Field trip 2016. 03.18~03.19

Visiting in KESGA.

I visited Korea Elementary School Golf Association (KESGA) in 18th March 2016. And I met CEO of KESGA. I heard that over first twenty elementary schools have been teaching golf in Seoul. However, it is very difficult to attract golf population of elementary school students due to the government policy which all golf clubs should pay tax. Due to the tax problem, all golfers include children have to pay for golf clubs. If the government pay the tax for adolescents, the population of teenage golfers will increase. He hopes young golfers will increase in the future.

Visiting in KINTEX

 

 

 

 

I visited KINTEX last Saturday for watching Korea golf competition. This event opens every year. I always attend this event every year. This year, there are a little bit develop rather than last year. I could see new products for golf as well as technical devices, such as an automatic machine which measures the strength of golf shaft and wearable glasses which measures hitting angle by using leisure point. The most impression thing was that I meet a professional golf clubs engineer. I asked him to my idea which measures hand pressure as well as swing path when playing golf. He told me that "the idea is fantastic and it is a feasible idea". After that, I submitted this idea in Reddot award.
Even though Korea golf market needs to more develop, it was precious time. Also, this field trip helps me to understand currently golf market.

 

 





My classmate made this prototype for me. She is golf beginner. She told me that emergency situation in golf courses is very important. That is why she made me for a emergency box.

Understanding what users want.

A couple weeks ago, Adam Chung who is a professor in Kukmin Uni. said that design thinking. Whenever we design something, it is important to understand users. He said, "Understanding technology and business are the first elements in the past, yet nowadays, we should understand who is users as well as end users".

 Hippo Roller mentioned true value which is understanding what users' want?, what issue they have?, what solution can help them?.

Here is what Adam Chung told: <(User+Need)Problem statement=Insight> -> Opportunities.

Proposal

<Background>

I've researched history of golf, trend and market in background stage in brief.

Golf history

100 BC	Early forms of Golf traced back to the Roman game of paganica, in which participants used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball
960-1279	Games similar to golf – called chuíw án — played with several clubs and a ball are being played in China during the Song Dynasty
15th Century	The origin of the modern game is usually traced to Scotland. In the 15th century
1457	The Scottish Parliament passed several acts banning the practice of the game, along with football (soccer), because the two sports were interfering with archery practice, which was necessary for national defence. The first act was passed in 1457 by James II, King of Scotland, and it was reaffirmed in 1471and 1491.
1500	The ban on golf in Scotland is lifted and within two years King James IV of Scotland takes up the game himself.
1552	Archbishop Hamilton’s Charter recognises the right of the people of St Andrews to play golf on the Old Course.
1567	Mary Queen of Scots reportedly plays golf just days after the murder of her husband Lord Darnley.
1603	King James VI ascends to the English throne and his court begins playing golf at Blackheath in London.
1724	The first known reference to golf balls being stuffed with feathers. They were previously made from hard leather.
1729	The first known reference is made to golf in the USA with clubs being recorded in the estate of William Burnet, the Governor of Massachusetts.

1744	The first Rules of Golf are set out by the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers.
1754	The Society of St Andrews Golfers is formed. It became the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1834.
1764	The Old Course at St Andrews is reduced from 22 holes to 18 holes. This became the recognised format for the game around the world.
1848	The gutta percha ball is introduced. It was a solid ball, made by softening strips of gutta percha, (dried sap of a Sapodilla tree) in boiling water and then moulding the ball by hand before placing it in cold water to harden.
1860	The first Open Championship is played at Prestwick and is won by Willie Park Senior of Scotland
1885	The secretary of Royal Liverpool Golf Club came up with the idea of an amateur event in which leading clubs were invited to send entrants. The Amateur Championship is played for the first time in 1885 at Hoylake. It is won by Allan MacFie of England.
1890’s	Persimmon becomes a popular wood for making club heads.
1893	The Ladies’ Golf Union is formed in the UK and the British Ladies’ Amateur Golf Championship is played for the first time at Royal Lytham & St Annes. It is won by Lady Margaret Scott of England.
1894	The United States Golf Association (USGA) is formed in New York. One of its most important functions was to serve as arbiter for questions of amateur status. The five charter members of the newly formed the USGA were the St. Andrew’s Golf Club of Yonkers, N.Y., Newport (R.I.) Golf Club, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., and Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill.

