Park Golf is Gaining Popularity

Number of Park Golf Courses Nationwide Reaches 411
Park Golf Membership Surges to 183,788
Affordable, Accessible, and Easy to Learn: The Secret to Park Golf's Popularity
Concerns Over Hasty Development, Unplanned Expansion, and Environmental Issues

The Park Golf craze is gaining momentum. As park golf courses are being established across the country, the number of park golf players and tournaments is rapidly increasing.

According to the Korea Park Golf Association on the 28th, the number of park golf courses, which was 226 in 2019, increased to 254 in 2020, 303 in 2021, 329 in 2022, 374 in 2023, and 411 in 2024. By the 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, Gyeongnam has the most with 66 courses, followed by Gyeongbuk with 62, Gyeonggi with 43, Gangwon with 37, Jeonnam with 35, Daegu with 34, and Chungnam with 32.

Three generations are playing with bright smiles at the National Senior Family Love Park Golf Tournament held at Asan Yi Sun-sin Park Golf Course in October 2024. Photo by Korea Park Golf Association

The number of park golf members is also steadily increasing. The membership, which was 45,478 in 2020, surged to 64,001 in 2021, 106,505 in 2022, 142,664 in 2023, and 183,788 in 2024. While it was mainly enjoyed by the elderly before, recently, middle-aged people have shown interest, expanding the age range.

The prize money is also growing. At the ‘2024 Hwacheon Sancheoneo National Park Golf Festival’ held in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon Province, last September, the prize money for the men’s and women’s divisions reached 30 million won each. The Korea Park Golf Association explained, "Park golf courses are rapidly increasing because it can be enjoyed in urban areas at a low cost, and the short course makes it easy for the elderly to access."

Park golf is a sport where you can take care of your health while spending time at an affordable cost. It takes about 40 minutes to complete 18 holes, about an hour to finish the entire round, and you walk an average of 7,000 steps. Some players walk more than 10,000 steps to maximize the exercise effect.

Thanks to these advantages, local governments nationwide are paying attention to park golf. It contributes not only to improving the health and welfare of local residents but also to revitalizing the local economy by attracting external tourists through various tournaments. In fact, in Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon Province, hundreds of club members visit every week, injecting vitality into the local economy.

Park golf has a low entry barrier, so anyone can easily start. Booking is easier than at regular golf courses, and the cost is affordable, ranging from 3,000 won to 10,000 won. The necessary equipment is also simple. A club, ball, hat, shoes, tee, gloves, marker, ball pocket, scorecard, and sportswear are sufficient.

The game format is simple as well. Teams of 3 to 4 people use one club to put a fist-sized plastic ball into the hole. Anyone can easily enjoy a round after completing a basic training program and practicing sufficiently.

For the game, one club, one ball, and a tee are required. The dedicated club is used throughout the game, with the club head made of wood, measuring 86 cm in length and weighing less than 600 g. Shoes must be sneakers or golf shoes with rubber soles, and the tee is made of rubber with a height of 2.3 cm or less. The ball is larger than a regular golf ball, made of plastic, with a diameter of 6 cm and a weight of 80 to 95 g.

Comedian Bae Dong-seong is taking a shot in the 2024 November Park Golf Celebrity Club League. Photo by Korea Park Golf Association

The hole length ranges from 40 to 150 meters, which is less burdensome compared to regular golf. One course consists of 9 holes: four par 3 holes (40?60 m), four par 4 holes (60?100 m), and one par 5 hole (100?150 m). The total course length is 500 to 790 meters, and walking two courses means covering 1,000 to 1,580 meters. The course area is about 8,250 square meters (2,500 pyeong), with a standard par of 33. The course includes elements such as teeing ground, fairway, green, rough, bunker, out of bounds (OB), and hazards.

Park golf is a sport reorganized to enjoy regular golf in small green spaces. It can be established in urban parks or idle land, allowing people of all ages and even those with disabilities to enjoy it together. It is also known to improve knee health, alleviate diabetes and depression, and prevent dementia. Park golf, which started in Japan in 1983, was introduced domestically in 2000, and the first official 9-hole Han River Park Golf Course in Korea opened in Yeouido, Seoul, in 2004.

Park golf courses are healing spaces where you can feel relaxation and enjoyment in nature. Photo by Hwacheon Sancheon-eo Park Golf Course

Park golf is a sport accessible and affordable for people of all ages and genders. Since all holes must be walked, it has a significant exercise effect, and playing in nature positively impacts health. Above all, it is easily accessible near urban areas, making it suitable for modern people. In the rapidly changing Korean society with low birth rates and aging population, park golf is gaining attention as a visionary sport suitable for the ‘100-year life’ era. Additionally, the fact that three generations?grandfather, father, and child?can enjoy it together is a great attraction.

However, problems caused by rapid expansion must also be considered. Indiscriminate development of park golf courses has led to issues such as reckless development and allegations of preferential treatment. In some areas, projects have been hastily pushed forward or rejected by city councils. Moreover, if courses are forcibly established near rivers and streams, concerns about ecosystem damage, environmental pollution, and flood damage have been raised. To solve these problems, systematic management and sustainable development are necessary.