한국 여성골퍼들의 활동상은 과히 국보적 존재라고 해도 과장된 말은 아닐것이다.
그녀들이 국제무대에서 한국의 위상을 높이 올린것은, 여의도를 점령하고 있는300명의 국해의원들 보다, 지난 100여일 동안에 청와대 주인 행세를 하고있는 문통과 그보좌관들이 노력해온 것보다 훨씬더 값있고,
뜻이 깊다고 하겠다. 문통과 여의도 국해의원들은 몰라도, Pak Seri, 박인비,김세영 등등의 한인 여성골퍼들의 명성은 세계를 뒤덮고 있으며,영광스럽게도, 박세리, 박인비는 여성골프의 전당( Hall of Fame)에 이름까지 새겨져 있다는데 자부심을 느낀다.
한국은 한반도의 동쪽을 북에서 남으로 웅장한 태백산맥이 쭉 뻗어 내려, 사람으로 치면 마치 허리뼈(Spine)역활을 하고 있기에, 국토의 70% 이상이 산악지대속에 있다고 할수있다. 그산자락에, 400개가 훨씬 넘는 대부분의 골프장들이 자리를 하고 있기에, 골프장의 경관 또한 무척 아름답다.
골프 Market 규모도 일본, 미국 다음으로 한국이 크다는 사실도 이기사를 보고 알았다.
북미 대륙에서 처럼, 평지에 골프장이 있는것이 아니고, Slope가 심하고, Fairway 또한 좁은 편이어서, 그러한 환경에 적응이 잘된 한국여성 골퍼들의 성적은 필연적으로 좋아질수밖에 없다는 나의 지론이다.
한가지 조금 아쉬운점은, 한국에서는 모든게 일류아니면 취급을 받지 못한다는, 겉치례에 치중을 많이한다는 내용에 대해서는, 그것이 실제로 사실이지만, 읽기에 거북하기도하고, 챙피하기도하고, 우리민족의 좋지않은 성품을 정확히 꿰뚫어본 기자의 보도 정신을 높이 사고싶었다.
이번에 Forbes지의 Erik Matuszewski가 그러한 여건속의 한국 여성 골퍼들과 이와 관련된 여러 내용들을 비교적 자세하게 적어 놓았는데, 나뿐만이 아니고 많은 한국인들이 읽어 봤으면 하는 마음이 컸었다.
그기사 내용을 그대로 아래에 옮겨 놓았다.
Inside South Korea's Golf Boom: Fashion, Million-Dollar Fees, Female Stars And Eye-Popping Courses
The massive, $40 million ultra-modern clubhouse at Whistling Rock Golf Club
in South Korea could double as an art museum. Indeed, there are
avant-garde statues in the expansive foyer, which is bright but spartan,
with marble floors and walls, and a broad circular staircase that spans
three levels.
But the real work of art lies beyond the clubhouse, immediately
grabbing your attention through a 26-foot tall, 80-foot long wall of
windows. There, Whistling Rock's golf course dramatically climbs up and
dives down the side of a mountain, looking like a fantasy course out of a
video game.
It's almost sensory overload when taken in for the first time: a jaw-dropping collection of lush green fairways, stone and wooden bridges, deep ravines, rocky streams, sprawling waste areas, giant splotchy bunkers, extensive rock outcroppings and beautiful waterfalls. It was also just about peak fall color when I visited, so the abundant splashes of red, yellow and orange from the plants and trees heightened the brilliant green grass, white bunkers and gray rock.
A painter's palette would get a workout capturing the drama of one of
golf's most dramatic, and high-end, courses. And in keeping with the
artistic theme, there are also nine giant orbs -- about 5 feet in
circumference and in various hues -- scattered throughout the course.
After marveling at the panoramic view from the clubhouse, I wanted to head out to the back deck and get an even better vantage point. But I quickly found out one of the many ways in which golf, as wildly popular as it in South Korea, is markedly different from the game to which I'm accustomed.
The 50,000-square foot clubhouse had no deck or balcony.
There was nowhere to congregate, sit down and take in the views, at least not outside. The South Koreans instead prefer to spend their time inside, out of the sun, at least when they're not playing. The locals wore long pants, wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved shirts despite the bright sun and temperatures that were in the mid-70s Fahrenheit (about 24 Celsius).
