Join our special guest host, Cathy Kim, the Director of Golf for Baltimore Country Club as she interviews our guests from Gachon University based in Seoul, South Korea. We go behind the scenes to learn how golf is different in Korea and how it has become such an important part of the culture. As one guest says about golf, it is more popular than religion in South Korea. And one of the key differences is how they organize and teach golf at University in addition to the golf academies and golf courses.
Our special guests for this episode include Jaewon Kwak, a senior professor with Gachon University. She holds a PhD. in Physical Education with a specialization in Golf. She also holds the enviable distinction of being the coach that introduced Rolex Women's World No.1 player, Jin Young Ko to golf, teaching her the fundamentals of golf and a solid golf swing foundation that has enabled her to become one of the best players in the world.
Hyemin Kim is our other special guest and is an instructing professor with Gachon University in their golf program. She is a former Epson tour player having played from 2012 through to 2019.
Join our special guest host, Cathy Kim, the Director of Golf for Baltimore Country Club as she interviews our guests from Gachon University based in Seoul, South Korea. We go behind the scenes to learn how golf is different in Korea and how it has become such an important part of the culture. As one guest says about golf, it is more popular than religion in South Korea. And one of the key differences is how they organize and teach golf at University in addition to the golf academies and golf courses.
Our special guests for this episode include Jaewon Kwak, a senior professor with Gachon University. She holds a PhD. in Physical Education with a specialization in Golf. She also holds the enviable distinction of being the coach that introduced Rolex Women's World No.1 player, Jin Young Ko to golf, teaching her the fundamentals of golf and a solid golf swing foundation that has enabled her to become one of the best players in the world.
Hyemin Kim is our other special guest and is an instructing professor with Gachon University in their golf program. She is a former Epson tour player having played from 2012 through to 2019.
Hello and good afternoon. Welcome to We're bringing new guests from around the world of golf. My name is series that looks at the sport of golf direct the world. And in guests' personal journey so golf. Today we visit South Korea break and when we come back, we will chat with Professors Kwak
HONMA:For players who don't want to sacrifice beauty Honma's handcrafted on the coast of Japan. Beres Aizu evokes a sense With Beres Aizu in your bag, you will experience the pure
Commercial - Guinness:Say hello to Guinness Nitro Cold Brew invented nitro beer, a new way to brighten up your day.
Amy (Studio):Today's show is being recorded from our studio us on the worldwide web at WWW dot world of golf.org. Or on our announce that we're talking Golf has been recognized as one of us and download our podcasts. Our success is down to you. So
Cathy Kim:Hello and welcome back to the show. Let me instruction at Baltimore Country Club in Baltimore, Maryland. they both teach at Clemson University. And their names are the show.
Jaewon Kwak:Hi, nice to meet you.
Hyemin Kim:Hello,
Cathy Kim:nice to meet you. Hi,
Jaewon Kwak:I'm glad today
Cathy Kim:by the way. Oh, yes. All right. I was gonna say to the audience that we are recording via zoom. First, can you give us a little bit about your background and
Jaewon Kwak:Okay, first, I'm very glad to join, join this leader. And I was actually my family is called family my attendance and for that. Okay, yeah, my family. Anyway, my all influence to me. So I graduated in physical education. I majored first start when she was starting the golf, so I'm very
Cathy Kim:And what what how old was Jin Young ko when you taught
Jaewon Kwak:13? Around 13? Yeah, I think that was the
Cathy Kim:And was that when she first started golf? Or did she
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, it's you know, that was the first time to But after that after a few months she did I decided to
Cathy Kim:And did you see the the successful future in her
Jaewon Kwak:In my opinion, I think, I think I teach her basic try to be a professional golfer. And she has a very big passion
Cathy Kim:I definitely recognize as an instructor they are put on the right path, so to speak, whether they decide is, is one of the most important things for the golf journey. So Yeah.
