[Field 3GO] Seolhaewon, a Garden Embracing Seoraksan and the East Sea

Top 10 Golf Courses in South Korea: Premium Tournament Courses
Eco-Friendly Golf Courses Preserving Mountains, Sea, and Pine Forests
Unique Seasonal Dishes and Best Wild Songi Mushroom Cuisine
First Domestic Hot Spring Water Swimming Pool, Popular Seolhae Bakery
Famous Naksansa Scenic Spot and Surfing at Yangyang Beach

Golf culture in Korea is gradually changing. It is shifting from a personal hobby to a family leisure activity. Golf is no longer just a pleasure for golfers but a sport to enjoy with family. Due to this change, a golf course being good alone is not enough to be the best. There must be good field conditions, food, and attractions. We introduce the ‘Field 3GO’ golf courses suitable for spending happy times with golf. This time, it is Seolhaewon (雪海園), located in Sonyang-myeon, Yangyang-gun, Gangwon-do.

Seolhaewon is a luxury golf course where you can enjoy classy golf.
[Photo by Seolhaewon]

◆EnjoyGO= Seolhaewon means ‘a garden of rest embracing Seorak and the East Sea.’ The name comes from the three characters: Seol (雪) for Seoraksan, Hae (海) for the East Sea, and Won (園) for garden. It is located just south of Yangyang International Airport. It started as Golden Beach CC in 2007. Since 2017, it has been remodeled into the current golf resort.

Seolhaewon is a prestigious golf course selected annually as one of Korea’s top 10 courses. It offers a classy golf experience. You can tee off facing the East Sea and take your second shot toward Daecheongbong Peak. You can play a round with Seorak and the East Sea as your gallery. It is an exciting and happy moment. It is a tournament course. In September 2019, it hosted the ‘Seolhaewon Legend Match,’ an event featuring legends of women’s golf.

Salmon Course Hole 4 is considered the most beautiful hole in Korea.
[Photo by Seolhaewon]

The Sea View Course is where beauty is highlighted. The 5th hole feels vast enough that the East Sea’s horizon seems to sink from the tee box. At the 8th hole, if you look back from the second shot point, the Taebaek mountain range unfolds like an oriental painting. From the green, the East Sea feels close enough to touch. At the 9th hole, you can overlook the entire course at a glance. The Salmon Course is inspired by salmon swimming upstream to their birthplace. The 4th hole is Seolhaewon’s signature hole. It was selected as one of the most beautiful 18 holes among over 10,000 holes in Korea. In front of the 9th hole green, there is a 3-meter deep bunker. It is a hole that arouses the desire for conquest.

The Pine Course is an eco-friendly hole created without damaging the clusters of Korean red pine trees. It is a par 37 course. From the deck of the shade house, you can enjoy the East Sea through the pine forest. The Legend Course aims for the top 1% in Korea. It is the first in the country to use a new variety of bentgrass turf made of 50% Kingdom + 50% L93XD. It offers varied hole layouts, distances, and directions for an engaging play experience.

At Seolhaewon Restaurant, you can experience the finest food in the best environment.
[Photo by Seolhaewon]

◆EatGO= The clubhouse restaurant offers the finest food. Ingredients are delivered daily, including homemade sauces and kimchi. They use antibiotic-free free-range eggs, HACCP-certified perilla oil, pesticide-free locally sourced shiitake mushrooms, and first-grade clean seawater tofu from the East Coast. The skills and ideas of top chefs combine to create an exquisite taste. Customers are gifted with culinary happiness through unique seasonal dishes that change with the seasons. Wild pine mushroom dishes and Thai food sets are among the best.

The Start House perfectly combines golf and gourmet dining. It boasts distinctive recipes and classy service all year round. It is the starting point for the best round. You can have a light meal with sirloin bulgogi kimbap, Seolhaewon seafood jajang, seafood ramen, and more. There are also snowflake fried dumplings, spicy sea snails with noodles, Iberico kimchi stir-fry with grilled tofu, old-fashioned whole chicken, assorted fried dishes, and nostalgic soup tteokbokki.

At Seolhaewon, you can take care of your health in a swimming pool using hot spring water.
[Photo by Seolhaewon]

Seolhaewon is not only a golf course but also a resort where you can enjoy hot springs. More than 1,000 tons of hot spring water gush out daily. The swimming pool is the first in Korea to be supplied with hot spring water. The resort also offers abundant amenities such as a screen golf course, bars, cafes, board game rooms, table tennis rooms, billiards rooms, convenience stores, and karaoke rooms. The rooms within Seolhaewon include ‘Mountain Stay,’ which has a mountain lodge feel; ‘Seolhae Oncheon,’ centered around the hot springs; and ‘Golftel,’ which features a simple style. The resort has sold 72 plots to members for building private villas.

At Seolhae Bakery, you can enjoy freshly baked bread.
[Photo by Seolhaewon]

When you visit Seolhaewon, the aroma of bread is artistic. On the second basement floor of Seolhae Oncheon is ‘Seolhae Bakery.’ It has an open kitchen structure where customers can watch the bread-making process. Freshly baked bread pours out at 8 a.m. Golfers visiting Seolhaewon can enjoy warm bread at the Start House. Popular items include premium rice salt bread made with domestic rice and German salt, low-temperature fermented ciabatta with domestic spinach, potatoes, and various cheeses, blueberry bread combining chewy bread and blueberry compote, and pie manju generously filled with red bean paste and nuts.

Naksansa Temple in Yangyang is a beautiful temple overlooking the East Sea at a glance.
[Photo by Yangyang County Office]

◆SeeGO= In Yangyang, Naksansa Temple is a representative scenic spot. It is an ancient temple founded by Monk Uisang in the 11th year of King Munmu of Silla. Along with Bomunsa Temple in Ganghwa and Boriam Hermitage in Namhae, it is considered one of Korea’s three major Avalokitesvara pilgrimage sites. It is a temple with a breathtaking view overlooking the East Sea. It holds several cultural assets, including a 16-meter-high Haesugwaneum statue, Uisangdae pavilion built on a coastal cliff, Hongryeonam hermitage overlooking the sea, and a seven-story stone pagoda (treasure) following Goryeo dynasty style. In 2005, a large wildfire destroyed about 20 temple buildings, including the treasured bronze bell.

You can enjoy swimming and surfing at Yangyang Beach.
[Photo by Yangyang County Office]

Yangyang Beach is also worth visiting. It is famous for its clear sea and clean white sand beaches. In summer, people enjoy swimming and surfing. There are various cafes and restaurants along the beach. The sunset at the beach is fantastic. The Haepalanggil Trail Course 44 is perfect for walking. It is a 12.3 km walking path from Yangyang Fisheries Port to Seorak Sunrise Park. Course 44 is relatively easy in difficulty. It can be completed in about 4 hours and 30 minutes on foot. It passes through Mulchi Port, Yangyang’s representative fishing port, Seorak Sunrise Park, and Naksandaegyo Bridge.