72 More Courses Than 4 Years Ago, Now 45.2% of All
Night Operations Concentrated in Seoul Metropolitan and Yeongnam Regions
Night Golf Gaining Popularity Among Budget-Conscious Women and Younger Players
The landscape of golf courses is changing due to the ongoing heatwave. As more people seek to avoid the scorching midday heat by enjoying nighttime rounds, the number of golf courses introducing night operations has been steadily increasing. In particular, the ability to play rounds at relatively lower costs during the cool evening hours is drawing significant attention from weekend golfers.
According to data titled "Status of Night Operation Golf Courses" released by the Korea Leisure Industry Research Institute on July 28, as of July this year, there are 238 golf courses operating at night, accounting for 45.2% of the total 527 golf courses nationwide (excluding military golf courses).
Among public golf courses with 18 holes or more, 128 are open at night, which is 49.0% of the total 261 such courses. For 9-hole public golf courses, 57 out of 112 (50.9%) operate at night. In contrast, only 53 out of 154 membership golf courses (34.4%) are open at night.
Due to the unprecedented heatwave, the number of golf courses operating at night is increasing. Photo by Grand CC
The main reason public golf courses are actively adopting night operations is to secure profitability. Sales have declined as demand for daytime rounds dropped due to the record-breaking heatwave. On the other hand, membership golf courses are reluctant to operate at night due to concerns about turf damage and staff management issues. In particular, membership golf courses run by large corporations, those with public purposes, and premium courses focused on a small group of elite members do not offer night operations in order to protect the turf.
By region, night-operation golf courses are concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area and the Yeongnam region, where golf demand is high. In the metropolitan area, 78 courses are open at night, an increase of five from the previous year, accounting for 32.8% of the total. This is followed by the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region with 45 courses, and the Busan-Ulsan-Gyeongnam region with 35 courses. Gangwon Province (24 courses) and North Chungcheong Province (21 courses) are also attracting metropolitan golfers as their main customers. In contrast, North Jeolla Province has only 4 courses and Jeju Island has just 2, reflecting lower demand for nighttime golf in these areas.
Looking at the yearly trend, the number of golf courses with night operations increased from 166 in 2021 to 184 in 2023, 213 in 2024, and 238 this year. This represents a jump of 72 courses compared to 2021.
Nighttime rounds also offer clear advantages in terms of cost. For example, at 'Bellastone CC' in Hoengseong, Gangwon Province, as of July, weekday daytime green fees are 129,000 won and weekends are 159,000 won. At night, these drop to 99,000 won and 129,000 won respectively, about 30,000 won cheaper. Caddie fees also decrease from 160,000 won per team during the day to 100,000 won at night (marshal caddie standard). This allows for a maximum saving of 45,000 won per person.
'Sofia Green CC' in Yeoju, a representative public golf course in the metropolitan area, shows a similar trend. Operated by the Korea Teachers' Pension, as of July, weekday green fees are 160,000 won and weekends are 220,000 won, but at night, these drop to 130,000 won on weekdays and 160,000 won on weekends, allowing for a saving of about 30,000 to 60,000 won.
Suh Cheonbeom, director of the Korea Leisure Industry Research Institute, stated, "Night golf is popular, especially among women and younger players, because it is affordable and can be played in a cooler environment," and predicted, "As a choice that satisfies both golf courses and golfers, the number of night-operation golf courses will continue to increase as global warming accelerates."
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