Jaewon Kwak:I want to say like this. Thank you very much. Yeah.
Cathy Kim:So tell us I'm after-- so you, you've coached for a
Jaewon Kwak:To Jin Yong? Yeah, around one year. Yeah. And then years. And then I decided to learn. I decided to enter the have the education or background of the marketing, marketing I decided to enter the doctorate degree again. And finally, now I in Manila for five years as a physical education teacher, going, I went there, I want to set up the golf as a service PE, already taught golf as a PE in National University in
Cathy Kim:Wow. That's incredible. So I'm
Jaewon Kwak:very proud of you.
Cathy Kim:How often do you go back to Manila to visit or
Jaewon Kwak:nowadays I couldn't go there because my parents are but maybe maybe one one year after, two year after I'm not through online until now.
Cathy Kim:Wow, that's incredible. So let's go ahead bachelor's and then when you went into get your master's, you PhD in physical education, you specialized in golf, is that
Jaewon Kwak:Yes, that's true.
Cathy Kim:That is a lot of golf.
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, all my life is golf. Your whole life? No, with I cannot think about the golf because of when I was born, live with with the golf. I think so.
Cathy Kim:You live and die with golf.
Jaewon Kwak:I hope so.
Cathy Kim:So, you know, being in academia that's related to very special to South Korea. I think can you touch a little bit it start? As as far as you know? And is it something that's
Jaewon Kwak:Okay, so when I was young, I actually I started the this. Only the ladies ladies call for a woman scoffers only young golfers, not the professional golfers, the junior lot. I think that is the that is the time time for exploring the
Cathy Kim:Oh, that's incredible. So I was born and Open. I think it it definitely influenced women's and girls opportunities for Asian Americans and current especially And, and also from just the other perspective, Jenny's American. And so in that era of golf, where you really didn't it's absolutely incredible. What's very pacted for the sport of neat to be able to hear the other side of the coin and what incredible. So I think that's, that's really amazing.
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, I think so.
Cathy Kim:So, professor Kim, let's go ahead and head over to of the on course professors. Is that correct?
Hyemin Kim:Yeah, I'm teaching our students swing technique.
Cathy Kim:Course Management? And a little bit about your some success on the Symetra tour as well. Could you give us a
Hyemin Kim:Oh, yeah, um, um, being on the Symetra tour player it's a six weeks in a row or eight weeks in a row on the lot travel expenses, it's very expensive tour as well. Also, so will. You won't go ever that kind of place. Which, for there. Oh, um, or Garden City in Kansas. That's three hours there. So yeah, it's very unique. And you can see lots of people with their kids on the course they fill in the divots different than Korea tournament's situations like
Cathy Kim:So for for our listeners just to clarify the tour was, it has been newly named as steps into her. Could with American tours? Because I do know that it's something that
Hyemin Kim:Um, yeah, the field is def... yeah, definitely the time during the summer. Sometimes we sometimes hear the most field in Korea, it's like 144, maybe 150 to some most Epson tour, it's first come first serve, we can we can play time. And we have to find these days there is some golf courses course has a driving range together in Korea, but normally range all together. So it's safe sometimes when we're actually
Cathy Kim:As far as the purses go, and what your earnings were
Hyemin Kim:Oh, can you can you tell me one more time?
Cathy Kim:Yes, that the purses- your earnings? How much you
Hyemin Kim:Oh, I like I haven't played a Korean LPGA Tour for a when I seen on the TV, like on the on the screen there person than us at LPGA. I think they're their personal our purses but it's still much better than long time ago.
Cathy Kim:Definitely becoming more competitive, you would say? university that both of you are currently at -- Gachon and its standing in Korea as what kind of university is known
Jaewon Kwak:Gatchon University is a comprehensive university University, Kangwon University, Gachon Q-University this is are the four University we it is the first Korea to integrate for Seongnam and medical campuses in Incheon, including medica Academic in Hawaii, Hawaii, not it's it's not really campuses.
