Yeongdeungpo-gu Completes Seoul's First 36-Hole Park Golf Course

Yeongdeungpo-gu held a dedication ceremony Friday along Anyang Stream to mark the completion of its second park golf course, declaring the finish of Seoul's first 36-hole park golf complex among the capital's autonomous districts, the district said.

District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon attended the ceremony alongside officials from the Yeongdeungpo District Sports Council and the Yeongdeungpo Park Golf Association, as well as club members and local residents. The event featured an unveiling of the dedication plaque, a ceremonial first stroke to wish the facility success, and a round of the new course.

The newly completed second course was built on an 18-hole layout across a grass field at Yangpyeong-dong 33-3. Combined with the existing first course — 18,236 square meters — the newly added second course of 20,797 square meters brings the complex to a total area of 39,033 square meters, making it the largest park golf facility among Seoul's autonomous districts.

The path to completing the second course was not smooth. The project ran into repeated demands for revisions from regulatory agencies over river management and flood-control safety concerns. The district pressed on, maintaining continuous consultations with the relevant authorities and making the case for the project by conveying the wishes of more than 2,000 park golf enthusiasts and residents.

Those efforts paid off when the district secured final river-use permission from the Han River Basin Environmental Office on Jan. 22. Construction wrapped up safely on June 23, completing what is now Seoul's first officially permitted 36-hole park golf course.

Yeongdeungpo-gu holds a special place in the sport's history: South Korea's first park golf course was built at Yeouido Hangang Park in 2004, making the district the birthplace of park golf in the country. The completion of the 36-hole complex is expected to cement Yeongdeungpo's standing as the hub of park golf in the greater Seoul area.

The district plans to begin full operations in September, after completing the official approval process with the Han River Basin Environmental Office and finishing detailed operational preparations.

Before the official opening, the district also plans to expand restroom facilities and scale up electrical and plumbing infrastructure to maximize convenience for visitors.

"The completion of this 36-hole park golf course is a deeply meaningful achievement — the long-held wish of our residents and the Yeongdeungpo Park Golf Association has finally come true," District Mayor Choi said. "In keeping with Yeongdeungpo's status as the birthplace of park golf in Korea, we will develop this into Seoul's finest lifestyle sports space, where everyone — men and women, young and old — can enjoy the game safely and comfortably."