SEOUL — Residents of Seoul’s Jungnang District can now enjoy park golf well after sunset, as the local government officially launched night operations at the Jungnangcheon Stream riverbank course.
On March 16, 2026, District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi led a night opening ceremony to celebrate the facility’s expansion, marking a significant shift in how the district manages its high-demand recreational spaces.
The nine-hole course has become a local sensation since its establishment in April 2024. According to district data, the facility has attracted approximately 55,000 cumulative visitors in less than two years.
Before the expansion, the course faced a significant bottleneck:
Advance booking rates: 97%
Current Status: Reservations were described as "extremely difficult to secure."
To alleviate this, the district invested 60 million won to install 10 high-efficiency lighting fixtures. By utilizing existing bicycle path streetlights, officials have enabled play until 9 p.m. daily.
The move to nighttime play has triggered a complete overhaul of the course’s scheduling system. The district has moved away from its previous seasonal three-to-four session model in favor of a unified five-session system that will operate year-round.
| Metric | Before Night Ops | After Night Ops | Change |
| Sessions | 3–4 (Seasonal) | 5 (Year-round) | +25-66% |
| Max Daily Capacity | 120–160 players | 200 players | +60% |
"We expect night operations will allow more residents to conveniently enjoy recreational sports," said District Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi. "We will continue working to expand facilities so everyone can enjoy healthy leisure activities close to home."
Jungnang is the third district in Seoul to adopt nighttime park golf, following Geumcheon and Yangcheon districts. The trend is spreading quickly as local governments scramble to find "all-hours" solutions for aging populations and fitness-conscious residents.
Yangcheon District is currently following suit, installing lighting at the Anyangcheon Ecological Park Golf Course with plans to begin full night operations after April 10.
Beyond the riverbank, Jungnang District is finding creative ways to use idle urban spaces for park golf, including:
A four-hole rooftop course at the Sinnae Senior Welfare Center.
An indoor screen park golf facility at the Yongma Senior Welfare Center.
These initiatives are part of a broader effort to ensure that the sport remains accessible to all residents, regardless of the time of day or available land.
