SEOUL - For decades, the business model of domestic golf courses was built on a rigid, unyielding standard: build a pristine course, open the reservation books, and only accept full teams of four players. It was widely accepted as the single most efficient way to run a golf club.
Today, that old paradigm is completely fracturing.
Faced with the challenge of filling empty weekday tee times and a clear shift in how people want to spend their leisure time, domestic golf courses are quickly pivoting to more flexible operating models. According to industry experts, the power dynamic has fundamentally shifted. While players once had to adapt to the strict rules of the golf course, courses are now aggressively restructuring their business models to adapt to the changing lifestyles of modern golfers.
The most glaring evidence of this shift is the meteoric rise of two-person reservations. Once an absolute rarity restricted by club policies, two-person play is fast becoming a staple, especially on weekdays and during off-peak hours.
Data released by the prominent golf booking platform XGOLF highlights just how fast this trend is accelerating:
Alongside smaller group sizes, "no-caddie" options are rapidly spreading across the country. By allowing self-play, golf courses are successfully lowering the cost barrier for players who want to skip the high tips and fees associated with traditional caddie services. This option has proven to be a rare win-win: golfers save a significant amount of money per round, while courses can fill slots that otherwise would have gone empty due to caddie shortages or lower demand.
But the innovation doesn't stop there. Forward-thinking golf clubs are also introducing a suite of newer, highly tailored products, including:
Major courses nationwide are leading the charge. Premium locations such as Golden Bay in Taean, Chungnam, alongside Tiger, Donggang Sistar, YJC, Lotte Skyhill Jeju, and Jayu CC, have all introduced tailored combinations of two-person bookings, no-caddie options, and night rounds to match their unique regional demographics.
Industry insiders note that the definition of what makes a golf club successful has officially changed.
"The competitiveness of a golf course is no longer evaluated solely by its turf and course management standards," a prominent industry source commented. "Instead, how conveniently customers can access and use the course using their preferred times and playing methods is becoming the new competitive edge."
Moving forward, the industry expects this trend to become the default standard, with even more venues rolling out diverse, highly customized strategies to keep their tee sheets full.
