Top 10 mid-priced golf courses by operating profit margin last year. Photo courtesy of Korea Leisure Industry Institute
Golfzon County Jincheon CC posted the highest operating profit margin among Korea’s public golf courses last year, while Seoseoul CC topped the rankings among membership courses, an industry report showed.
According to Leisure White Paper 2026, published Thursday by the Korea Leisure Industry Institute, Golfzon County Jincheon CC (27 holes) recorded the highest operating profit margin among public-type golf courses at 57.8%. The course achieved its strong profitability after Golfzon County acquired the former membership-based Art Valley CC and converted it into a public-type course, the report said.
Winchester CC (18 holes) ranked second among public-type courses with an operating profit margin of 57.1%. Jungwon CC (27 holes), operated by the Korea Local Administration Officials’ Mutual Aid Association, came in third at 56.4%. Iksan CC (24 holes) ranked fourth at 56.3%, the only course in the Honam region to make the top 10. The average operating profit margin of the top 10 public-type golf courses was 55.7%, down 2.8 percentage points from a year earlier.
By region, the Seoul metropolitan area had the most public-type courses in the top 10 with four, though this was down by three from 2024. The Yeongnam region had three courses, the Chungcheong region had two, and the Honam region had one. By size, 18-hole and 27-hole courses each accounted for five of the top 10.
Among membership courses, Seoseoul CC (18 holes), owned by Hoban Construction Group, posted the highest operating profit margin at 41.8%. Bora CC (27 holes) ranked second at 38.9%, followed by Giheung CC (36 holes) at 37.7%. The average operating profit margin of the top 10 membership courses was 36.6%, down 1.9 percentage points from the previous year.
“Courses located near major cities such as the Seoul metropolitan area, where the golfing population is large, and those operating with 27 holes posted high profit margins,” said Suh Cheon-bum, head of the Korea Leisure Industry Institute. “This year, the operating profit margins of golf courses are likely to fall back to pre-COVID-19 levels due to a domestic economic slowdown stemming from the U.S.-Iran war.”