"It's Too Expensive to Play"... 430,000 Golfers Left the Course in Two Years

High Costs Drive Many Golfers Away From South Korean Courses
Golfers Turn to Weekday Morning and Early-Morning Rounds to Avoid High Fees
As Domestic Rounds Lose Appeal, Overseas Golf Trips Remain Popular

A cold spell is sweeping South Korea's golf courses now that the COVID-19 boom has ended. Golfers burdened by soaring green fees, caddie fees and cart fees are leaving the courses. The number of people participating in golf activities has fallen by 430,000 in the past two years, and potential demand that could bring in new participants has also dropped sharply. Golf courses in provincial areas have been hit particularly hard by the decline in demand, with some struggling to fill tee times. Critics say the industry's high-cost structure has become an obstacle to making golf more accessible to the public.

According to the "2025 Korea Golf Indicators Survey," released by the Korea Golf Association (KGA) on November 6, an estimated 5.81 million people in South Korea participated in golf activities last year. That was 15.9% of the total surveyed population, down 7.0% from 6.24 million (16.9%) in 2023.

The number of people participating in golf activities in South Korea is declining sharply. Provided by the Korea Golf Association.

The outlook for new demand is also bleak. The number of potential participants who had never played golf but were willing to try fell by about 1.99 million, from 10.01 million (27.1%) in 2023 to 8.02 million (22.0%) last year. This coincides with a trend in which interest among people considering taking up golf, including so-called "Golini" (a blend of golf and "children"), is shifting to other sports such as tennis and running. The KGA said, "We found that existing golfers were stopping their activities while the inflow of new participants was slowing at the same time."

The reasons people play golf have also changed. The share of respondents who said they played golf as a hobby fell by 14.3 percentage points, from 73.3% in 2023 to 59.0% last year. The share who cited stress relief also dropped by 20.4 percentage points, from 52.3% to 31.9%. By contrast, the share who played golf for business purposes rose by 2.3 percentage points, from 16.7% to 19.0%. In other words, demand for personal leisure has weakened, while business-related use has remained relatively steady.

High fees are cited as a major reason for the decline in the number of golfers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand surged, prompting golf courses to raise various fees one after another. Based on data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the golf industry, green fees at South Korean golf courses are estimated to have risen by 30% to 60% compared with 2019, before the pandemic. Weekday green fees at major courses, including those in the Seoul metropolitan area, range from 150,000 to 250,000 won, while weekend fees range from 250,000 to 400,000 won.

Additional costs are also substantial. The most common caddie fee at South Korean golf courses is 150,000 won per team. The average caddie fee at public golf courses has climbed from 95,000 won in 2010 to 147,000 won this year. Cart fees average 100,000 won. Six-seat limousine carts, which cost between 160,000 and 360,000 won, have also been gaining popularity recently.

These costs have changed golfers' spending habits. Value-conscious golfers are increasingly opting for weekday rounds, which are relatively less expensive. The KGA survey found that the share of golf course visits on weekdays rose by 14.1 percentage points, from 48.1% in 2023 to 62.2% last year. In particular, the share of visits on weekday mornings increased by 9.3 percentage points, from 21.8% to 31.1%, while the share for weekday early-morning visits rose by 4.9 percentage points, from 6.7% to 11.6%.

More golfers are also traveling overseas to play. Asian countries, which offer relatively low costs and competitive services, are among the main destinations. Thailand was the most visited country among those with overseas golf experience, at 41.8%, followed by the Philippines (32.8%), Japan (32.4%), Vietnam (30.6%) and China (18.1%).

Japan has become particularly popular. The share of golfers with experience playing in Japan rose by 6.3 percentage points, from 26.1% in 2023 to 32.4% last year. The weaker yen, which has eased the cost burden, as well as the country's abundant food options and tourism infrastructure, are seen as factors behind its appeal.

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