[The Editors' Verdict] Time to Slow Down the Expansion of Park Golf Courses

Easy and Affordable to Learn in Parks,
Park Golf Explodes in Popularity Among Seniors
Competition to Build and Expand New Courses
Sparks Backlash and Unintended Consequences
Instead of Building Bigger and More,
A Better Model Is Needed

Kyung Ho Lee Issue & Trend Team Leader

Chilgok County in North Gyeongsang Province has switched the management of its seven park golf courses to direct operation starting this month. Previously, due to budgetary reasons, the courses were entrusted to a specific organization. However, this organization managed the courses as a membership system, charging association fees and membership fees under the guise of management costs, and restricting access to members of other groups, which led to controversy over privatization and discrimination. In response, Chilgok County revised its ordinance, dispatched staff, and allowed county residents to use the courses free of charge. In Wonju, Gangwon Province, controversy is growing over the expansion of the Wonjucheon Park Golf Course. Wonju City is currently adding 18 holes to the existing 18-hole course, with completion scheduled for October. Some residents are opposing the plan, demanding that the riverside land be developed as a park for all residents, not as a space for a specific organization.

Park golf, which refers to golf enjoyed in parks, is popular especially among the elderly because it is easy to learn, inexpensive, and highly accessible. Local governments are busy building park golf courses for various reasons, including the expansion of welfare for the elderly, the development of recreational sports infrastructure, revitalization of the local economy, and, in some cases, to appeal to voters. The scale and content of park golf courses are on track to surpass traditional golf courses. According to the Korea Golf Course Management Association, as of 2023, there are 522 golf courses nationwide, with 10,351 holes and 47.72 million users. According to the Korea Park Golf Association, as of May, there are 423 park golf courses nationwide, with 8,113 holes and 12.77 million users (as of 2023). The number of park golf courses increased from 226 in 2019 to 426 in six years, and if 120 more are added within five years, the number will surpass that of traditional golf courses. As local governments compete to build larger facilities, Yangpyeong in Gyeonggi Province and Hwasun in South Jeolla Province, which previously held the record with 81 holes, have been overtaken by Changwon in South Gyeongsang Province with 90 holes, while South Chungcheong Province and Daegu are competing with 108 and 180 holes, respectively.

In proportion to this growth, conflicts are also intensifying nationwide. As demand for park golf surges and local governments try to meet this demand, illegal park golf courses are increasing on public land along rivers, and disputes over the construction and expansion of courses are becoming more heated. In Daemosan, a healing space in the heart of Seoul, plans by Gangnam District to build a park golf course have been put on hold due to opposition from local residents who are concerned not only about environmental damage but also about the risk of landslides. In Dongjak District, Seoul, plans to build a park golf course in Daebang Park have been indefinitely postponed due to opposition from nearby residents, with ongoing demands for the project to be officially withdrawn.

Park golf clubs and users argue that more park golf courses should be available at lower (or no) cost for the health and welfare of seniors and citizens. On the other hand, many younger people oppose building park golf courses in public parks, raising concerns about generational conflict. As the popularity of park golf grows, associations and clubs have emerged, leading to further conflict and competition. There are also criticisms that the original purpose is being lost as equipment such as clubs, balls, and clothing become more expensive.

As the elderly population shifts en masse to park golf, gateball, which was once a sport tailored to seniors, has lost popularity, and in some local governments, gateball courts have become neglected facilities. For park golf courses to truly serve as health and welfare infrastructure, it is necessary to carefully assess local demand and utilization from a long-term perspective. Through resident participation, transparent administration, and the development of diverse programs, park golf courses should be developed into sustainable spaces that everyone can use together. Instead of building bigger and faster, we need to find ways to share these spaces better. Kyung Ho Lee Issue & Trend Team Leader