A resident of Seoul, identified as A, recently faced an unexpected situation after booking a group round at a golf course in Gangwon Province. On the day of the round, with rain in the forecast, A called the golf course to inquire about the possibility of cancellation, but received an unexpected response.
The golf course stated, "It is not currently raining heavily at the course," and indicated that A would need to come to the course in person to cancel. Only if it was raining heavily enough to make play impossible upon arrival could A cancel without incurring penalties.
For A, who would have to drive several hours round trip from Seoul to the golf course, this was difficult to accept. If A canceled the reservation in advance, a cancellation fee of 2 million won would apply due to the group booking.
A expressed frustration, saying, "Is it reasonable to demand 2 million won if I don't come to the course to cancel in person, even when it's raining?" A has since reported this issue to a senior official at the Fair Trade Commission, requesting a review of the related regulations for consumer protection.
Consumer complaints regarding excessive cancellation fees and unilateral cancellation policies at golf courses are not new. A survey conducted by the Korea Consumer Agency and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2024 found that 111 out of 355 public golf courses (31.3%) used terms that were less favorable to consumers than standard terms. Among these, 59 courses imposed excessive cancellation fees compared to standard terms, and 43 courses provided refunds that were less than what standard terms required when play was interrupted due to heavy rain, snow, or fog. These golf courses later improved their terms following recommendations from authorities.
Cancellation and penalty issues are also among the top complaints in consumer consultations related to golf courses. The consumer agency's survey indicated that excessive cancellation fees and refusal to refund unused fees accounted for 33.9% of all golf-related consultations.
The Fair Trade Commission has established standards for cancellation fees through standard terms for golf course use. When a user cancels a reservation, the penalty is applied based on the timing of the cancellation, and if the business cancels due to its own circumstances, it must compensate the user a certain amount.
However, conflicts often arise regarding cancellations due to weather conditions. Discrepancies can occur between the golf course's assessment of whether play is possible and the user's judgment based on weather forecasts. While users may determine that play is unlikely due to weather conditions, if the golf course decides that play can proceed, issues regarding cancellation fees may arise.
This situation is particularly burdensome for users traveling long distances, as they must first travel to the golf course to determine whether they can play. For those, like A, traveling from the metropolitan area to a golf course in Gangwon, the round trip can involve significant time and costs.
The golf industry argues that cancellation fees are necessary to prevent losses from same-day cancellations and no-shows. They contend that it is difficult to resell time slots to other users when cancellations occur close to the reservation time.
However, consumer advocates argue that clearer criteria are needed to distinguish between cancellations due to weather conditions and those due to user change of mind. Utilizing objective information, such as weather warnings for heavy rain, strong winds, or lightning, as well as rainfall data for the golf course's location, could help reduce disputes between businesses and users.
A representative from a consumer organization stated, "Cancellations due to weather conditions can lead to disputes because the golf course and the user may have differing judgments. It is essential to establish clearer criteria that allow consumers to predict the possibility of cancellation at the reservation stage, rather than relying solely on the golf course's internal standards."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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