Going “Gangnam style” with the first of dozens of instruction centers
in a rapidly growing, golf enthused market
Centennial, CO and Seoul, Korea (Feb. 28, 2013)… GolfTEC-the world leader in golf improvement-adds another country to its roster with the opening of its first instruction center in Korea.
Located in the upscale Gangnam district of Seoul, the Cykan Center is the first of more than a dozen GolfTEC centers planned for Korea over the next six years.
GolfTEC is in the early stages of a long-term expansion program that includes aggressive growth in the U.S. and Canada, as well as in Asia, with other markets to follow.
Korea is a natural fit for GolfTEC. The country already boasts three million golfers, from a total population of 50 million, and 400 golf courses with more in development. Korean golfers have had unprecedented success on the world’s professional tours, lead by the likes of Se Ri Pak, Jiya Shin, and Inbee Park on the women’s tours, and K.J. Choi, Y.E. Yang, and Charlie Wi on the men’s. Top golfers are national idols and the country presently has two television networks devoted to golf.
“Korea has fast become a major player in the golf world,” says Stanley W. Lobdell, president of GolfTEC Korea. “But where Korea has the greatest room for improvement is in golf instruction. Our plan is to utilize GolfTEC’s vast experience and wealth of knowledge to train our Certified Personal Coaches to the high standards of their GolfTEC peers and separate GolfTEC Korea from the competition.”
The 3,000-square-foot Cykan Center features five hitting bays utilizing much of the same GolfTEC software used in the company’s more than 160 improvement centers in North America. Along with GolfTEC’s proprietary g-SWING system, the center is outfitted with Polhemus Patriot motion detection sensors, Foresight launch monitors, and Fiberbuilt hitting mats.
Located on the second floor of the Cykan Building, the center features one hitting bay with floor-to-ceiling windows offering picturesque views of Seoul, the capital city of Korea. Two bays are separated by a sliding wall that, when opened, allows for expanded lessons for couples, families, and groups of friends to share in the GolfTEC experience.
The lead instructor is Layoon Choi, who returned home to Korea after four years at the GolfTEC center in Paramus, New Jersey, where she gave more than 1,800 lessons. Layoon became a Class A member of the PGA of America in 2009 and has her certification from GolfTEC University. Working with her are four coaches, all members of the Korea PGA, as well as Joongwon Jeong, who is both a coach and master club fitter.
“Our students have many advantages over regular golf instruction,” says Choi. “They see their swing flaws easily with g-SWING, and then feel what they’re supposed to feel using motion sensors. The launch monitors allow students and coaches to focus on ball flight as well as the swing. And, of course, in the hitting bays, weather is not a problem. I’ve been working with GolfTEC for five years and it’s easy to see why our students develop very efficient swings in a short period of time.”
The Cykan Center in Korea is already well on its way to meeting projections of more than 800 students in its first year of operation.
For further information access the GolfTEC web site at www.GolfTECKorea.com or call (303) 779-9900.
About GolfTEC
The global leader in golf improvement, GolfTEC gives more than 25% of all private golf lessons in the North America annually and has a 95% success rate among its students. The over 500 GolfTEC Personal Certified Coaches at 167 centers nationwide, including 68 within Golfsmith stores, have given more than 3.8 million lessons since 1995. All lessons are based on the company’s “Five Factors”: Fact-Based Diagnosis, Sequential Lessons, Video-Based Practice, Advanced Retention Tools, and Precision-Matched Clubs. GolfTEC Improvement Centers can be found in almost all major U.S. cities, Canada, Japan and Korea. Call 877-446-5383 or visit www.golftec.com
Contact:
Karen Moraghan
Hunter Public Relations
908/876-5100
kmoraghan@hunter-pr.com
