Okay, so last weekend I finally made it out to Seowon Hills at Seowon Valley Country Club. Let me tell you, it was quite the experience!
First off, getting there was a bit of a trek. It’s about an hour north of Seoul, out in Paju. I hopped in my car early Saturday morning, plugged “San 48-1 Ballang-si, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do” into my GPS, and hit the road. The drive itself was pretty scenic, which was a nice bonus.
When I arrived, the first thing I did was check out the course layout. They have these 2D and 3D planner things on their website. I had a look at that before. I grabbed a scorecard to get a feel for the place. You know, checking out the yardages, pars, and all that jazz. Seowon Valley Country Club was designed by some guy named Jae-Chong Lee and it opened in 2000.
- The Valley Course: I had heard good things about the Valley course, so I decided to tackle that one first. The fairways were in great shape, I gotta say. But man, those hazards! Let’s just say my ball found the water more than once.
- Seowon Hills – East Course: I also checked the address of the East Course for the next time I go there, which is 33, Seowon-gil, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju-si. This course has a cool story. David Dale, a well-known designer, had made a renovation plan for the Valley course earlier. The club liked his ideas so much that they asked him about the Hills course. I’m really looking forward to seeing what he did there.
The Scenery
Besides the golf, the views were just amazing. Rolling hills, trees everywhere – it was really peaceful out there. I even saw a few other golfers struggling with those tricky holes, so I didn’t feel too bad about my own game!
After my round, I grabbed a bite to eat at the clubhouse. It was a nice spot to relax and recap the day. Overall, Seowon Hills is definitely worth checking out if you’re into golf and looking for a nice escape from the city. Just be prepared for a bit of a drive, and maybe bring a few extra balls!
