The Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association (KLPGA) and the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) have taken proactive steps to support the dreams and career exploration of young golfers.
KLPGA successfully concluded the 'Dream Wings Class' in collaboration with Mediheal, SBS Golf, and World Vision on August 13 at the Montvert Country Club in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.
'Dream with Buddy' is a donation program initiated in 2015 by KLPGA tour players, SBS, and Mediheal. Participating players contribute a set amount for each birdie made, which is then supplemented by Mediheal's donations and delivered to World Vision at the end of each year. This fund supports initiatives like the 'Dream Wings Club' project aimed at helping youth.
The Dream Wings Class took place during the first round of the KLPGA Tour Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship. Twenty-four students aspiring to careers in culture, arts, and sports participated, enhancing their understanding of the sports field. They learned golf rules and etiquette from Choi Hye-yong, coach of the Mediheal Golf Team, and explored various courses, including the Dream with Buddy hole, as part of their career exploration.
KLPGA also contributes to society by donating charity funds to Good Neighbors and the Korean Red Cross, in addition to the Dream with Buddy program. Players are expected to engage in volunteer activities at the end of the year.
Similarly, KPGA held a meaningful event to support the growth of young players. From August 11 to 13, KPGA hosted the '2026 KPGA Youth Golf Camp' at Oak Valley Country Club in Wonju, Gangwon Province.
This year's camp, now in its third iteration, featured 20 KPGA tour players and 60 youth golfers from elementary, middle, and high schools. The camp was designed for young players to interact directly with professionals competing on the tour, gaining technical advice as well as insights into the mindset and attitude required of a player.
On the first day, participants engaged in orientation, sports science assessments, and team challenges to foster camaraderie. Starting on the second day, they began actual rounds, teaming up with tour professionals to learn course strategies and game management up close. A talk concert held after the rounds provided a valuable opportunity for participants to ask professionals questions they had always wondered about.
Notably, the event featured prominent players, including this season's first-half winners Choi Chan, Moon Dong-hyun, Oh Seung-taek, and Lee Sang-yeop, as well as past Genesis Award winners Moon Kyung-jun and Lee Tae-hee, who added prestige to the gathering.
The KPGA Youth Golf Camp aims to expand the base of youth golf in South Korea and is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation. KPGA plans to continue developing programs to foster the next generation of golfers.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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