[Golf Course Industry] GOLFZON COUNTY’s Climate-Responsive Course Management Highlighted by Golf Course Industry

U.S. golf course trade publication Golf Course Industry highlighted GOLFZON COUNTY Suncheon as a case study in adapting course management practices to a changing climate, focusing on its fairway turf conversion aimed at improving both course quality and operational efficiency.

The publication reported that GOLFZON COUNTY Suncheon had faced increasing challenges in maintaining its Kentucky bluegrass fairways amid years of hotter and more humid conditions. In response, the course transitioned the fairways across all 27 holes to Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass, a variety known for its cold tolerance and rapid recovery, through a two-phase project carried out over the past two summers. With few comparable cases in Korea, GOLFZON COUNTY first converted 18 holes in 2025 and expanded the program to the remaining nine holes in 2026 after evaluating turf performance and overall playing conditions.

According to the article, the transition has helped reduce summer fungicide applications, irrigation dependency and heat-stress management costs, while the turf’s rapid establishment also helped minimize disruptions to course operations during the conversion process. The publication also noted positive golfer feedback on the fairways’ visual consistency, dense lies and reliable surface quality during the peak season. GOLFZON COUNTY is now testing the turf at sites in colder northern regions closer to Seoul to assess its potential for broader application.

The coverage illustrates how GOLFZON COUNTY is responding to changing course-management conditions by evaluating and adopting turf varieties and maintenance practices suited to the climate and operating environment of each course. Beyond a simple turf replacement, the project represents an approach that considers both playing quality and operational efficiency, making its recognition by an international golf course industry publication.