"I paid 1.37 million won, and this is what I get?" ... Stunned by what I saw at the golf course

[Dangerous Greens: The Ugly Truth About Golf Courses]-1

Heavy equipment rolls through dust-filled courses...heightening golfers' anxiety
Courses stay open with construction zones abutting play areas...safety management under scrutiny

The golf course they visited after paying a weekend green fee of nearly 300,000 won had turned into a construction site. Heavy equipment, including excavators, moved around the course, while workers were exposed to the risk of being hit by golf balls. Golfers, too, had to continue their rounds amid construction noise and concerns about safety accidents. This is what happens when some golf courses expand their number of holes while remaining open for business. As safety issues and customer inconvenience related to facility expansion come to the fore, golf courses' excessive business practices and poor customer service are under scrutiny.

Greenhill CC in Gonjiam, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, is carrying out a course expansion while continuing normal operations. Much of the golf course resembles a construction site. Photo courtesy of golf influencer Golf Genie.

According to the golf industry and customers on October 30, Greenhill CC, a members-only golf course in Gonjiam, Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, is carrying out an expansion project to add nine holes to its existing 18 while continuing operations. Office worker A, who visited the course last month, experienced unexpected inconvenience. The weekend green fee at the time was 280,000 won per person. Including cart and caddie fees, the total for four people came to 1.37 million won, excluding food and beverages.

A checked the course's website before booking and learned that construction was underway, but the actual conditions on site were worse than expected. In some areas, the construction zone overlapped with golfers' routes, and heavy equipment moved around the course. There were also serious concerns that workers could be hit by golf balls.

"It was so difficult to tell whether it was a golf course or a construction site," A said. "I couldn't take a shot with peace of mind while heavy equipment was moving around." A added, "I don't understand why I had to worry about safety accidents throughout the round after paying such a considerable amount."

The golf course's response also fueled dissatisfaction. A said they raised concerns with the golf operations department about the inconvenience and safety issues caused by the construction, but, instead of an apology, a manager replied, "We have no choice because we're adding holes."

A Greenhill CC representative said, "We are aware of customers' complaints and are working to reduce construction noise," adding, "We are also offering green fees at discounted rates compared with our usual prices." Regarding customer service, the representative said, "It seems there were shortcomings," and promised to improve the service.

Disputes over course expansion are also occurring at other golf courses. Jayu CC, a members-only golf course in Ganam-eup, Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, has faced opposition from residents as it pursues a nine-hole expansion. Residents are concerned about construction noise and dust, increased groundwater use, and damage to crops from nighttime lighting. The golf course says it has no plans for additional groundwater development and will minimize the impact by adjusting the direction of the lights and installing light-shielding facilities.

H1 Club in Hobeop-myeon, Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, is also pursuing a project to add nine public-access holes to its existing 18-hole members-only course. Construction on six of the holes is virtually complete, but work on the remaining three is understood to have been suspended early this year due to permitting issues.

Expanding a golf course is an investment aimed at improving its competitiveness, but carrying out construction while remaining open for business also increases the burden of safety management. If areas where heavy equipment is operating overlap with golfers' routes, there is a risk of collisions, and workers on site may also be exposed to unexpected golf shots. Critics say that more than simply notifying customers in advance about construction, golf courses need to take practical measures, such as restricting access to work areas and installing safety nets.

Service issues also cannot be overlooked. If construction noise and dust interfere with a normal round, golf courses should provide customers with sufficient notice and establish standards for discounts or compensation based on the extent of the inconvenience, some say.

Ha Jongdu, CEO of JDGA and an expert in golf course design, said, "I have never personally seen a case overseas where a golf course carried out operations and hole expansion work at the same time." He added, "This not only poses a risk of golf ball accidents but could also lower the satisfaction of customers who have paid a high price." He stressed, "Golf is a service industry, so if construction causes inconvenience, customers should be given sufficient notice and reasonable benefits, such as discounts, should be offered," adding, "It is basic courtesy to politely ask customers for their understanding."

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