Playing Golf with Koreans

OKAY! You’ve been invited to play golf with some Koreans! Playing Golf with Koreans can involve particular customs and procedures, and I am here to help!

Playing golf in Korea is a somewhat different topic to be covered in another post.

Koreans pride themselves on their individual uniqueness, self-determination, accomplishments, and you should complement your hosts when you get a chance on their distinctive and remarkable magnificence! Kkkk. But seriously, with one of the most homogenous societies in the world, there really is such a thing as “common sense” for Koreans. So these generalizations should hold true for Korean-Koreans, Korean-Americans, Korean-[other countries], at private country clubs, public tracks, and muni anthills.

If you were randomly grouped with Koreans at your local golf course, then this is more for your information.

Prepare

Most Koreans take (or at sometime in the past, have taken) the game of golf seriously. So even if couched as a casual round, you should know the rules. You should know how to hit a ball (and bring enough balls). You will be expected to know the basic rules of etiquette, scoring, and how the game is officially played.

Let your Koreans know what your skill level is. The format and wager will likely be discussed. Koreans play many different formats so hopefully everyone can have a competitive, fair and fun round. And there will likely be a betting game. Lucky for you, this is the place to learn all the formats and betting games.

Golf wear. No need to go crazy, but you should know what basic golf attire is. Most courses have rules (e.g, no jeans, shirts with a collar, etc.). If you can’t get on the course because of what you are wearing, then you have embarrassed yourself and your host. Koreans do not like to be embarrassed.

Bring Stuff or Buy Stuff. Depending on how fancy the course is, it is not uncommon for Koreans to bring and share golf-related gifts, drinks, and snacks. If you don’t bring enough to share, then consider buying and sharing something from the clubhouse or from the beverage cart.

Don’t Be Late and Don’t Even Think About Canceling. Unless there is a legitimate emergency, you should never cancel a golf outing with Koreans. Dropping out messes up the group, planned formats, and since most courses in Korea require a foursome to go out – it is common knowledge that you are permitted to cancel if you have to attend your own funeral – otherwise there are no acceptable excuses. Rain or shine you have committed to play.

Bring cash. For tips and for wager losses, be prepared with enough cash.

Etiquette during the Round

You may hear Koreans refer to golf as “woon-dong” (exercise) or “rounding” or going out to the “field” (as opposed to a practice range) – and irrespective of the format you are playing and the skill levels, you should know the rules of play (even if the group decides to be flexible on those rules) and rules of etiquette.

On the Tee. Follow the teeing order determined by tee flip, ball toss, whatever. The winner of the previous hole has the “honor” so let them hit first. Bring everything you need to the tee box. Don’t stand too close, and don’t stand directly behind. Be quiet when others are hitting. When it’s your turn, don’t take practice swings in the direction of other players (it’s considered rude and it’s dangerous). If you hit a bad shot, do not assume you can just hit another ball. Your group may permit a “breakfast ball” or “mulligan” but if they do not, then bite the bullet and just move on.

Don’t Delay. When approaching your ball in the fairway, bring a few clubs longer and shorter of what you guestimate might be right – don’t be that jackass who walks across the course to the ball, measures the distance, walks back to the cart for a club, returns to the ball, takes 10 practice swings and then walks back to the cart for another club. Be ready to hit, wait your turn, hit and go. Don’t analyze bad shots after you swing. Hit and go! And never give unsolicited technical golf advice on the course to anyone.

Agree with the Agreed Upon. Skill levels vary and each individual will have their own philosophy about golf, but everyone will be expected to participate in the agreed upon format and the money game. Don’t just do your own thing. Refusing to participate or deciding to stop participating mid round will just about guarantee you will never be invited back.

Don’t Cheat. As with mulligans off the tee box, don’t assume a lost ball is scored as a lateral hazard drop, don’t assume you can pick up and clean a dirty ball, don’t ground your club or move your ball in an unraked bunker, and don’t assume any putt is a “gimme”. Most Koreans will be okay with allowing you to do any of those things within reason (because there will be an expectation of reciprocity) – but you should ask at each instance and be prepared for a “no”. Keep Accurate Score. The Koreans are watching you and counting each stroke. So don’t lie.

Concede When Appropriate. We all have blow-up holes. If you are no longer in contention on a particular hole, then concede and pick up your ball. I remember playing golf with a Korean client that hosted three folks from different countries. One fellow from Germany was having a bad day (as we all do), but he was holding up the game by insisting on finding wayward balls and insisting on holing out everytime. The group was getting annoyed (and so were the groups behind us). I gently reminded the fellow that the skins match we were playing had an upper limit of double bogie (a score worse than bogie can’t win a hole), so he should just pick up after double bogie. He wanted to impress the client by showing his persistence and resilience. That didn’t work, and the client ended up firing him (allegedly for other work-related reasons). Outside a stroke-play format, most Koreans will agree that it is polite for you to pick up your ball after double par – ask and clarify – all Koreans live by the mantra 8-2-8-2 (pal-yi-pal-yi = quickly quickly).

Putting. Mark your ball. Avoid stepping on other player’s lines. Don’t stand in front of or behind other players who are putting. Don’t be moving around or talking while Koreans are putting. A putter length (or a putter grip) short putts are usually “given” – recognized and credited as good as in – so you should be generous giving “gimmes”, but again, don’t assume yours are good and take your own “gimmes”.

“Gucci” Despite all the above, Koreans will joke around on the golf course. During a high-stakes shot, a friend may try to rattle another with comments like: “90-degrees left!“. Don’t be offended when you hear “nice shot!” after you shank it into the woods, or “nice bogie!” after you get on the green in regulation.

Triumph Ceremony. It’s okay to have a civil and subtle “triumph ceremony” after hitting a good shot. Something like a tip of the hat or subtle fist pump. If you happen to chip-in or make a birdie, or eagle, then you will likely get congratulatory money from the other players – BUT if you make a Hole-In-One, then you may be expected to PAY for (at least) dinner and drinks.

“Good Game” After the 18th Hole Koreans will take their hats off and shake hands.

“The 19th Hole.” After golf, drinks and/or dinner typically follows and again, you will be expected to participate. Remind me to someday tell you how I brought So-Mek to the world (and Spam)….

Some Koreans believe your true personality cannot help but truthfully appear on the golf course. So take these tips to heart, because if you don’t know Korean “common sense”, it’s hard to control what message you are conveying about yourself.

Other posts will cover common Golf Formats and Betting Games…

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