MZ Golfers Are Not to Blame

Spring has arrived, but the golf industry feels anything but warm—a chill lingers in the air. The sector is shrouded in deep recession. Except for courses in the Seoul metropolitan area or those with established reputations, golf clubs frequently have unsold tee times. Equipment manufacturers and apparel companies are fighting for survival.

The contrast with the COVID-19 pandemic period could not be starker. Back then, clubs and other equipment flew off the shelves, interest in golf apparel exploded, and rental businesses thrived. Reservation servers crashed under the surge in demand. Looking back, it's hard to believe those days ever happened.

Recently, most golf apparel rental companies have shut down. Numerous clothing brands have either closed or pivoted to different product lines, struggling to stay afloat.

Some in the golf industry resent so-called "MZ golfers"—members of the Millennial and Gen Z generations. This reflects a sense of loss over young players who rushed in like a rising tide and retreated just as quickly. Some compare golf's brief popularity among the youth to passing food fads like malatang or tanghulu.

But on reflection, there are clear reasons why young golfers left. Golf courses that demanded partial caddie fees even when players couldn't complete a single hole due to heavy rain, and apparel brands charging hundreds of thousands of won for a single shirt—these practices pushed away the young newcomers rather than embracing them.

Golf courses hastily set up photo zones and expanded evening tee times, yet few actually invested in course quality. They were so focused on "rowing while the tide was high" that they ignored where they were heading. Ultimately, MZ golfers began asking fundamental questions: "Is this really worth what I'm paying?"

Government policies aimed at rationalizing golf costs also failed to deliver results. The previous classification of courses into "membership" and "public" was replaced with three categories: membership, non-membership, and public-access. Public-access courses received tax benefits in exchange for green fee caps. But the government did not penalize public-access courses charging above the cap, and it essentially ignored cart and caddie fees, leaving golfers feeling no real difference.

The policy distinguishing public-access and non-membership courses based on tax benefits took full effect in the second half of 2023. Nearly three years later, no clear solution is in sight. Meanwhile, golf courses have been steadily raising cart and caddie fees.

Recently, golf course booking platforms report a meaningful increase in foreign visitors wanting to play in Korea. This could be a second chance for an industry that failed to retain domestic MZ golfers. However, many foreigners who have already experienced Korean courses complain about Korean-only signage, confusing layouts for first-time visitors, and difficulties with check-in and payment. One can't help but worry that the industry may squander the K-culture-driven tailwind, just as it lost the MZ generation.