Park Golf Brings Shanghai's Chongming and South Korea Together

More than 120 park golf enthusiasts and guests from South Korea gathered at Mingzhu Lake Park on Chongming Island on September 11 for the GPG Park Golf Rendezvous and the inaugural Chongming Island Park Golf Exchange Meeting.

Participants played rounds on the park course, taking in Chongming's natural scenery and sampling local cuisine. South Korean golfers played in groups of four, occasionally stopping for photos.

"The golfing experience was exceptionally comfortable," said one South Korean visitor. "The weather was pleasant, the course was spacious, and we enjoyed the local cuisine. I hope to return to China to play golf again."

Compared to traditional golf, park golf is simpler in terms of courses, equipment, and participation requirements. Using specialized clubs and balls, players hit their ball along a designated grass course and aim to complete each hole in as few strokes as possible.

Shanghai, one of the Chinese cities closest to South Korea, is a popular destination for South Korean tourists. In Chongming, the Xisha Pearl Lake area has also emerged as a draw for park golf enthusiasts, thanks to its natural setting and open grounds.

To meet growing demand for sports tourism, Xisha Pearl Lake Scenic Area, Pearl Lake Resort and Swan Garden have upgraded their park golf facilities. They now offer standard 36-hole, 9-hole and 18-hole courses, respectively, covering about 70,000 square meters in total.

The courses expand the area's park golf offering while adding a new sports tourism option to Chongming's cultural and tourism sector.

An official with Chongming Ecotourism Group said the company plans to use park golf as a starting point to develop integrated sports, tourism, leisure and cultural exchange programs, with tailored packages for different visitor groups.