SEOUL OF GOLF
I flew into Incheon by way of Philadelphia and San Francisco, a total of about 18 1/2 hours in the air. From there, we took a bus to our hotel -- the Intercontinental -- in the Gangnam district of Seoul. It's a decidedly business district, but the hotel sits across the street from a sprawling Buddhist shrine and is just a few blocks from the Olympic Stadium and other venues that hosted the 1988 Summer Games.
A multi-tier driving range that sits atop a parking garage is a short walk away, past the vast underground mall. Just outside one of the many entrances is a giant bronze statue of hands in the pose that Psy made famous in his viral video, "Gangnam Style," that has almost 3 billion views. The driving range, with a pitched net to protect cars on the top floor of the garage below, is a popular spot, especially for pre- and post-work training sessions -- similar to the way gym memberships are used in the U.S.
Among the retail outlets nearby are standalone stores for golf
companies like TaylorMade and Callaway. Fashion is big in South Korea
and that definitely carries over to golf. Brand names are especially
popular.
Unlike North America, there's little interest in wearing course logos, even if they're famous resorts or exclusive private clubs. But wearing golf brands is hugely popular; it's why TaylorMade has 40 stores in South Korea. It's customary to bring a separate apparel bag (preferably brand name) to the golf course and then change into a trendy golf outfit in the locker room.
What one won't find in Seoul, though, is a golf course. The indoor
screen golf simulators from GOLFZON are commonplace and affordable, but
you'll have to get well outside the city confines for a true green-grass
layout. While golf is beloved in South Korea -- the nation's 444 golf
facilities are second in Asia behind only Japan -- getting an actual tee
time is difficult and pricey.
A 36-hole facility like Taekwang Country Club about an hour outside Seoul has a whopping 1,300 members paying $70,000 entry fees. The course gets so much play that it has lights to play at night and each hole has two identical greens that can be regularly switched out if it gets too highly trafficked. During my visit, I played the final nine holes after dark under telescoping lights and it was an absolute blast, with the ball as easy to pick up in flight as a routine fly ball at a night baseball game.
WHISTLING ROCK
Whistling Rock was the first and last course I visited on my recent trip, located about 90 minutes north of Seoul and 90 minutes -- give or take -- from the demilitarized zone. That became apparent by the occasional fighter jets and helicopters flying overhead and the sound of distant mortar training. Whistling Rock opened in 2011 and the 27-hole facility is an absolute stunner, rightfully deserving of its place among the top two or three courses in South Korea and making a push for inclusion on global top 100 lists.
As for the membership, there’s about 280 (all South Korean) at Whistling Rock, which was built by Ted Robinson Jr. and recently tweaked by Tom Doak's right-hand man, Eric Iverson. The initiation fee is a whopping $1.2 million U.S., but there are no annual dues and members, if they choose, can leave the club any time after 10 years and get their initial payment back -- in full. It’s a unique system, to be sure.
The course cost $60 million to build, with a significant chunk of that the expense of blasting rock. The result is one of the most impressive layouts I’ve encountered, with dramatic vistas, significant elevation changes and meticulous landscaping that includes foliage with different colors at different times of the year. The Koreans like a challenging course too, so that plays into the design aesthetic. It looks intimidating and is just as challenging to play.
Erik Matuszewski
Maybe that's why breaks are popular, whether it's at the on-course
tea houses or a customary full meal midway through the round. The three
distinct tea houses at Whistling Rock were like nothing I've ever
encountered on a golf course. Each stayed true to the theme of its
nine-hole layout: a rounded cocoon-shaped structure nestled between a
lake and a forest on the Cocoon course, a formal wood and glass house at
the Temple course that looks like a shrine overlooking much of the
property, and a tea house perched high in the trees in a quiet corner of
the Cloud course.
As remarkable as Whistling Rock is, it's hard to believe something as
ordinary as a golf cart can command attention, but it does. The carts
in South Korea are built for four people, with the four big cart bags
put on the back on an angle. (The "carry bags" I'm used to were
non-existent).