1895	The US Amateur Championship and the US Open are played for the first time at Newport Country Club, Rhode Island and are won respectively by Charles B Macdonald (USA) and Horace Rawlins (England). The US Women’s Amateur Golf Championship is also played for the first time at Meadow Brook Club in Long Island and is won by Lucy Barnes Brown of the USA.
1900	Golf is played at the Paris Olympic Games. Twenty two participants took part (12 men and 10 women) from four countries who competed in 36-hole individual stroke play events for men and women. The women’s Olympic champion was Margaret Abbot (USA) and Charles Sands (USA) was the men’s champion.1901 The rubber cored Haskell ball is introduced. It changed the way the game was played. The Haskell ball travelled farther than the old gutta-percha ball and cost considerably less because it could be mass produced. The game’s popularity surged in response.
1901	The first Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) is formed in the UK.
1904	Golf is played for the second time in the Olympic Games in St Louis. Only men’s competitions were staged. (A team event of 36 holes stroke play won by the United States of America’s team and an individual event was won by George Lyon from Canada).
1916	The PGA of America is formed and the US PGA Championship is played for the first time at Siwanoy Country Club in New York.
1921	The Ryder Cup is played for the first time between the men’s professionals of Great Britain and the USA at Gleneagles. It is won by Great Britain.
1922	The Walker Cup is played for the first time between the men’s amateurs of Great Britain and Ireland and the USA at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York. It is won by the USA.

1929	Steel shafted clubs are accepted by The R&A.
1930	Bobby Jones completed the Grand Slam of The Open, the Amateur Championship, The US Open and the US Amateur Championship in one season.
1932	The Curtis Cup is played for the first time between the women’s amateurs of Great Britain and Ireland and the USA at Wentworth. It is won by the USA.
1934	The inaugural Masters is staged at Augusta National. It is won by Horton Smith of the USA.
1946	The US Women’s Open is played for the first time at Spokane Country Club in Washington and is won by Patty Berg of the USA.
1950	The Ladies’ Professional Golfers’ Association (LPGA) is formed in the USA.
1953	The Tam O’ Shanter World Championship of Golf becomes the first nationally televised golf tournament in the USA.
1955	The LPGA Championship is played for the first time at Orchard Ridge Country Club. It is won by American Beverly Hanson.
1958	Representatives of 35 national amateur golf organisations form the World Amateur Golf Council. They agree to stage the World Amateur Team Championship with teams of men competing for the Eisenhower Trophy, named after President Dwight D Eisenhower. The event was staged at the Old Course in St Andrews and Australia defeated the USA in a play-off.

1964	A friendly match between the American Curtis team and France is expanded to invite other international teams to establish a Women’s World Amateur Team Championship. The trophy was provided by Mrs Espirito Santo Silva through the Portuguese Golf Federation. A total of 25 teams took part in the inaugural competition at St Germain Golf Club in France which was won by the home team.
1976	The Women’s British Open is played for the first time at Fulford Golf Club. It is won by England’s Jenny Lee Smith.
1980’s	Metal woods made of stainless steel are introduced.
1994	The Evian Masters is played for the first time at Evian-les-Bains in France. It is won by Helen Alfredsson of Sweden.
2000’s	Materials such as graphite, titanium, carbon fibre and tungsten are used to manufacture golf clubs.
2003	The World Amateur Golf Council becomes the International Golf Federation.
2009	The International Olympic Committee (IOC) votes in favour of golf returning to the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
2010	The 150th anniversary Open Championship takes place on the Old Course at St Andrews.
2012	Work begins on the Rio 2016 Olympic golf course at Barra da Tijuca.
2016	Golf will be played at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro for the first time in 112 years.

                                                                 (International golf federation, 2014)

In summary, golf has long history (approximately over 2,000 years).

Golf users

In this graph show that there are between 20 and 60 ages. Especially, in 30 ages figure has been increasing for about 11.1 % compare with 2012.  