Cathy Kim:like an exchange program kind of thing or is it
Jaewon Kwak:Not really? In Gachon university they can study University, we have a goal. This is the become one of the top 100 vision. And also we have another goal of our golf program. I'll That is our goal.
Cathy Kim:Yes. Sign me up. Sign me up.
Jaewon Kwak:I will ask my boss, actually, I'm very sad. About busy at the moment. She's very influence in golf field in, in K join Cannot join today?
Cathy Kim:Well, I hope we can get her next time on an
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, I hope so. I hope so. We can talk a lot of
Cathy Kim:We're gonna take a short break. And when we come
HONMA:For players who don't want to sacrifice beauty, to swing and handcrafted on the coast of Japan. Beres Aizu equipment for your game. With Beres Aizu in your bag, you will honmagolf.com.
Cathy Kim:Thank you. We're back. So let's -- Can we talk a Kim, would you like to take this one?
Hyemin Kim:Yes.
Cathy Kim:Can you? Yeah, great. So what what? What does the practical learning involved? Can you give us a little bit of
Hyemin Kim:Oh, yes. Um, so normally, we have a two fundamental something like grips instead of body movement kind of we add the range for instructors will be there to teach for three issues. So it's good to have enough time to let them talk So when we add the range, so we work on that kind of stuff. And course management. Personally, I think this is the most important high numbers with the wrong Ami.
Cathy Kim:Yes. How many? How many students are in each class?
Hyemin Kim:I'm most I think 20 people at every single class,
Jaewon Kwak:Actually, our class is 23. In other other one class. So we just decided to only 20 something.
Cathy Kim:So what is the teacher to student ratio in the
Hyemin Kim:I'm normal. Li, we make a small group like four or how many people can come to that every single class. Not every, it's all it's all depends, but I think normally it's like four
Cathy Kim:awesome. And how are their handicaps? What what type
Hyemin Kim:one or one I think only one people are super the course when I was playing with her normally I think every handicapper, too,
Jaewon Kwak:yeah, actually, we cannot we cannot segment the cannot accept the super beginner when the person start the don't have any specific specific handicap for the students.
Cathy Kim:And the Insight theory and understanding of of the golf program?
Jaewon Kwak:Sorry, I don't understand exactly. Can you
Cathy Kim:What is? Yes, let me let me rephrase that. What is the time they're done and they graduate from the program, what
Jaewon Kwak:it? This is quite different than other academic Saussure relationship plus golf academic. So that's why after why they join this group, they join this program but they can
Cathy Kim:and you incorporate club fitting or physical
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, I'll be habits but not the high have we just only checking their swing. So they can know the time also we have it and help
Cathy Kim:okay. Do you incorporate anything like Are
Jaewon Kwak:the golf product company in then we visited their can try the track, man.
Cathy Kim:That's fantastic. And why would a person wish to join
Jaewon Kwak:yeah, there are actually I decide I divided the about the Gulf more technically and systemically. And second business because they can make the friendship friendship doing business in the same field, or if it's half refer
Cathy Kim:program that screen? And is this something that you
Jaewon Kwak:You can apply, you can apply by yourself. But we level of social position and the level of the golf skill, like,
Cathy Kim:And how do you how do you verify their, their skill
Jaewon Kwak:We give the application form to them, and
Cathy Kim:a faith based system?
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, we just believe them. Thanking the lie
Cathy Kim:don't know. I told my mom about the program and she wouldn't qualify.
Hyemin Kim:qualify. Oh, you
Cathy Kim:think so? Well, I'm not going to tell her that. I her. Oh, great. Yes, she wouldn't. She would love that. And when COVID hit she her business started slowing down a she's dropped it down to 21. Now she just broke 90. So she shot in with her normal handicap. I think she went in as a 24 or 25. And then she asked me she said she asked Kathy what is a sand Kim, what a sandbag or is it?
