of masks representing 120 countries worldwide, and an observation deck. There is also the Terrace Garden, which includes the UN Plaza, East Boathouse, and Folk Play Yard.