Comparing 6 of Jeju's 18-Hole Golf Courses — Location, Elevation and Drive Time from the Airport

Eighteen holes means a single round running from the front nine into the back nine. Whether you fit one round into a day, or add travel and combine it with other plans, is decided here. All six of the courses covered in this article are 18 holes, so the number of holes alone does not tell them apart.

What actually moves an itinerary around is where the course is. From Jeju International Airport, The Siena Jeju Country Club and Greenfield Country Club are about 30 minutes by car, Arden Hill about 40 minutes, The Classic about 45 minutes, Jungmun GC about 55 minutes, and Seogwipo Phantom about 65 minutes. If you are adding a round on your arrival day, that difference carries straight through to your departure time.

Elevation is worth looking at alongside this. Jungmun GC is at 100m, The Classic at 350m, Greenfield and Seogwipo Phantom at 400m, Arden Hill at 450m, and The Siena at 600m. That is enough of a range for conditions to differ on the same day on the same island.

Refer to this when you want to see a course-by-course rundown for Jeju and how itineraries are put together, all in one place. Jeju Golf

Here is the location and character of each of the six, one by one. All are 18 holes.

• The Siena Jeju Country Club (formerly Jeju CC) — Yeongpyeong-dong, Jeju-si; 2695 516-ro, Jeju-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Elevation 600m. Construction began in 1962 and the first full 18-hole course opened in 1966, it is Jeju Island's first golf course and a course from the dawn of golf course construction in Korea; its distinguishing feature is that it preserves its original terrain and retains its early form well. The turf is mixed: Korean lawngrass on the fairways, cool-season grass around the greens and in the rough, and bentgrass on the greens. Set where you can see the great old trees of Hallasan's 600m level, it runs about 5°C cooler than other golf courses on Jeju even in midsummer. That said, being halfway up Hallasan, there are reviews saying the fog was extremely heavy, so the risk to photography during the spring and monsoon fog season should be taken into account. About 30 minutes by car from the airport.
• The Classic Golf & Resort — 1105 Namjo-ro, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si. It opened officially in 2008 in an old-growth forest area at an elevation of 350m, designed by the Jack Nicklaus Design Company. The turf is bentgrass. It is known as a course with a strongly refined, classical image, and reviews repeatedly note that the fairway turf was the best among the golf courses they had played on Jeju, with some saying it is a course that makes you use all 14 clubs. About 45 minutes by car from the airport.
• Greenfield Country Club — 1040-70 Beonyeong-ro, Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si (San 28, Waheul-ri). It sits at an elevation above 400m yet is in the Jeju-si area, so access is good. It is a hilltop course with views taking in the city panorama, the sea and Hallasan together, and the turf is cool-season grass. The concept is a nature-friendly course that preserves the natural environment as it is, including native Jeju broadleaf trees, stone walls and dry streambeds. Markings describing it as a members-only 18-hole course remain, but it currently operates on a non-membership basis. About 30 minutes by car from the airport.
• Arden Hill Resort & Golf Club — San 32, Geumak-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si. At an elevation of 450m, it is surrounded by silver grass fields across vast grassland. Because of the grassland setting the slopes are gentle, so all 18 holes can be taken in at a glance from the clubhouse. The turf is cool-season grass. There are favourable assessments of the green and fairway upkeep, while at the same time there are complaints that, although the silver grass scenery is superb, the front desk's management of play is somewhat lacking. About 40 minutes by car from the airport.
• Jungmun GC — 60 Jungmungwangwang-ro 72beon-gil, Seogwipo-si (Saekdal-dong). Elevation 100m. Its catchphrase presents it as the only authentic coastal course on Jeju where the natural ecological environment is alive and breathing. It is made up of an OUT nine played with views of Hallasan and an IN nine played looking out over the coast, and the phrase 'sea on one side, mountain on the other' comes up repeatedly. It is inside the Jungmun Tourist Complex, so getting around on foot is possible. About 55 minutes by car from the airport.
• Seogwipo Phantom Golf & Resort (formerly Woorideul CC) — 2914 Sallongnam-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province. Elevation 400m. A renovation involving a complete replacement of the turf has been completed. It is in Sanghyo-dong, south of downtown Seogwipo; the elevation is high and the Hallasan ridge blocks the wind, making it a year-round course that is comfortable even in winter and gets cool breezes in summer. Lying directly south of Hallasan, it has also been named as the course least affected by the northwesterly winds of winter. About 65 minutes by car from the airport.

Elevation 600m, about 30 minutes by car from the airport The Sienna CC

Old-growth forest area at 350m elevation, bentgrass The Classic Golf & Resort

Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si; currently operating on a non-membership basis Greenfield CC

A 450m-elevation course surrounded by silver grass fields Arden Hill Resort & Golf Club

A coastal course inside the Jungmun Tourist Complex Joong-Moon Country Club

Complete turf replacement renovation finished Seogwipo Phantom

The six are listed under the same items. The order runs from the shortest driving time from the airport.

