Beijing, China: Golfzon China, one of the country’s leading screen golf operators, has come onboard as the newest corporation member of the Asia Golf Leaders Forum (AGLF).

Founded in 2020, Golfzon China has created a market boom in the screen golf industry in China through the hosting of tournaments such as the Golfzon China Open and the Maotai Bulozhu Open. 

Piao Xingfeng, President of Golfzon China, said: “We joined as an AGLF member because we agree with the purpose of the AGLF, which is to develop women’s golf in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Through this membership, we will do our best to create a new culture of virtual golf in the region by utilising the Golfzon platform.”

Paul Park, Secretary-General of the AGLF, said: “We are honoured to have Golfzon China, the leader in virtual golf, as our second overseas corporate member.

“We look forward to working with Golfzon China and our AGLF members to create a new model and stage for the sport, comparable to the TGL Golf League currently being developed in the United States.”

With Golfzon China as AGLF’s second overseas member after Indonesia’s Pondok Indah Golf Course, the membership has now increased to 10. Korean members are GA Korea, Sky 72 Golf Course, Sollago Country Club, Hoban Construction, Isnana, Yuseong Country Club, Baz International and SeolhaeOne.

Launched in 2020 to advance women’s golf in the Asia-Pacific, AGLF comprises of golf associations and corporate members, including the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and Korean LPGA.

From outside Korea, there are 12 association members – Australia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The Royal & Ancient (R&A) is a special member of the AGLF.

In Beijing this week, Golfzon China is hosting the Golfzon China Open – China’s largest screen golf tournament with a total prize pool of RMB2.5 million (about US$350,000) and a first-place prize of RMB1 million (about US$140,000).

The 52 players who made the final cut were selected from a field of approximately 10,000 players across more than 200 stores in China.

In June, the AGLF’s Board of Directors voted to establish a Virtual Golf Research Committee to compare various simulators in the digital golf industry.

In addition, the committee will also conduct market research, and engage APAC members as they analyse trends in the rapidly growing virtual golf industry. 

AGLF, together with Golfzon China, will also establish a new organisation – International Indoor Golf Association (IIGA) – to spearhead the trend of virtual golf.