Hyemin Kim:Are you talking about the heating bag? The
Cathy Kim:No. So let me explain. So I sandbagger the fake high handicap to go into tournaments. When these you call them in America. And I'm sure the listeners that are she heard the term and so she called me and she asked me what look at my hand my index, they can look. So she's been doing she goes to work. And she truly feels like she's missed her I understand that the class takes a golf trip at the end of Is there is there an ultimate tripper golf course that you'd
Hyemin Kim:I don't know. I want already really nice golf that's, oh, we can LPGA run the golf. Run the tournament, the like Korea. It always feels like somewhere you know, middle of
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, East parallel Korea. Cannon near canon.
Cathy Kim:News production check.
Hyemin Kim:Wow. Yeah, the grass condition was great.
Cathy Kim:Okay, gotcha.
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, we have that nearby water but more mountain Winter Olympic held there. Yeah, that is near there. So the labia why people were very excited about the play there.
Hyemin Kim:And how long are these trends in the country? The
Cathy Kim:really, you know, that's what I noticed when I really mean. They're very different than the clubhouses in
Hyemin Kim:We have a hot dog house. Yeah.
Cathy Kim:We love our hot dogs.
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah, yeah. Because of you know, the Korean Korean go there.
Cathy Kim:Ah, I think you know, I think the closest thing that I courses in Hawaii are have really, really unique and cool foreigner, can I apply to the program?
Jaewon Kwak:Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Cathy Kim:Oh, is can I apply to the program as a foreigner? Or
Jaewon Kwak:Ah, this program you mean? Yeah, you can you can Korean also, right? Because you have to communicate with our program, but I think better to speak in class.
Cathy Kim:Okay. So for our listeners out there, let's make
Jaewon Kwak:But don't worry about it. We have our English English. So don't worry about even if you don't speak her, you
Cathy Kim:That's great. Oh, one thing I would like to ask you is program?
Jaewon Kwak:I'm so sorry. This is the first semester of our Oh,
Cathy Kim:Is there a waitlist of any sort for the program?
Jaewon Kwak:waitlist? Yeah. For the second semester, we have a the second semester we start. Sixth of September. So we can
Cathy Kim:Yeah, yeah, it's coming. It's coming. And each
Jaewon Kwak:Yeah. 15 minutes, but let a different syllabus.
Cathy Kim:So just a couple of general questions I have for you in South Korea, South Korea has a different kind of love for golf so popular in Korea? And I know that we touched a little Open. But we are also seeing a lot more Korean players on the
Hyemin Kim:you mean the being a tour professional or just
Cathy Kim:golf and golf in general because I feel like golf
Hyemin Kim:Asus F Oh sis pandemic. I think golf is the sports. But think about it like 60 or 70 years old people cannot very slow and you can walk and you can just follow the golf of golf to you. It's also competitive too. And especially, is it? Some TV shows on the some golf TV shows on the Korean TV
Cathy Kim:Yes. I've seen quite a few of them. They're actually
Hyemin Kim:It's not like, yeah, it's not like you we watched, hit the ball into the water. And it's, it's more fun, you know, I also, like their favorite movie, Star play, start playing golf, than you watch TV. You watch the tour, professional golf game, I
Cathy Kim:I agree. I agree. The one that I really liked was probably my salary pack growing up, right, because I'm five foot that I watched, it was really entertaining because it was so swings, and we're trying to fix students, but the reality is being perfect on the golf course is okay. And I think to be able know, making a car on a hole. And it wasn't the prettiest, but do enough of that here in the States. We're always showing relatability of South Korean golf shows is a thing. And I I think that's great.
Jaewon Kwak:I have one more things the screen golf. Do you in here. It's a lot people said it's more. This is more than simulation of the whole system is much more than the church than Starbucks.
