The Lesson Has Changed... ② 5 Million Won vs 0 Won

Private Field Lessons Popular, Hundreds of Thousands Invested
Exclusive High-Priced Lesson Studios Charge 300,000 KRW per Session
Post-COVID-19 Surge in Interest for Free YouTuber Lessons
Trend Toward Large-Scale, Systematized Golf Practice Facilities

Weekend golfers' lessons are also changing. In the past, it was common to learn golf at a practice range near home. After about three months of lessons, players would go out on the course. However, the golf world has changed. The number of people experiencing golf in private spaces has rapidly increased. There is also the opposite case. Some amateur golfers have started accessing golf for free through platforms like YouTube. These are the extremes of weekend golfers' lessons.

The Lesson Has Changed... ② 5 Million Won vs 0 Won

To receive lessons from an A-level player, a high fee is required.

Recently, private lessons have become popular. The main clients are large corporation owners, celebrities, and sports stars. These are high-priced lessons. They receive tips on situations that can actually occur on the course. These lessons are truly valuable. For field lessons, an A-class player with tour-winning experience charges 5 million KRW per day. Of course, some players charge even more than this amount. If customer satisfaction is high, bonuses may also be given.

Individual contact with tour pros is not easy. Verification of the identity of the person seeking lessons is necessary. Generally, lessons are arranged through management companies, equipment companies, or sponsors. A-class players often serve as ambassadors for golf equipment. Players naturally provide premium lessons through pro-am events.

In the past, golf beginners (Golrini, a combination of golf + child) would start golf by visiting a practice range near their home. One pro would instruct multiple students at once. The downside was that the effectiveness relative to time invested was not great. Now, even general amateur lessons tend to be expensive. They are one-on-one lessons. Although the cost can be a burden, proper learning is possible. When receiving lessons from a full member, coupons are purchased. Ten coupons are common. The price ranges from 1.5 to 3 million KRW. Each session costs 150,000 to 300,000 KRW.

The Plaza Studio is a shared indoor practice facility equipped with perfect amenities.
[Photo by TPZ STUDIO]

Lesson time is 40 to 50 minutes. Customer satisfaction is high because intensive care is possible. All questions can be perfectly resolved. Beginners are very welcome. For one-on-one lessons between pros and amateurs, a place is needed. Practice locations must be rented. The Plaza! Studio (TPZ STUDIO) is a representative example. It is a shared studio available to anyone. It is a private space equipped with perfect facilities. There is a TrackMan system to analyze ball flight and equipment to view swings in slow motion. The quality of practice balls is also good. They are premium line balls. There is also a waiting area. Simple beverages can be enjoyed. However, renting the studio requires an additional fee. The hourly usage fee is 30,000 KRW. This cost is also borne by the customer.

There are also free lessons. The cost is '0 KRW.' These are mainly conducted through YouTube. Since COVID-19 in 2020, interest in non-face-to-face lessons has increased. Tour pros, full members, associate members, and lesson pros are active as YouTubers. Recently, even amateur experts have been uploading free videos. Popular YouTubers with hundreds of thousands of subscribers have appeared.

Simjjang is a popular golf YouTuber with 370,000 subscribers.
[Photo by Simjjang]

A representative YouTuber is Simjjang. He is a first-generation golf creator with five years of experience. Formerly a weightlifter, he started golf seriously at age 28. He opened his YouTube channel on June 22, 2009. He competed with differentiated content such as 'Home Corner Lessons.' During the COVID-19 period, he gained explosive popularity among golf beginners. His content is diverse, including golf rules, etiquette, beginner golf introduction series, and lessons for office workers and women. He has 373,000 subscribers and 1,500 uploaded videos.

YouTuber lessons can be very helpful for amateur golfers who usually enjoy golf. They can search for problems and then watch correction methods. It is a kind of one-point lesson concept. The process of testing at the practice range is necessary. However, YouTuber lessons have weaknesses. Unlike one-on-one face-to-face lessons, feedback cannot be given quickly. For golf beginners, it is not easy to understand lesson videos. Beginners should learn through formal routes.

If you go to the Golfzon GDR Academy, you can receive lessons from the professional of your choice.
[Photo by Golfzon]

Weekend golfer lessons are trending toward large-scale operations. Large companies like Golfzon GDR, Kakao VX, and ShowGolf are leading the amateur lesson market. They are fully equipped with parking lots, locker rooms, and shower facilities. They focus on customer satisfaction services. They attract customers with various events, VIP booths, couple seats, and single seats. They have transformed the concept of golf from exercise to play. The equipment is also top-notch. They have built state-of-the-art facilities. They have succeeded in systematization, including indoor and outdoor golf practice ranges, lessons shown with numerical data, distance and ball flight, swing speed, ball speed presentation, and swing image storage.