Golf Beginner "Where is Better for Practice?"... 'Indoor vs Outdoor'

Indoor Golf Range 'Improved Swing Focus, Good Accessibility, Unaffected by Environment'
Outdoor Golf Course 'High Realism, Accurate Trajectory Tracking, Putting Practice Available'

A golfer is receiving a lesson at an indoor golf practice range. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Taewon] The biggest concern for golf beginners is finding a practice location.

They often deliberate over whether to choose an indoor or outdoor golf practice range. Both types of ranges have clear pros and cons. It is important to select a practice facility that suits one’s circumstances.

According to the ‘Leisure White Paper 2022’ published by the Korea Leisure Industry Research Institute, the number of golfers in Korea reached 5.64 million last year. This means that one out of every ten people enjoys golf. As the golfing population increases, the number of beginners naturally rises as well.

Golf practice ranges are broadly divided into indoor and outdoor facilities. Indoor golf ranges have sensors installed at indoor bays where players swing towards a wall about 4 to 5 meters away. Based on swing data measured by the sensors, players can check driving distance and ball trajectory. Since a large space is not required, these ranges are located throughout city centers. Each swing can be reviewed on a screen. Although players cannot see the ball directly, they can focus more on the swing itself rather than the ball’s flight path. It is the optimal place for beginners to practice the ‘ttokttaki’?the first basic swing technique they learn.

Indoor golf ranges also have clear drawbacks. It is difficult to accurately grasp the ball’s trajectory. Although distance and ball flight are displayed via sensors, there is a difference from reality. There are definite limitations. It is also hard to develop aiming skills. When standing at the bay, the program automatically aligns the aim to the center. If the swing is correct, the ball will inevitably go straight.

A 27-year-old resident of Jung-gu, Seoul, Mr. A, who switched from an outdoor to an indoor range after about six months, said, "I moved to an indoor range because I was attracted by the comfortable practice environment regardless of weather and the relatively lower fees, and I am satisfied. However, when I recently went on a round, I had many aiming mistakes which caused me a lot of trouble. I plan to occasionally visit an indoor range to practice aiming separately."

A golfer is receiving a lesson at an outdoor golf practice range. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Outdoor golf ranges are called ‘dakjang’ (chicken coop) or ‘indoor ranges’ (note: in Korean context, ‘indoor’ here refers to covered outdoor ranges). They are mostly found on the outskirts of cities. These are large structures covered with green nets. They have a distance scale of about 120 to 200 meters, allowing players to visually confirm actual driving distance and ball flight. Most outdoor ranges also have separate putting practice areas. However, the high realism can interfere with practice. Players suffer from cold and heat, making it difficult to focus on fundamentals. The desire to watch the ball often leads to compensatory movements like ‘baechigi’ (a pushing motion).

Mr. B, a 33-year-old resident of Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, who has been attending an outdoor range for two years, said, "I chose an outdoor range from the start because I heard that those who only practice indoors struggle on the field. I think it was a very satisfying choice just to have won bets against friends who started at indoor ranges around the same time on the field."

As important as choosing a practice range, there is something even more crucial for golf beginners: practicing frequently. A professional instructor conducting lessons at a golf range in Seongdong-gu, Seoul, advised, "The most important thing is to practice as much as possible. You can improve your skills first and then consider moving to a practice range that suits you best."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.