This photo provided by Hwacheon County Office shows a park golf course in the Gangwon Province county.
SEOUL, May 12 (Korea Bizwire) — Municipal governments across the country are scrambling to build park golf courses due to their attractive features as both sports facilities and tourism infrastructure.
According to data from the Korea Park Golf Association, the number of park golf courses across the country jumped from 226 in 2019 to 361 this year.
Unlike other golf courses that cost 250,000-300,000 won (US$187-224) per person, park golf courses cost no more than a couple of thousand won.
Thanks to their shorter courses, seniors can easily access them.
“Local authorities are interested in setting up park golf courses in urban areas not only because they are relatively more affordable, but also because they provide easier access to seniors and boost the local economy by attracting visitors,” said a local government official.
However, there are some who oppose the construction of park golf courses due to their negative impact on the environment.
Park golf courses typically have only nine holes, which is much smaller than other golf courses, yet they usually require more than 8,000 square meters of land.
Since they are built on land that is relatively easier to acquire, most of them are constructed in riverside areas.
Environmental organizations argue that water contamination is inevitable, even if the courses limit the use of pesticides, and they warn against the possible destruction of the local environment.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
