2-3 Rounds a Week, Deeply Enjoying Golf
Compensating for Lack of Exercise by Walking on the Field
Engaging Core, Maintaining Proper Posture and Core Training
Walking on Flat Golf Courses, Seongmunan CC Also Attractive
Kim Ha-neul these days finds great joy in going to golf courses. She is deeply captivated by the charm of golf. In an interview with Asia Economy on the 30th, she said, "The nature that I couldn't see during my playing days has started to look beautiful. I am also feeling the changes of the seasons," and smiled, "Even if I don't play golf well, I really enjoy being out on the field. Everything?the wind, the sunlight, the air?appeals to me." She continued, "I think I am beginning to understand the fun of golf," and laughed brightly, "Spending 4 to 5 hours with people I like seems to be something only golf offers."
Kim Ha-neul is a star player who won the Rookie of the Year on the Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) Tour in 2007 and was the leading money winner for two consecutive years in 2011 and 2012, accumulating a total of 8 wins on the KLPGA Tour. She moved to the Japan Ladies Professional Golf Association (JLPGA) Tour in 2015 and secured 6 wins there. In November 2021, she played her retirement match at the KLPGA Tour SK Telecom·ADT Caps Championship. Since then, she has been active in various fields including broadcasting, serving as a FootJoy ambassador, and as a YouTuber.
The number of rounds she plays has decreased compared to her active career. When she was a player, she played about 4 rounds a week. Recently, it has been about 2 to 3 rounds on average. Of course, she still plays walking golf these days. "I try to walk a lot. I make up for the reduced exercise by walking around the golf course. If the pace of play is not an issue, I always walk. I tend to enjoy walking during rounds."
She prefers difficult courses because she can walk more. "When I participate in regular tournaments in Japan, I walk about 12,000 steps a day. In major tournaments, I reach about 16,000 steps. Major tournaments don’t necessarily have longer courses, but the courses are difficult, so I have to go back and forth frequently. I often miss greens and have to do more approach shots than usual. The greens are challenging, so I carefully read the lines from multiple spots. Naturally, this leads to a lot of walking."
Kim Ha-neul shared her know-how for walking golf. She emphasized, "Always engage your abdominal muscles while walking." She explained, "Since I was young, I have walked with my stomach muscles engaged. I paid attention to keeping my pelvis stable." She added, "Compared to my body, I tend not to have belly fat because I walk with my abs engaged." Habits are powerful. Even when chatting with colleagues at a cafe, her posture remains correct. "My older sisters often tell me to relax a bit when sitting," she said, "I’m not consciously doing it, but I think it has become a habit to walk with my abs engaged."
She also gave advice to middle-aged women golfers with belly fat. "After having children and managing the household, the body tends to deteriorate. You need to engage your abs. It naturally becomes core training. It eliminates back pain, and you can enjoy the effect of losing belly fat. You can build a great abdomen without doing abdominal exercises. Walking confidently with your abs engaged also looks stylish."
She recommended walking golf over running golf. "Just walking at the golf course makes you sweat a lot. It’s aerobic exercise. You can feel your heart rate increase. Running is too hard. It’s not easy to control your breathing when hitting shots. Just walking with your abs engaged is enough. You can get exercise benefits by walking fast without running."
Kim Ha-neul recommended golf courses with mostly flat terrain for walking golf. "Domestic golf courses are often built in mountainous areas and tend to have slopes," she said, "but if you look carefully, there are quite a few golf courses good for walking." Among the golf courses she recently visited, she recommended Seongmunan Country Club in Wonju, Gangwon-do, as a good place for walking. "Except for a few holes, Seongmunan CC is a golf course good for walking. The natural scenery is also very beautiful. I think it’s a golf course where you can sweat moderately."
Kim Ha-neul gave high praise to the ‘10,000 Steps a Day, 1,000 Characters a Day (Hamanhacheon) Walking Challenge Season 4’ organized by Asia Economy, specifically the ‘Golf Course Grass 10,000 Steps Walking Challenge (May 15?July 14).’ This is an untact challenge where participants who walk 10,000 steps can enter a draw to win prizes such as free use of Paju Seowon Hills, Boston bags, golf balls, golf hats, and UV protection patches. The participant with the highest number of steps receives a driver, rangefinder, and hybrid club as part of the walking encouragement event. She said, "I think it’s a really great challenge. It’s the best event where you can enjoy golf, take care of your health, and get prizes."
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