Golf park association tees up professional league as popularity grows

Players play park golf at a course in Daegu on July 31. [YONHAP]

 
Park golf, long regarded as a leisurely pursuit for retirees, is preparing to reinvent itself as Korea’s next professional sport.
 
The Korea Professional Park Golf Association (KPPGA) said it will launch a professional league next year, beginning with the inaugural Park Golf Pro Test, scheduled for Oct. 22 to 24 at Hanyeoul Park Golf Course in Pocheon, Gyeonggi. Applications opened Monday and will run through Sept. 12, but interest has already exceeded expectations.
 
“We had 158 applicants in just two days,” said Jeon Young-chang, senior vice chairman of KPPGA. “They range from a player born in 1947 to one born in 1999. Among them are a former Miss Korea, celebrities and even professional golfers.”
 

Players play park golf at a course in Daegu on July 31. [YONHAP]

Players play park golf at a course in Daegu on June 25. [NEWS1]

A game of simplicity and speed
 
Park golf, a blend of golf and croquet, was created by its founders to be accessible for all ages. Players aim to sink the ball in as few strokes as possible, but the sport is equally defined by its social atmosphere and its focus on enjoying the outdoors.
 
The sport’s appeal lies in its accessibility. Park golf is designed for smaller spaces, with only one club used for tee shots, approaches and putting. The ball is slightly smaller than a baseball. Holes are shorter — 40 meters (44 yards) for par-3s and up to 150 meters for par-5s — so a full round can be finished in about an hour without carts.
 
“It’s cheap, fun, good for your health and a way to make friends,” said Kwon Dae-hyun, vice chairman of the Korea Park Golf Association (KPGA).
 
“Admission ranges from 300 to 8,000 won [20 cents to $6], and many municipalities offer discounts for local residents,” Kwon added.
 
Enthusiast Heo Cham-hwa, 70, said, “Sometimes I spend four hours a day playing, walking the grass and chatting with friends.”
 

Players play park golf under cherry blossom trees at a course on Jeju Island on March 27. [YONHAP]

From Japan to Korea
 
Originating in Hokkaido, Japan, in 1983, park golf arrived in Korea in 1998 with courses at Phoenix Park in Pyeongchang and the Sangrakwon nursing home in Jinju, South Gyeongsang.
 
Today, there are about 423 courses nationwide, 12 of them built this year alone. By repurposing unused land, local governments are actively supporting new facilities for their welfare and tourism benefits.
 
At this pace, the number of park golf courses could soon surpass Korea’s 525 regular golf courses.
 
Membership has surged as well. Registered KPGA players jumped from about 16,000 in 2017 to 200,000 this year, with unregistered enthusiasts estimated at 300,000 to 500,000.
 

A limited-edition park golf club sold by Honma [HONMA GOLF KOREA]

A growing industry
 
The equipment market has also taken off.
 
“The most expensive set sold for 2.8 million won and sold out immediately,” said Koo Byung-doo, vice president of the Korean distributor for Honma park golf clubs. “Even the next level of four-star clubs is hard to find now.”
 
More than 100 park golf club brands are already competing in the market, estimated to be valued at 30 billion won. New trends like indoor screen park golf and overseas park golf tours are fueling competition further.
 
Universities are responding, too. Yeungjin University in Daegu opened Korea’s first park golf management department in 2022. Kyungbuk College in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang, will rename its Healing Sports Management Department to Park Golf Studies starting next year to recruit new students. Dongguk University and Gachon University already run park golf executive programs.
 
Jeon said Korea has an opportunity to surpass Japan, where park golf has stagnated.
 
“Japan may be the birthplace, but it has stayed a hobby sport and is aging along with its players,” the KPPGA senior vice chairman said.
 
“By professionalizing, we will bring in younger generations and grow the industry further.”
 
KPGA secretary general Cho Young-seok noted that demographics are already shifting.
 
“We’re seeing more players in their 40s and 50s. Our task is to create university and secondary school teams so the sport can become part of the National Sports Festival and the National Junior Sports Festival,” Cho said.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY LEE HAY-JUNE [[email protected]]