Golf market

There are two big golf companies which are Volvik and Golfzon in Korea. On the contrary, there are many big and small golf companies overseas. Among golf companies in Korea, the Golfzon Company provides people who are professionals and armatures with appropriate service as well as the company understanding what the users want to. For example, screen golf is the biggest business in Golfzon Company. It has not been having an effect on only increasing golf population, especially young people, but also could be solution to busy workers who can playing golf for enjoying golfing in Korea. Also, these days the company has been extending golf shop business.

The Golfzon Company has been increasing by providing screen golf in our society. Besides, population of golfers have been increasing at the same time. (Seoul newspaper, 2014).

In summary, 

-Golf market has been increasing both Korea and other countries.

-Especially the population of golfers have been increasing gradually by introducing  screen golf in Korea.

-There are different golf culture between Korea and other countries.

Golf trend

There are two common things:

-Playing golf can help us to improve our health.

-Playing golf is helpful for children to prevent obesity.

 2014 golf trend 18 in Korea

According to Golfdigest in Korea, there are 4 trends in golf industry.

Smart magazine

As providing iPhone with people, the way to contents supply and consumption has been changing. Golf contents also has been showing through various kinds of contents. For instance, we can watch the golf contents in smartphones, tablets and magazines such as Golfdigest.

Electronic caddy

Increasing of electronic distance measuring equipment have an effect on decrease rate of caddies. This device can provide golfers with information that are distance of golf courses and golfer’s swing tempo. This is why many golfers do not want to caddies. They believe that electronic distance measuring equipment could be caddies.   

Screen golf

There are several advantages in screen golf. It has been contributing golf industry to attract young generation and increasing rate of new golfers. Also, the screen golf is cheaper than golf clubs as well as convenience.

Mini course

According to decrease population of golfers in the States, Jack Nicklaus who is professional golfer insist that make nine-hole or twelve-hole to attract more golfers. It could be success to attract people by reflecting change of lifestyle. Because making nine or twelve holes can reduce time.

In summary of background step, 

- Golf has long history (approximately over 2,000 years).

- Recently, golf has been becoming one of the best population sports.

- Increasing technology and people’s life have been being impact on golf market.

- Playing golf can help us to improve our health.

- Playing golf is helpful for children to prevent obesity.

<Problem statement>

I could not find golf services and products anywhere for teen ages in Korea. Also, many authors insist that there are not many studies of golf industry, and most golf clubs do not consider what customers’ needs. That is why I could find problems in golf industry by studying golf industry. 

<Aim of the study>

My aim of the study is that design golf education service for between 3rd and 6th grade primary school students to attract playing golf by investigating relational cohesiveness methodology.

Main keyword - Relational cohesiveness. 

Sub keyword - Interactivity, 3-D model of experience, peer effect.

*Relational cohesiveness?

The way to control compositional experience according to provide the most harmonious experience for users (Kim, 2015). 

I applied relational cohesiveness methodology to golf history. The level of relational cohesiveness of golf industry has been increasing.

I built three hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1

If higher grade students of primary school playing golf, the population of golfers would be increasing after 5 years. Because when they grow up, they could have an effect on increasing golf population.

Hypothesis 2

If they playing golf, their grade would be increasing. Because playing golf is required high concentration.

Hypothesis 3

If they playing golf, their social relation would be high. Because we can see everything of partner which are personality and naked body when they playing golf.

<Timeline>

This is my study plan until this semester.

I'm planning visit to Hwarang elementary school which I was graduated. There is golf facility for their students. Also, If I have enough time to go Hwahong and Daejun, I will visit Hwahong and Habin elementary school which have golf education system to research golf education. In addition, I'm going to Volvik and Golfzon company.

My aim of the study

This is my aim of the study. 

07/03/2016

 It is very hard to find out golf industry studies. That is why many experts who study in golf area insist that we should study golf industry as well as social issue. In my opinion, we should focus on between 20 and 30 ages to attract playing golf. Because they tend to anxious purchase new things such as services and products. 

 According to Design for experience, we can take automobiles as an example for the change in points of locus of causality for judging what is useful according to the times and situations. Therefore, in terms of golf industry, I have to know where is the locus of causality. Also, social issue, economic issue, and technical issue are considered. 

 Indeed, how the golf market consist with relational cohesiveness? and how would it change in the future?

Here is thesis...    

Design a product and service for golfers by applying design for experience methodologies.