Why a Former Samsung Vice President Went on a Golf Study Abroad Trip at Sixty

Jang Ilhwan Lesson Pro's 'Second Act of Life'

Pro Jang Ilhwan

A golf instruction book released by a late-blooming lesson pro who was formerly an executive at a major corporation is gaining attention. The book is titled "Body Swing is Golf Swing."

The author is Jang Ilhwan, the head pro at Players Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. He has a unique background, having served as a vice president at Samsung C&T Corporation. After holding a high-ranking executive position at a leading conglomerate, he retired and, at the age of sixty, learned English and suddenly moved to the United States to earn his golf teaching pro certification.

When we met him on the 11th at a cafe in Wirye-dong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, he said, "There’s no special story or background." "I worked hard. But after reaching a certain position, I felt like I was taking from my juniors rather than giving them something new. So I quit."

His challenge to become a professional golf instructor came from the emptiness that suddenly hit him after retirement. "At first, after quitting, it was really great. Playing and eating. But that didn’t last even three months." Watching himself waver and wander, he concluded that it was because he had no goals, and he chose golf as his new goal.

"I really liked golf. And even though I thought I played golf fairly well, I still felt there were many things I was curious about and didn’t know. Why is this like this? Why is that like that? I always had questions. I looked up a lot of materials and attended many lectures, but I couldn’t find the answers. So I thought, why don’t I study it myself? I decided to find out on my own." That’s how he went to the U.S. to study golf.

His connection with golf was somewhat accidental. In the mid-1990s, Samsung C&T launched a brand called "Astra." They released golf wear and golf equipment. They also sold club sets to employees, which became the trigger. "At that time, the club set cost about 720,000 won. It wasn’t cheap at all. But my seniors said it was a good club and told me to buy it, so I ended up buying it without much thought." After that, he swung the club every morning before work as exercise. Although he was conscious of others’ eyes at the time, the newly appointed CEO said, "People who play golf well also work well," which brought him closer to golf. Ten years after starting, he became a single-digit handicap golfer with a 3-under-par 69.

Cover of the golf lesson book "Body Swing is Golf Swing." The book organizes the author's firsthand experiences on topics ranging from how to hit long drives to swing techniques, grip, short game, and pre-routine shots. It is designed to resonate with all generations, from young beginners to experienced silver generation golfers, emphasizing the importance of torso movement in the golf swing.

After finishing his studies abroad, he returned to Korea in February. He had opportunities to return to the workforce but politely declined offers from several mid-sized construction companies and decided to pursue a full-fledged career as a lesson pro. "Making money is good, of course. But that’s not everything. If I stayed in the construction industry, I’d have to rely on juniors, and they’d feel burdened. It’s time to try something new. My juniors should be happy to meet me. Now, at least, if someone comes to me, I can properly teach golf."

He emphasized that there is no sport as attractive as golf. "It’s not something you do because someone tells you to, but a game where you set your own goals and play by yourself. Setting goals and achieving them one by one is a new and special kind of fun."

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