"Good shot!"
With a short cry, the ball cut across the grass and rolled toward the hole. On Nov. 30 at Gyeryong Park Golf Course in Sindoan-myeon, Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, the final day of the "14th Korea Sports Council Chairman's Cup National Park Golf Tournament" was marked by tension and cheers until the very last moment, bringing the two-day event to a close.
Hosted by the Korea Park Golf Association and co-organized by South Chungcheong Province and the Gyeryong Park Golf Association, the tournament drew about 700 participants, including 600 athletes representing 17 metropolitan cities and provinces nationwide, along with referees and operational staff. The competition was divided into general and senior divisions, featuring men's and women's individual matches as well as team matches (foursome format). Overall provincial rankings were determined by combining 36-hole stroke play results from individual matches with team match outcomes.
Tension grew as the finals progressed. Despite the course's notably fast green speed, players calmly read their putting lines and delivered precise shots while relaxing their grip on the club. Groans erupted each time a ball grazed the rim of the hole, followed by applause and cheers when the ball dropped in.
Across the course, scenes of exchange beyond competition unfolded. One participant watching a team match said, "Park golf is more than just a sport — it's a lifeline connecting the health and community of seniors," adding, "The process of coordinating with teammates every day while preparing for the tournament itself holds great meaning." Kim Jin-yeon, 73, who traveled from Jeju two days before the competition, also said, "It's all the more meaningful to exchange with players from across the country," adding, "Rankings matter, but I enjoyed the tournament with the excitement of being on a trip."
Yang Seong-eun, 72, a member of the Iksan Park Golf Association in North Jeolla Province, drew attention by winning the senior men's division and recording the overall lowest score of 109 strokes among all participants. "It's all the more meaningful to achieve such a result from a sport I started for my health," he said with a smile right after the match.
In the individual competition, Kim Seon-gon (North Gyeongsang, 112 strokes) and Lee Jae-eun (North Gyeongsang, 114 strokes) took the top spots in the men's and women's general divisions, respectively. In the senior division, Yang Seong-eun (North Jeolla) and Im Bong-sun (South Chungcheong, 117 strokes) finished first in the men's and women's categories. In team matches, South Chungcheong (Lee Chang-mook and Jin Seon-woo) and Daegu (Nam Hae-sook and Jang Tae-sun) claimed titles in their respective divisions. The overall championship went to South Chungcheong with 49 points, followed by North Jeolla (29 points) in second and Busan (26 points) in third.
Hong Seok-ju, chairman of the Korea Park Golf Association, said, "We confirmed the strength of park golf through the sight of athletes from across the country giving their best until the end." He added, "We will continue to develop park golf into a sport-for-all that anyone can enjoy, through more systematic tournament operations and expanded infrastructure."
