Pyongyang Golf Course
Pyongyang Golf Club is a golf course in North Korea, situated on the banks of Taicheng Lake, 27 kilometres (17 mi) from central Pyongyang along the Youth Hero Highway. The 18‑hole 72‑par course covers 120 hectares (300 acres) with 45 hectares (110 acres) of green and is approximately 7,000 metres (23,000 ft) long. Its clubhouse covers 2,700 square metres (29,000 sq ft), includes a pro shop and a restaurant that is said to be the best in the country.[2] The golf course is the largest in North Korea. According to the authorities, 40 players use the course on a daily basis.[3]
 The 7th hole par 3 in 2015 | |
| Club information | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 38.898268°N 125.435830°E |
| Location | Pyongyang, North Korea |
| Established | 1987 |
| Type | Public |
| Total holes | 18 |
| Events hosted | DPRK Amateur Golf Open (2011–present) |
| Par | 72 |
| Length | 6,200 m (6,800 yd) |
| Course record | 71 – Claudio Consul (2015)[1] |
 Pyongyang Golf Club Crest | |
In 1994, Park Young-man, the course regular, told Australian journalist Eric Ellis that Kim Jong-il once scored a 34 on the course. Park continued that Kim achieved a birdie or better on every hole and had five holes-in-one. Later, this claim was further embellished to say that he had scored 11 holes in one, and that this was on the first round played at the course in 1987, and there were 17 bodyguards who witnessed it. It is not clear whether the exaggerated version was spread by the North Korean state or foreign news reporting.[4][5] However, clarification within North Korea indicates the reported score was due to a discrepancy in recording methods. The scorer recorded the net score relative to par, e.g., 1 for bogey, 2 for double bogey, etc. Therefore the suggested score would be 34 over par or 106, still difficult to believe for a first time golfer.[6]
The website of the DPRK Amateur Golf Open credits German player Claudio Consul with the course record, with a score of 71.[1]
In 2018, major expansion projects were initiated on the golf course, including 9 new holes, and new building and lodging facilities.[7]
Scorecard
| Tee | Rating/Slope | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Out | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | In | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Back | 340 | 180 | 380 | 340 | 510 | 340 | 140 | 340 | 530 | 3100 | 340 | 360 | 490 | 160 | 350 | 330 | 420 | 190 | 460 | 3100 | 6200m | |
| Regular | 320 | 150 | 360 | 320 | 480 | 320 | 120 | 320 | 510 | 2900 | 320 | 340 | 470 | 140 | 330 | 310 | 370 | 170 | 450 | 2900 | 5800m | |
| Par | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 36 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 36 | 72 |
References
- "Previous Events". DPRK Amateur Golf Open. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
- "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea Amateur Golf Open • Pyongyang 8th and 9th September 2018".
- First pictures emerge of North Korea's one and only golf course, Golfpunkhq.com, 11 October 2017
- "Kim Jong-il's record-setting round may not have been all it was cracked up to be". Golf.com. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- Longman, Jeré (20 December 2011). "Kim Jong‑il, the Sportsman". The New York Times. p. B12. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 1 October 2015.
- "Behind Kim Jong Il's Famous Round of Golf". Golf. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
- Colin Zwirko, North Korea's Pyongyang Golf Club undergoing expansion, imagery reveals, Nknews.com, 15 November 2018
External links
Media related to Pyongyang Golf Course at Wikimedia Commons