In between shots, our do-everything caddie Miss Kim operates the cart by remote control while gliding back and forth to provide clubs and distances. The cart never leaves the path, yet another captivating aspect of South Korean golf, along with the all-female caddie corps. Our caddies were incredibly knowledgeable and celebrated good play, rewarding players with butterfly pins that were attached to our hats or shirts. I was lucky enough to make an eagle on a risk-reward par-4 -- driving the green and making a short putt -- and got an even bigger butterfly pin along with a certificate following the round as part of what felt like a hero's welcome back at the clubhouse. It's a golf memory I'll never forget.
TOP PLAYERS, TOP COURSES
When it comes to South Korea and golf, what most people know is success the nation has had in the women's game.
Five of the top 10 players on the women’s tour are from South Korea, and 22 of the top 50. Before our round at Taekwang Country Club, home to the biggest driving range in the Seoul area (with five levels and more than 200 hitting bays), we crossed paths with former LPGA star Ha Na Jang at the practice area. Apparently, even in a nation of 51 million, running into a golf star is a distinct possibility if you're at the right facility.
The most well-known South Korean golf course is Nine Bridges on JeJu Island, although it's off the nation's southern coast. I instead played the newer Haesley Nine Bridges course (on the mainland and closer to Seoul), which was built by the same developers.
The exclusive club is glorious, with a beautifully tranquil layout and a sub-air system under its bent-grass greens. The club brought the director of agronomy at Augusta National in as a consultant, so it's little wonder that Haesley's greens may just be the best in all of Korea. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more impressive clubhouse ceiling too: the spiderweb of curving wood timbers intricately woven together has been featured in international architecture publications.
Erik Matuszewski
The course at Haesley features mature trees, lakes, waterfalls,
natural rock outcroppings and a visually-impressive design in which
every hole is separate. There were also dragonflies everywhere, which
added to the magical quality of the place.
The 2o-foot high rock wall and nine man-made waterfalls behind the island green of the short par-4 10th hole at Haesley is a sight to behold. It's an especially nice spot to stop for a moment and soak in the splendor of the surroundings, particularly so after a full lunch of Korean beef Bulgogi at the turn.
Erik Matuszewski
My first trip to South Korea was rooted in golf, but gave me the
opportunity to experience much more. I certainly won't forget the
incredible cultural experiences, people and food.
The golf courses we got to play were perhaps even more memorable. As the South Korean golf boom continues, expect a course like Whistling Rock to gather even more attention and accolades on an international stage. And rightfully so.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikmatuszewski/2017/08/15/inside-south-koreas-golf-boom-fashion-million-dollar-fees-female-stars-and-eye-popping-courses/#70f24c5d751d
그녀들이 국제무대에서 한국의 위상을 높이 올린것은, 여의도를 점령하고 있는300명의 국해의원들 보다, 지난 100여일 동안에 청와대 주인 행세를 하고있는 문통과 그보좌관들이 노력해온 것보다 훨씬더 값있고,
뜻이 깊다고 하겠다. 문통과 여의도 국해의원들은 몰라도, Pak Seri, 박인비,김세영 등등의 한인 여성골퍼들의 명성은 세계를 뒤덮고 있으며,영광스럽게도, 박세리, 박인비는 여성골프의 전당( Hall of Fame)에 이름까지 새겨져 있다는데 자부심을 느낀다.
한국은 한반도의 동쪽을 북에서 남으로 웅장한 태백산맥이 쭉 뻗어 내려, 사람으로 치면 마치 허리뼈(Spine)역활을 하고 있기에, 국토의 70% 이상이 산악지대속에 있다고 할수있다. 그산자락에, 400개가 훨씬 넘는 대부분의 골프장들이 자리를 하고 있기에, 골프장의 경관 또한 무척 아름답다.
골프 Market 규모도 일본, 미국 다음으로 한국이 크다는 사실도 이기사를 보고 알았다.
북미 대륙에서 처럼, 평지에 골프장이 있는것이 아니고, Slope가 심하고, Fairway 또한 좁은 편이어서, 그러한 환경에 적응이 잘된 한국여성 골퍼들의 성적은 필연적으로 좋아질수밖에 없다는 나의 지론이다.
