Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission Recommends 'Ensuring Safety at Outdoor Golf Driving Ranges' to Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Complaints Raised Over Golf Balls Escaping Outdoor Driving Ranges

Recommendations Include Installation of Double Nets and Development of Extreme Weather Response Manual

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission has recommended that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism establish measures to "ensure the safety of outdoor golf driving ranges," in response to incidents of personal injury and property damage caused by stray golf balls at these facilities.

Government Sejong Government Complex, Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission. Photo by Hyunmin Kim

According to the commission on April 28, complaints have been consistently filed regarding golf balls escaping the nets at outdoor driving ranges and falling into nearby residential areas, roads, and parking lots.

For example, in March last year, a complaint was filed after a golf ball from a driving range broke the right rear window and molding of a car. In June 2024, a complaint was filed expressing concern for the safety of a five-year-old child after golf balls from a nearby outdoor driving range landed throughout the house.

Operators of outdoor driving ranges are required to conduct voluntary safety inspections every six months and register the results on the 'Sports Facility Informer' website. However, many operators fail to register their inspection results. Additionally, the steel towers supporting the nets are exposed to the elements and are therefore highly susceptible to weather conditions, yet these towers were found to be omitted from the voluntary safety inspection checklist. Furthermore, there are no specific safety management guidelines in place for extreme weather events such as strong winds or heavy snow, limiting the ability to prevent major accidents.

In response, the commission has recommended installing double-layered nets at outdoor driving ranges located near residential areas or buildings to prevent stray golf balls. The commission also suggested encouraging operators who do not register their voluntary safety inspections—such as by sending text messages—to complete the registration. In the event of extreme weather such as strong winds or heavy snow, the commission recommended preparing a "safety management manual" to strengthen on-site response capabilities.

Kim Giseon, Director General of Policy Improvement at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission, stated, "Through these institutional improvements, we can alleviate safety and property concerns for people living near outdoor driving ranges," adding, "We will continue to develop institutional improvement measures to protect the safety of the public."

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