Korean golfers hitting the virtual links
2009/09/22 23:55CNN recently looked at the booming business with “screen golf” cafes becoming a popular alternative for Korean golfers:
There are an estimated 3.5 million golfers in South Korea but many of them have never seen an 18-hole course out in the open.
Their game lives in the virtual world - forced indoors because most of the 260 golf courses in South Korea are expensive and oversubscribed.
A round of virtual golf will cost between $20 to $30 and the format has seen a proliferation of users - just over five years ago there were 300 golf cafes but now there are over 3,000 operating some 12,000 simulators.
The screen golf cafes are also tied into online communities like Golfzon to provide virtual golf leagues and contests.
Business Week: Virtual Reality Golf Takes Off in Korea (October 27, 2008)
New York Times: Virtual-reality golf is a winner in South Korea (June 9, 2008)
ABC News: South Koreans Prefer Golf Cafes to Courses with video (July 5, 2008)
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