Golf in Korea (2026): the honest guide for visiting golfers

Yes. Plenty of public and resort courses welcome visitors, and you don't need a handicap certificate at most of them. The catch is that the most prestigious clubs are members-only or require a member to introduce you, and the country is genuinely golf-mad, so weekend tee times at popular courses get booked out well ahead. Book in advance, lean toward public or resort courses, and you'll have no trouble getting on.

Treat this as a planning range rather than a fixed figure: golf in Korea is generally pricier than in much of Southeast Asia once you add up the green fee, a near-compulsory cart, and the caddie fee that many courses still attach to a round. Weekends cost noticeably more than weekdays, and Jeju and marquee mainland courses sit at the top end. If you're budgeting, weekday rounds at public courses are the friendlier option, and screen golf is a cheap way to play more.

Many traditional Korean courses still run on a caddie-and-cart model — you ride a cart and a caddie is assigned to the group, with both adding to the cost on top of the green fee. It's a different rhythm from carrying your own bag and walking. A growing number of public and 'no-caddie' courses now let you self-drive the cart or play without a caddie to keep things cheaper, so check the course's policy when you book if cost or pace matters to you.

Screen golf is Korea's hugely popular indoor simulator golf — you hit real balls into a high-quality screen that plays famous courses, usually in a private room you book by the hour, often with food and drinks. It's far cheaper than a real round, weatherproof, and a genuinely fun night out even for non-golfers. It's not a replacement for playing outdoors, but it's one of the most distinctly Korean things a golfer can do, and a great backup on a rainy or cold day.

Spring (roughly April–June) and autumn (roughly September–November) are the most comfortable, with mild temperatures and, in autumn, striking foliage on mountain courses. Summer is hot, humid and includes a rainy spell, while deep winter closes or restricts many mainland courses as the ground freezes — though Jeju in the south stays the most playable year-round. If you want reliable conditions, aim for spring or autumn and book early, since locals target the same windows.