"I wanted to confirm the professionalism and industrial potential of park golf. The outlook beyond recreational sports looked bright."
On the 2nd of this month, the Westwood Phoenix Park Golf Course in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, was filled with tension from early morning. On this day, when the Korea Professional Park Golf Association held its second pro test practical exam, 153 participants who had passed the earlier written test focused on each shot while checking their skills.
Among those at the scene was Choi Jin-hoon, 44, a Korea Professional Golfers' Association (KPGA) pro who also works as a golf professor. Choi became interested in park golf because of adult learners he met on a university campus. High interest among senior students led to the opening of related courses, and as a golf expert exploring the sport in depth, he discovered its industrial potential. "I wanted to gain recognition for my professional capabilities before the entry barriers become higher later," he said. "Through the professional stage, I plan to actively promote the expertise of park golf into academic areas such as scholarly societies."
The Professional Park Golf Association was launched to elevate park golf, which has been centered on recreational sports, into a professional sport. Its aim is to go beyond hobbyist-centered activities, strengthen the professionalism of players and instructors, and lay the industrial foundation of park golf by operating a pro league with prize money. This second-class test also aims to confer a professional identity through a rigorous process that selects the top 100 participants based on 18-hole stroke rankings.
The association put significant effort into creating a course with differentiating difficulty appropriate for the applicants' skill level. Jeon Young-chang, vice chairman of the Professional Park Golf Association, explained, "General public courses are mostly on flat terrain, making it difficult to distinguish skill differences. We chose this private course, which preserves the strategic nature of par-3 holes." He added emphatically, "In cooperation with the course, we invested approximately 50 million won to renovate the course. We are ready to welcome talent who will lead globalization, specialization and industrialization together."
This test saw a notable participation of elite golf backgrounds. Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) pro Ahn Jung-young, 52, said, "I came here because I want to become a professional instructor teaching seniors in line with the super-aged society." She added, "Unlike general courses, this course required precise technique rather than just power, so the difficulty was high. But if I become a pro, I want to donate my skills to amateurs and build a systematic curriculum."
The influx of younger generations was also notable. Son Eun-jin, 28, who visited the site with KPGA pro Jung Sang-jin, 26, the youngest applicant, is running a screen park golf business and directly experiencing the potential of the sport. "These days there are big gaps between generations and little exchange, but park golf is an attractive meeting ground where people come together well," Son said. "As the market is growing not only domestically but also internationally, I want to equip myself with professional capabilities and contribute to the growth of both domestic and international markets."
Jung Young-man, 75, the oldest applicant, smiled broadly after finishing the practical exam with a seasoned score of 66. Boasting 40 years of golf experience, he first picked up a club when the first park golf course opened in Pohang eight years ago. "Having a professional stage where you can refine your skills and compete, rather than just a walking exercise, brings vitality," Jung said. "I want to participate in the pro league to be held in Samcheok in June and compete again."
The 100 pros to be selected on the 4th after the tally from the second test are expected to become a key driving force for park golf's leap from recreational sports to professional sport. The association will hold its first pro league with a total prize pool of 50 million won on June 20 in Samcheok, Gangwon Province. "Beyond the curiosity of the first class, strategic and professional talents are now gathering," Vice Chairman Jeon said. "We will expand the prize money up to 100 million won and strengthen sponsorships to drive the specialization of park golf."
