South Korean Companies Expanding Golf Course Acquisitions in Kyushu – What’s Behind the Trend?

A South Korean-style convenience store will also be installed

Furthermore, regarding the ongoing acquisition of golf courses by South Korean companies, he added:

“In the South Korean golf industry, I believe a yen-demic will trigger a boom in purchasing Japanese golf courses. The demand for overseas golf travel is recovering, and the historic weak yen is fueling this trend.”

He seems very confident in the future of golf course management, but what is the reality? An interview with CEO Cho, published in the economic newspaper Maeil Business last June, was quite shocking.

“I told you, didn’t I? With the ‘SHOWGOLF DNA,’ we would flip the golf course board in Japan. In just five months, we achieved the highest growth rate in sales among golf courses in the Kyushu region. The local golf scene in Kyushu is in an uproar. After the Japan Golf Course Association released its report, we started receiving a flood of inquiries from other golf courses asking, ‘How did you manage to change things so drastically?'”

The golf courses they acquired are being transformed into a more Korean style. Additionally, they have gradually changed the mindset of about 100 Japanese employees.

“We replaced all the old-looking carpets. When guests wanted to visit nearby tourist spots, they had to call a taxi, which cost 40,000–50,000 won (about 4,000–5,000 yen). After learning this, we started offering shuttle bus services and rental cars. We also set up a South Korean-style convenience store inside the clubhouse, where products are sold cheaper than at the airport (laughs).

At first, we considered keeping things in the Japanese style, but now we are doing it the ‘SHOWGOLF’ way. The Japanese employees are enjoying their work, and even the Japanese members—who initially said 20% would leave unconditionally—have stayed. They told us there’s no reason to leave now that the facilities have been modernized and gained popularity.”

According to the article, five South Korean staff members are stationed at the golf course full-time, with around 10 additional personnel rotating in as needed. CEO Cho himself visits the golf course four to five times a month for inspections.

For Japanese people, the rapid wave of golf course acquisitions may bring mixed emotions. However, if these changes help revitalize struggling local golf courses and create an environment where more golfers can enjoy the sport in a healthy way, it may not be such a bad thing after all.