"Overcoming Cancer Through Exercise"... Park Golf Gains Popularity Among Seniors

Membership up 187% in Three Years

"I was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago, and that's when I discovered park golf. Playing the sport gave me the strength to overcome my illness."

People are playing park golf at a park golf course in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul. Photo by Youngchan Choi

On June 13, at a park golf course near Anyangcheon in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, Kim Younghee (64) said, "I was going through a tough time, juggling chemotherapy and work, when I happened to see people enjoying park golf while taking a walk along Anyangcheon. Park golf always brings laughter?if you play well, you laugh because you did well, and if you make a mistake, you laugh about the mistake. There's never a shortage of smiles."

Nam Inseop (65) first encountered park golf three years ago at Yeouido Hangang Park and became interested enough to start playing. He said, "Park golf has a much lower risk of injury compared to regular golf, and it's a lot more fun. Now, I find myself playing park golf more enthusiastically than regular golf." He added, "It's also quite addictive. Some people even say that after starting park golf, they no longer need to visit the hospital, which shows just how beneficial it is as exercise."

The park golf course near Anyangcheon in Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, was packed with people who had gathered to play park golf. Park golf is establishing itself as a new sports trend among the senior generation. As its name suggests, park golf is a compound word combining golf and park, and it is a sport that anyone can easily enjoy in a park. The rules are simpler than those of regular golf, the costs are lower, making it less burdensome, and it is a family-friendly sport that can be enjoyed across generations.

According to the Korea Park Golf Association, the number of registered park golf members nationwide increased by 187%, from 64,001 in 2021 to 183,788 last year. Tournaments are being held across the country, with some offering prize money as high as 30 million won. As of January 2025, there are a total of 423 park golf courses operating nationwide, with 25 located in Seoul. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has announced plans to add 77 more courses by 2026.