"Booking a Golf Course Was 'Like Catching Stars in the Sky'... 'Not Anymore, Why?'"

Reservation tickets purchased at a premium due to difficulty booking in the COVID-19 era
Trend easing mainly at golf courses charging high green fees
Low-cost golf course booking difficulties expected to ease next year

[Asia Economy Reporter Seonjin Byun] On August 31, the weekend green fee at Golf Course A in Gangwon-do, one of the most expensive nationwide at 370,000 KRW, was checked for September reservations, and it was announced that all days were available for booking. Another golf course charging a 300,000 KRW green fee was fully booked only on September 2 and 6.

Golf Course Reservations Once 'As Difficult as Catching Stars in the Sky'... Are They Easier Now?

The reservation difficulties for domestic golf courses, which became 'as difficult as catching stars in the sky' during the COVID-19 era, are easing mainly at places requiring high green fees. According to the golf industry, golf courses generally accept tee-off reservations 3 to 4 weeks in advance, but after COVID-19, excess demand caused reservation rights to be purchased at a premium on transfer markets. September, the peak season, is known as the 'full booking' month. However, golf courses charging 300,000 to 400,000 KRW green fees sometimes allow reservations even a day before.

Currently, a weekend green fee of 140,000 to 150,000 KRW is considered inexpensive domestically. Reservations for 'cost-effective golf courses' are still closing quickly. Checking the September reservation status of Golf Course B in Jeollanam-do, which charges a 140,000 KRW weekend green fee, at 2 PM on August 30 showed that all dates up to September 26, when reservations are accepted, were fully booked. Another golf course with a 140,000 KRW weekend green fee stated, "For September, except for tee-offs between 6:30 and 7:00 AM, reservations are practically all closed."

Overseas Travel Becomes Easier, Golf Courses Increase... "Reservations Will Be Easier Next Year"

It is said that cost-effective golf courses will become even easier to book in the second half of next year. Seocheon Beom, director of the Korea Leisure Industry Research Institute, explained, "With prices soaring across the board recently, customers with thinner wallets are either not visiting golf courses or heading to cheaper ones," adding, "Except for those who are very wealthy or hold memberships, it is difficult to pay 300,000 to 400,000 KRW to play golf amid concerns about an economic downturn." He continued, "Affordable overseas golf trips are becoming more frequent, and women in their 20s who started golf as a 'photo hotspot' have begun engaging in other leisure activities like tennis," predicting, "By next year, the reservation difficulties will ease further."

Every year, 10 to 15 new golf courses open. As competition for customers among golf courses intensifies, golf course usage fees are expected to naturally decrease. Some golf courses have already started reducing fees by about 40,000 to 50,000 KRW.

The practice of buying reservation rights at a premium on transfer sites is also disappearing. A user of a transfer site said, "The number of transfer listings with golf course fees at least 10,000 KRW lower is gradually increasing," adding, "It seems we are finally returning to the previous practice of transferring golf reservations." In fact, on one transfer site, listings offering transfers at the same or 10,000 KRW cheaper than the golf course fee filled the first page. Online scalpers who used macro programs to secure reservations are also disappearing one by one.

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