한가지 조금 아쉬운점은, 한국에서는 모든게 일류아니면 취급을 받지 못한다는, 겉치례에 치중을 많이한다는 내용에 대해서는, 그것이 실제로 사실이지만, 읽기에 거북하기도하고, 챙피하기도하고, 우리민족의 좋지않은 성품을 정확히 꿰뚫어본 기자의 보도 정신을 높이 사고싶었다.
이번에 Forbes지의 Erik Matuszewski가 그러한 여건속의 한국 여성 골퍼들과 이와 관련된 여러 내용들을 비교적 자세하게 적어 놓았는데, 나뿐만이 아니고 많은 한국인들이 읽어 봤으면 하는 마음이 컸었다.
그기사 내용을 그대로 아래에 옮겨 놓았다.
Inside South Korea's Golf Boom: Fashion, Million-Dollar Fees, Female Stars And Eye-Popping Courses
The clubhouse at
Whistling Rock Golf Club outside Seoul, a luxurious private club with a
$1.2 million (US) membership fee. (Photo credit: Joann Dost)
The main foyer of the Whistling Rock clubhouse. (Photo credit: Joann Dost)
It's almost sensory overload when taken in for the first time: a jaw-dropping collection of lush green fairways, stone and wooden bridges, deep ravines, rocky streams, sprawling waste areas, giant splotchy bunkers, extensive rock outcroppings and beautiful waterfalls. It was also just about peak fall color when I visited, so the abundant splashes of red, yellow and orange from the plants and trees heightened the brilliant green grass, white bunkers and gray rock.
The par-5 third hole
at Whistling Rock's Temple Course is full of visual intimidation as it
climbs the side of a mountain, with a severe drop off to the right with
lots of trouble. (Photo credit: Joann Dost)
After marveling at the panoramic view from the clubhouse, I wanted to head out to the back deck and get an even better vantage point. But I quickly found out one of the many ways in which golf, as wildly popular as it in South Korea, is markedly different from the game to which I'm accustomed.
The 50,000-square foot clubhouse had no deck or balcony.
There was nowhere to congregate, sit down and take in the views, at least not outside. The South Koreans instead prefer to spend their time inside, out of the sun, at least when they're not playing. The locals wore long pants, wide-brimmed hats and long-sleeved shirts despite the bright sun and temperatures that were in the mid-70s Fahrenheit (about 24 Celsius).
Golf in South Korea is booming, trailing only Japan and the U.S. as a market for the sport.
Although it's only roughly the size of Kentucky, South Korea spends an
estimated $13 billion a year on golf and approximately 10 percent of the
population are golf fans, a number that's growing.
Having played golf from coast-to-coast in the U.S., I had been
anxious to experience the South Korea market first-hand. And while it
was different, it most certainly didn't disappoint. Far from it.SEOUL OF GOLF
I flew into Incheon by way of Philadelphia and San Francisco, a total of about 18 1/2 hours in the air. From there, we took a bus to our hotel -- the Intercontinental -- in the Gangnam district of Seoul. It's a decidedly business district, but the hotel sits across the street from a sprawling Buddhist shrine and is just a few blocks from the Olympic Stadium and other venues that hosted the 1988 Summer Games.
A multi-tier driving range that sits atop a parking garage is a short walk away, past the vast underground mall. Just outside one of the many entrances is a giant bronze statue of hands in the pose that Psy made famous in his viral video, "Gangnam Style," that has almost 3 billion views. The driving range, with a pitched net to protect cars on the top floor of the garage below, is a popular spot, especially for pre- and post-work training sessions -- similar to the way gym memberships are used in the U.S.
Sights from the
Gangnam district of Seoul. A multi-level driving range atop a parking
garage, the Olympic Stadium from 1988, a statue of Psy's Gangnam style
hands and a Buddhist temple in the middle of the business district.
(Photo credit: Erik Matuszewski)
Unlike North America, there's little interest in wearing course logos, even if they're famous resorts or exclusive private clubs. But wearing golf brands is hugely popular; it's why TaylorMade has 40 stores in South Korea. It's customary to bring a separate apparel bag (preferably brand name) to the golf course and then change into a trendy golf outfit in the locker room.
