[Curiosity Lab] Elderly People Holding Sticks Bustling in the Park... What's Happening?

Recently, while walking in Hangang Park, I stopped by Salgot Sports Park in Seongdong-gu. The artificial turf soccer fields (two fields), inline skating rink, X-game park, and outdoor basketball court have all changed, and the public parking lot has more than doubled in size. Among these, the most noticeable feature was the park golf practice area. It was fascinating yet unfamiliar to see elderly people holding sticks and hitting fist-sized balls on the artificial turf. It was golf, but different from the golf we know. Park golf is a type of golf that anyone (so far mostly elderly people) can easily learn and play at a low cost in neighborhood parks.

Residents playing in the Gangnam-gu Association President's Cup Park Golf Tournament held on September 27. Provided by Gangnam-gu Office

◆ Park Golf: All You Need Are a ‘Stick’ and a ‘Ball’

Park golf is a compound word of Park and Golf, literally meaning golf enjoyed in a park. Regular golf courses are located around mountains or rivers, at least an hour away even if nearby. Autumn golf, which people say they "play even if they go into debt," costs over 200,000 won just for the weekend green fee (golf course entrance fee), and when considering caddy fees, cart fees, refreshment stands, and transportation costs, it easily exceeds 300,000 won. To play golf, you have to carry more than ten golf clubs and bring clothes, hats, golf balls, gloves, shoes, and other necessary items. Using public transportation round-trip is practically impossible. Playing a full 18-hole round takes 4 to 5 hours. On the other hand, park golf requires only one golf club and a ball, and anyone can enjoy 18 holes at park golf courses nationwide for around 10,000 won. Of course, hats, shoes, and gloves are similar to regular golf, but only one club is needed. The rules are simple. Teams of three or four players use one club to hit a fist-sized plastic ball into the hole. The 18 holes of a regular golf course consist of four par-3 holes, four par-5 holes, and ten par-4 holes, ranging from 100m to 500m. Park golf has the same par-3, par-4, and par-5 composition but for 9 holes: one par-5 (100?150m), four par-4 (60?100m), and four par-3 (40?60m). For 18 holes, it consists of eight par-3 holes, eight par-4 holes, and two par-5 holes. The cost is less than 10,000 won.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon (second from left) is participating in a commemorative park golf tee-off with guests at the 24th Senior Olympics of the Seoul Metropolitan Association of the Korean Senior Citizens Association held on the morning of June 4 at Hyochang Stadium in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

◆ Affordable, Time-Efficient, and Exercise-Friendly Sport Tailored for an Aging Society

According to the Korea Park Golf Association, as of the first half of the year, there are 398 park golf courses nationwide. Gyeongbuk (62 courses) and Gyeongnam (60 courses) have the most, followed by Gyeonggi (43), Gangwon and Jeonnam (36 each), Daegu (33), Chungnam (26), and even Seoul (12), Jeju (6), and Sejong (7). Membership in the Park Golf Association has also tripled from 45,478 members in 2020 to 142,664 last year. Park golf is a sport tailored for the aging society because it allows elderly people to spend time and exercise at a low cost. Walking 18 holes takes about 40 minutes, and the entire game lasts about an hour, which means walking around 7,000 steps. Some people even walk more than 10,000 steps. Because of this, local governments nationwide are said to be "hooked on park golf." Park golf helps maintain the health and welfare of local residents, and hosting various tournaments attracts outsiders and tourists, benefiting the local economy.

Imgok Park Golf Course, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju. Provided by Gwangsan-gu

◆ Park Golf Courses Emerging Everywhere... Featured on TV and Enjoyed as Screen Golf

The popularity of park golf is evident even in major local governments. Jecheon, Chungbuk plans to build a 36-hole park golf course, clubhouse, walking trails, sports facilities, and parking lot on a 98,998㎡ site in Goam-dong by 2027, investing 16.4 billion won from national and provincial funds. In September, they held various tournaments at the 54-hole Cheongpung Lake Park Golf Course in Geumseong-myeon, built with 2.5 billion won. Taean-gun, Chungnam opened a second park golf course with 18 holes (27,888㎡) at the Bango-ri Sports Park in Taean-eup, increasing the total to 36 holes in the region. Taean-gun plans to add park golf courses in the southern area (Anmyeon and Gonam), central area (Geunheung and Sowon), and northern area (Wonbuk and Iwon).

Gangwon Goseong Park Golf Course. Provided by Goseong County

◆ Each Region Claims to Be the Mecca... Concerns Over Unplanned Development

Cheongyang, Chungnam, whose population has fallen below 30,000, aims to become the mecca of park golf nationwide by building the largest park golf course in the country. In Namyang-myeon, they are constructing the Chungnam Provincial Park Golf Course with 108 holes on the 187,000㎡ site of the abandoned Gubong Mine, which has remained a ruin since its closure in 1971. Hwasun, Jeonnam is preparing to open the largest park golf course in the country with 81 holes. When six additional practice holes are added separately from the main course, it will be the largest in the nation. The previous largest was the Yangpyeong Park Golf Course in Gyeonggi with 81 holes.

Park Golf Course Built at Hwasun Flood Control Reservoir. Provided by Hwasun County

As park golf gains popularity, tournaments are held nationwide, and Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon, which has emerged as a domestic park golf sanctuary, became the first in the country to establish a park golf team. The team is assigned to the Cultural and Sports Department of the county office and participates in park golf tournaments approved by the Hwacheon County Governor under the county office team qualification. Like the advanced golf courses at universities, Dongguk University operates a park golf advanced course. There are also broadcasting programs specializing in park golf.

In Eunpyeong-gu, Bulgwang 2-dong Community Center has installed a ‘screen indoor park golf’ facility. Reservations and usage can be made online through the public resource sharing service portal ‘Gongyu Nuri.’ The usage fee is 2,000 won for Eunpyeong residents and 3,000 won for residents from other areas. While the park golf boom continues, there have been cases where projects were withdrawn or rejected by city councils due to rushed implementation and allegations of preferential treatment. As park golf courses are newly built or expanded along rivers and streams, concerns have also been raised about ecosystem destruction, environmental pollution, and flood damage.

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