The Autumn Golf Season Has Arrived... Capture the MZ Generation Golfers

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] The distribution and fashion industries are targeting the golf apparel market. Not only are they importing famous overseas brands, but they are also entering the apparel market by leveraging golf equipment brands familiar to golfers, while conducting various promotions in line with the autumn golf season.

According to related industries on the 25th, there are about 150 domestic golf apparel brands. Among them, about 50 brands were launched this year. It was also found that about 10 companies have confirmed the launch of new brands next year. Most of these are high-end premium brands targeting young people in their 20s and 30s.

IDLOOK is launching the French contemporary brand A.P.C golf wear. After consultations with the French headquarters last year, they formed a golf apparel team earlier this year. K2 changed the corporate name of Wide Angle to ‘FCG Korea’ and acquired the domestic trademark rights for apparel and goods of the luxury putter brand ‘Piretti’. Chris F&C, which started distributing the American golf bag specialist brand ‘Vessel’, is also planning an apparel business. Existing golf equipment brands such as Mizuno, Honma, and Lambda are also producing apparel one after another. Callaway and TaylorMade, which once withdrew from the golf apparel market, are challenging the apparel business again in the second half of the year.

The distribution industry is conducting various promotions to welcome the autumn golf season. Gmarket and Auction are holding an online ‘Golf Expo’ until the 3rd of next month to celebrate the autumn golf season. This event showcases golf-related products from golf equipment to apparel in one place and offers abundant benefits such as discount coupons. By applying a 20% discount coupon exclusive to the Golf Expo to golf equipment featured in special exhibitions such as AK Golf and Golfzon, customers can receive discounts of up to 300,000 KRW.

Daily special price products that change every day are also revealed. On the 24th, Gmarket and Auction will showcase ‘Callaway Autumn/Winter Season Outerwear Proposal Collection’ products. Gmarket will sell ‘Adidas Golf Apparel Special Planning’ products, and Auction will sell ‘Nike Golf Socks Special Price Products’ at shocking prices.

According to the Korea Leisure Industry Research Institute, the golf population was about 5.15 million last year, an increase of more than 33% compared to 2017. Among the golf population who visited golf courses at least once last year, 936,000 were in their 20s and 30s. As the golf population increased, the golf apparel market size also grew by 11% from the previous year, reaching 5.125 trillion KRW. The institute forecasts that the golf population in their 20s and 30s will increase by about 210,000 this year to reach about 1.15 million, with the market size expected to exceed 5.685 trillion KRW this year and 6.335 trillion KRW next year. In fact, golf apparel sales at department stores from January to August this year surged by more than 50% compared to the same period last year.

The reason domestic fashion companies are enthusiastic about the ‘golf market’ is because of its high growth potential. Korea is the number one country in the world in golf apparel expenditure. The market size for golf equipment is larger than that of the United States, which is seven times the size of Korea’s market. Since 2019, Korea has also surpassed Japan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.