Park golf is a sport that has recently exploded in popularity among Korean seniors. According to the Park Golf Association, Yangsan Branch, park golf players are booming in Yangsan alone, with 5,400 estimated players (1,400 members and 4,00 non-members). 

From children to seniors

Park golf originated in 1983 in a small town in Hokkaido, Japan, and was introduced to Korea in 1998. In 2000, six holes of park golf were built in Sangrak Park in Jinju City, and in 2004, nine holes were added in Yeouido, starting to spread nationwide. Like the golf, players put the ball into the holes with the stick by walking distance of about 40 meters to 150 meters. It can be played in any park so everybody can enjoy regardless age. You can either play alone or four. 

Promoting park golf in Yangsan City and around

Park Golf Association, Yangsan Branch was founded in 2013 with 100 members and now has more than 4,500 members including non-members. Kichul Lee, who has been president for two terms for 7 years, switched to park golf when he became physically exhausted from playing badminton. He has been traveling around the country benchmarking the playgrounds and is working with Yangsan City to train members to promote park golf in the Yangsan area. Unlike other areas where it’s just a day or two, here it takes up to 20 sessions before you can play a round on the field. All training programs are free. The indoor playground in Gasan Park, in particular, make the play easy regardless weather conditions. It is notable that the members of the association won the top prize for 4 years at the Gyeongnam Provincial Games. 

National Park Golf Games to be held in Hwangsan Park, Yangsan

The National Park Golf Games is set to be held in Hwangsan Park, Yangsan, this May. The playground here boasts fantastic scenery and is visited by more than 200,000 players yearly. The games are hosted by Korea Park Golf Association, and Park Golf Association, South Gyeongsang Province Brance, and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, Korea Sports Council, and Yangsan City. The organizing committee is expecting more than 2,000 players from across the country for the game this May. Yangsan City ranked top in the number of park golf grounds in the nation. “I personally think that park golf is god-given. It believe it will help you live up to 100 or more by playing this blessed sport.” said Lee.