A standalone
Callaway store, one of the many golf-specific retail outlets spread
throughout Seoul. (Photo credit: Erik Matuszewski)
A 36-hole facility like Taekwang Country Club about an hour outside Seoul has a whopping 1,300 members paying $70,000 entry fees. The course gets so much play that it has lights to play at night and each hole has two identical greens that can be regularly switched out if it gets too highly trafficked. During my visit, I played the final nine holes after dark under telescoping lights and it was an absolute blast, with the ball as easy to pick up in flight as a routine fly ball at a night baseball game.
Playing under the lights at the Taekwang Country Club outside Seoul. (Photo credit: Erik Matuszewski)
Whistling Rock was the first and last course I visited on my recent trip, located about 90 minutes north of Seoul and 90 minutes -- give or take -- from the demilitarized zone. That became apparent by the occasional fighter jets and helicopters flying overhead and the sound of distant mortar training. Whistling Rock opened in 2011 and the 27-hole facility is an absolute stunner, rightfully deserving of its place among the top two or three courses in South Korea and making a push for inclusion on global top 100 lists.
As for the membership, there’s about 280 (all South Korean) at Whistling Rock, which was built by Ted Robinson Jr. and recently tweaked by Tom Doak's right-hand man, Eric Iverson. The initiation fee is a whopping $1.2 million U.S., but there are no annual dues and members, if they choose, can leave the club any time after 10 years and get their initial payment back -- in full. It’s a unique system, to be sure.
The course cost $60 million to build, with a significant chunk of that the expense of blasting rock. The result is one of the most impressive layouts I’ve encountered, with dramatic vistas, significant elevation changes and meticulous landscaping that includes foliage with different colors at different times of the year. The Koreans like a challenging course too, so that plays into the design aesthetic. It looks intimidating and is just as challenging to play.
Erik Matuszewski
The green of the par-4 ninth hole of the Cocoon 9 sits just behind the Whistling Rock clubhouse.
In between shots, our do-everything caddie Miss Kim operates the cart by remote control while gliding back and forth to provide clubs and distances. The cart never leaves the path, yet another captivating aspect of South Korean golf, along with the all-female caddie corps. Our caddies were incredibly knowledgeable and celebrated good play, rewarding players with butterfly pins that were attached to our hats or shirts. I was lucky enough to make an eagle on a risk-reward par-4 -- driving the green and making a short putt -- and got an even bigger butterfly pin along with a certificate following the round as part of what felt like a hero's welcome back at the clubhouse. It's a golf memory I'll never forget.
TOP PLAYERS, TOP COURSES
When it comes to South Korea and golf, what most people know is success the nation has had in the women's game.
Five of the top 10 players on the women’s tour are from South Korea, and 22 of the top 50. Before our round at Taekwang Country Club, home to the biggest driving range in the Seoul area (with five levels and more than 200 hitting bays), we crossed paths with former LPGA star Ha Na Jang at the practice area. Apparently, even in a nation of 51 million, running into a golf star is a distinct possibility if you're at the right facility.
The most well-known South Korean golf course is Nine Bridges on JeJu Island, although it's off the nation's southern coast. I instead played the newer Haesley Nine Bridges course (on the mainland and closer to Seoul), which was built by the same developers.
The exclusive club is glorious, with a beautifully tranquil layout and a sub-air system under its bent-grass greens. The club brought the director of agronomy at Augusta National in as a consultant, so it's little wonder that Haesley's greens may just be the best in all of Korea. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more impressive clubhouse ceiling too: the spiderweb of curving wood timbers intricately woven together has been featured in international architecture publications.
Erik Matuszewski
The ceiling of the Nine Bridges Haesley clubhouse is an intricately woven web of wood timbers.
The 2o-foot high rock wall and nine man-made waterfalls behind the island green of the short par-4 10th hole at Haesley is a sight to behold. It's an especially nice spot to stop for a moment and soak in the splendor of the surroundings, particularly so after a full lunch of Korean beef Bulgogi at the turn.
Erik Matuszewski
The island green at the par-4 10th hole at Haesley Nine Bridges in South Korea.
The golf courses we got to play were perhaps even more memorable. As the South Korean golf boom continues, expect a course like Whistling Rock to gather even more attention and accolades on an international stage. And rightfully so.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikmatuszewski/2017/08/15/inside-south-koreas-golf-boom-fashion-million-dollar-fees-female-stars-and-eye-popping-courses/#70f24c5d751d
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