Park golf is accelerating its evolution from a recreational sport to a professional one in Korea. A systematic pro selection system is being established, and a large-scale prize money tournament is scheduled for the first half of this year. The sport is making a decisive leap from a participation-focused activity for seniors to a competitive sport.
The Korea Professional Park Golf Association announced on the 15th that it will host a pro tournament with a total purse of 50 million won ($36,000) in Samcheok, Gangwon Province on June 22. The event is being funded by the association's own resources, and the prize pool could increase depending on the outcome of ongoing sponsorship negotiations.
Prior to the main event, the association will hold a "Pre-Challenge" tournament with a total purse of 10 million won in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province in May to test its competition operations and player management systems. "Our goal is to host a total of four tournaments this year," an association official said. "We plan to finalize the annual tour schedule and league operation format after the local elections in June."
The association is also continuing pro player selection this year, following last year's inaugural effort. Currently, 233 pro players are registered with the association, all certified through the "1st Professional Park Golf Pro Test" held in October last year.
The second pro test is currently underway this month. It consists of a written exam followed by a practical test. The written exam evaluates knowledge of competition regulations and player management standards based on the association's rulebook. A total of 152 candidates passed the written test held on the 11th. Those who passed will take the practical test on April 2 at Westwood Phoenix Park Golf Course in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province. The test will be conducted as an 18-hole stroke play competition, with the top 100 finishers earning pro status.
System upgrades are also underway to support professionalization. The association is developing a digital platform to integrate player records, test results, and award histories. This will enable fair evaluation and a ranking system, with the association also exploring the possibility of introducing online-based competition models in the future.
"We plan to gradually increase the number of pro players to around 1,000," an association official said. "We will secure the appropriate number of players to build a league system spanning from the first to third divisions."