Cathy Kim:Yes. Yeah. I think also is the big one in South
Jaewon Kwak:golf junk. Yeah, Goldstone and then Koco kaka this, the player can play golf, go very easily then go to the people can keep in touch, can play golf more easier than other
Cathy Kim:Yeah. So that's really interesting that you and to be able to create equal access across all different very expensive sport, right to be able to go out and play a question to you is with all of the screen golf popping up, getting there. And I guess my question to you is, do you think citizens? Or is it still considered somewhat of an
Jaewon Kwak:I think still consider because of still, because we need a time we need our money, we need our help. We condition, they cannot play golf. So like this, and people, many people started to play golf, but they already is just only for a short time to explored and before but sports.
Cathy Kim:Yeah. Professor Kim, do you have any kind of input?
Hyemin Kim:I totally agree with her. Um, and also, I wish golf people, people who love played golf, they normally go to Asia, high quality. But after pandemic there, people kind of still time these days. Like, even when I tried to get a tee time for a and all the caddy fees or all the pride, all the money, stuff. So
Cathy Kim:yeah, that's definitely happening here, too. because they have such a high demand. And so they just feel unfortunate, you know, when the pandemic hit, it was almost one of on a decline of golfers. But at the same time, I guess we're golfers that decided to come back. So yeah, so I guess we're Kim,
Hyemin Kim:um, so I'm thinking to study more lesson skills and that I that I actually like to teach people especially when on the tours for a long time. So I'm, I know, I'm good at need to swing this way or that way? It's really still, I'm kind understanding what they really want, get better, which Part I, you know, one to one to 10. Like there's certain process to get as possible without skipping any process. So they can I think
Cathy Kim:Yeah, I agree. I definitely think as an or 12 different ways and one of the things stick, right. And beginning it was, okay, well, how can I teach this person A, B C, but teach them in a way that they understand it. And then a how it how does it stick? And go long term with that? Right? So I smile on their faces at the end of the lesson. The second that an amazing feeling so amazing. That's great. Professor o'clock,
Jaewon Kwak:Actually, I do my work best. I'm doing my work beginners, especially beginners doesn't know about the look and green? No. Can you imagine it like that? So that's why if I teach to the students.
Cathy Kim:Yes, I agree. rules and etiquette right. Are the two
Jaewon Kwak:role? Yeah, rules and etiquette is quite They didn't teach well, but not except our professor. They but if I was to teach, I need to learn more. So that's why I
Cathy Kim:Yes, that's great. Yeah, I definitely. I think that feel like found a lot of frustration when they would go know what filling a divot is right. They don't know what out to the golf course. So a lot of that has kind of fallen to be able to kind of relay that information and teach that incorporated into the curriculum?
Jaewon Kwak:But not I'm the one who instructor we have a more a
Cathy Kim:You got it? Well, do you have any last words to
Jaewon Kwak:Oh, okay, I'm the first. Now the career is very other golf industries is not enough. In my opinion, that is, focusing on the player. So as one of the Educate golf industry, like the golf course management, caddy trading and
Cathy Kim:Oh, that's great. All right, Professor Kevin, any last
Hyemin Kim:Um, I just want to say like, both is very slow to struggle, just enjoy the game as it is.
Cathy Kim:Well, thank you so much, ladies for joining us universities golf program. It sounds like it's going to be a
Jaewon Kwak:Yes. Thank you very much.
Hyemin Kim:Thanks for having us today.
Jaewon Kwak:Let's meet again after 10 years.
Cathy Kim:That sounds great. Thank you so much. Thank you.
Jaewon Kwak:Thank you. Thank you so much.
Douglas Maida:And that ladies and gentlemen concludes our show guests who have joined us from South Korea, Jae Hwan Kwok and the world and in particular today's show, focusing on Korea to us. Have a great day. And remember if you're out there
Amy (Studio):You have been listening to our podcast show. 14 2022. If you have an idea for a future show, please send us an show is the copyright of the world of golf. Thank you for