Golf academy The Zone Golf looks for partners to set up centers in Greater Noida, Chennai

NEW DELHI/GURUGRAM: Following the success of its first venture in Gurugram, The Zone Golf, a premium golf academy founded by two South Korean natives, has decided to expand its wings and set up more such facilities in other cities of India – Chennai and Greater Noida. In less than two years of being founded, this academy is running to its full capacity with Koreans, Japanese, and Indian golf enthusiasts – men, women, and children coming here and improving their golfing skills on the state-of-the-art, and high-tech simulators in a virtual golfing environment.

As the number of South Korean nationals continues to grow in India because of the influx of more Korean companies, the demand for virtual golf academies equipped with golfing stimulators is also increasing.

Set up jointly by Ms. Young-mi PARK, a professionally trained and USGTF, Florida certified head coach, and ace golfer Won-jun KIM has 10 golf simulators in Gurugram-based academy.

“In India climate is hot and sometime humid also, and it becomes difficult for the golfers to play and practice at the golf courses. The Korean and Japanese communities love golf and cannot afford to live without it. Training and practicing in the temperature-controlled and indoor facilities is a better idea especially for the expat communities,” Won-jun KIM,  Managing Director, The Zone Golf told Asian Community News Network.

KIM came to India about 16 years back and has been playing golf for about 15 years. He also represents Korea Small and Medium Enterprises (KOSME) that helps promote bilateral trade between India and South Korea.

PARK said that the Gurugram facility was running to its capacity with 100 members from Korean, Japanese and Indian communities joining the academy.  Since it is open from 6.00am to 11.00pm, the executives can practice here in the non-office hours also in the early morning and late evening.

“In order to meet the increasing demand, we have planned to set up more such academies fitted with simulators and for this we may soon set up more centres in Chennai and Greater NOIDA. We are looking for partners to expand our business,” he said.

Ms. Young-mi PARK who came to India in 2011 with her husband who worked with SAMSUNG. Initially, as a homemaker, she had nothing much to do but decided to spend time by doing some quality work. She started to teach English language to underprivileged children at an NGO in Palam Vihar.

“But it was in 2012, when I thought of focusing on golf as it could make me happier. I started playing golf and practicing hard and would visit all major golf courses including DLF, ITC Classic, Jaypee etc. I also because the USGTR certified and qualified golf trainer to further pursue golf in the capacity of a professional trainer,” Ms. PARK, Managing Director & Head Coach, The Zone Golf told Asian Community News Network.

She said that playing golf in Korea was much more expensive than in India.

That’s why, a lot of Koreans when shifted to India, make the best utilization of the golfing facilities here, and play more golf here. The number of golfers in Korea, which is a smaller country than India are more, whereas it is less in India despite this being a billion plus population country,” Ms. PARK added.

She said the golf simulators could be installed individually at homes also, and The Zone Golf could help those who wanted to set up. Each such simulator costs Rs. 12 lakhs, she added.

“In an interesting revelation, Ms. PARK said that the golf simulators were fed with the data about 100 virtual golf courses, and the players are at liberty to chose the golf course of their preference and convenience. These golf courses also include some of the top brands of the world as well,” said Ms. PARK.