• The Siena Jeju Country Club (formerly Jeju CC) — Yeongpyeong-dong, Jeju-si / 18 holes / elevation 600m / mixed turf (Korean lawngrass on fairways, cool-season grass around greens and in the rough, bentgrass greens) / about 30 minutes by car from the airport
• Greenfield Country Club — Jocheon-eup, Jeju-si / 18 holes / elevation 400m / cool-season grass / about 30 minutes by car from the airport
• Arden Hill Resort & Golf Club — Geumak-ri, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si / 18 holes / elevation 450m / cool-season grass / about 40 minutes by car from the airport
• The Classic Golf & Resort — Namjo-ro, Namwon-eup, Seogwipo-si / 18 holes / elevation 350m / bentgrass / about 45 minutes by car from the airport
• Jungmun GC — Jungmun, Seogwipo-si / 18 holes / elevation 100m / OUT nine with Hallasan views + IN nine with coastal views / about 55 minutes by car from the airport
• Seogwipo Phantom Golf & Resort (formerly Woorideul CC) — Sallongnam-ro, Seogwipo-si / 18 holes / elevation 400m / complete turf replacement renovation finished / about 65 minutes by car from the airport

Since all six are 18 holes, the basis for choosing lies outside the hole count. Here we compare by number of holes and travel time.

The first is travel. Putting a course about 30 minutes from the airport and one about 65 minutes away into the same itinerary adds considerable time to travel alone. Depending on whether your accommodation is on the Jeju-si side or the Seogwipo side, the same course will feel different.

The second is elevation and weather conditions. The Siena is halfway up Hallasan at an elevation of 600m, so it runs about 5°C cooler than other golf courses on Jeju even in midsummer; in exchange, there are reviews saying the fog was extremely heavy, so the risk to photography in spring and the monsoon season should be taken into account. Seogwipo Phantom, by contrast, has the Hallasan ridge blocking the northwesterly wind, and being comfortable even in winter is an advantage for year-round scheduling. Jungmun GC, a coastal course at an elevation of 100m, is different again in character.

The third is turf and course character. The Classic is bentgrass, its fairway turf is well reviewed, and there are reviews saying it makes you use all 14 clubs. Arden Hill has cool-season grass and gentle grassland slopes, so the whole course is visible from the clubhouse. Greenfield has cool-season grass and a nature-friendly concept that makes use of stone walls and dry streambeds. Which of these suits your group's preferences needs to be settled before the hole count.

The fourth is movement outside the round. Jungmun GC is inside the Jungmun Tourist Complex, so getting around on foot is possible, and The Classic, Arden Hill and Seogwipo Phantom carry names indicating that they also run resorts.

When checking fairway turf and course character The Classic Golf & Resort

Construction began in 1962 and the first full 18-hole course opened in 1966, a course that makes use of the original terrain The Sienna CC

Settling the items below before you get in touch will get your itinerary fixed faster.

• First decide whether you are fitting one 18-hole round into the day or combining it with other plans.
• Decide whether your accommodation area is Jeju-si or Seogwipo. Measured from the airport, the difference runs from about 30 minutes to about 65 minutes.
• Decide whether to add a round on your arrival day. If you do, a course near the airport is easier to plan around.
• Check when you will be playing. Spring and monsoon fog and winter wind conditions differ by course.
• Check whether your group has a preference as to turf type. There is bentgrass, cool-season grass, cool-season grass suited to cold climates, and mixed turf.
• Set out whether there is a particular course view you want, such as a view of the whole course or a coastal view.
• Look at movement outside the round as well. Check whether you need to get around on foot inside a tourist complex.

As numbers grow, the time before and after matters more than the 18-hole layout itself. That is because vehicle travel, meals and hotel check-in all have to be bundled into the same day. The Siena and Greenfield at about 30 minutes from the airport and Seogwipo Phantom at about 65 minutes produce different day plans even at the same 18 holes.

How things are run on the course also affects groups. Arden Hill is laid out so that all 18 holes can be seen at a glance from the clubhouse, which changes the character of the place where you wait for your party, and at the same time it is a course where there are complaints that the front desk's management of play is somewhat lacking. Tell us the size of your party and we will factor points like this into the itinerary.

Which items go into a quote and which do not depends on what you request. Real-time booking availability requires separate confirmation. We do not guarantee the lowest price. Any conditions not yet settled we will go through with you one by one at the enquiry stage.

Once your numbers and dates are set, take a look at how group itineraries are put together. Corporate & Groups

• How many 18-hole golf courses are there on Jeju — This article covers six courses as 18-hole courses: The Siena Jeju Country Club (formerly Jeju CC), The Classic Golf & Resort, Greenfield Country Club, Arden Hill Resort & Golf Club, Jungmun GC, and Seogwipo Phantom Golf & Resort (formerly Woorideul CC). For courses other than these six, we will check when you enquire.
• What does 18 holes consist of — It is a single round running from the front nine into the back nine. Jungmun GC is made up of an OUT nine played with views of Hallasan and an IN nine played looking out over the coast, so the scenery is divided between the front and back halves within the same 18 holes.
• How does a group decide on the number of holes — All six are 18 holes, so the hole count does not separate them. The practical order is to settle your accommodation area, the travel time from the airport and your plans outside the round first, and then match the course to them. Tell us your numbers and dates and we will arrange things accordingly.
• What should I check besides the hole count — Look at the driving time from the airport (about 30 to about 65 minutes), elevation (100m to 600m), turf type and seasonal conditions together. The Siena runs about 5°C cooler in summer than other golf courses on Jeju, but in exchange there are reviews about fog in spring and the monsoon season, while Seogwipo Phantom is named as the course least affected by the northwesterly winds of winter. Other conditions we will check when you enquire.