Off the Beaten Fairway: Koreatown, Los Angeles as a Golf Destination
Looking at a map of Los Angeles, there’s a major lack of green at its center. Golf courses dot the top, bottom, and sides of the L.A. basin, but the downtown area appears to be nothing but a grid of high-rise office buildings, factories, and warehouses. It should have been expected, however, that in Koreatown, home to one of the highest concentrations of Korean Americans in the United States, golf would exist in some form. Se Ri Pak, Grace Park, and K.J. Choi dominated professional tours in the 1990’s and 2000’s, inspiring millions of Korean and Korean American women, men, and children to pick up a club and become a driving force in the global development of the game. And thanks to this Korean golfmania, Angelenos are able to experience a unique sort of golf destination at the center of the city.
Where to Swing
Aroma Spa & Sports: Referred to by locals as “Koreatown range,” this four-story structure is our very own Chelsea Piers without the harbor view. It’s a fun change of pace from the usual range routine most of us have, and a great place for a unique date. And if you pick the right time of day—dawn or dusk—you’ll find yourself hitting out into a cotton candy sky. The juice bar is currently closed due to Covid, but you can still get a Shiatsu massage, sit in the sauna, swim laps in the pool, or take a variety of fitness classes. As you pull into and out of the parking garage, take a moment to look up and watch four levels worth of shots rain down onto the net above you.
The view from Aroma’s driving range
The City Golf: With a name likely translated from Korean (we love an unnecessary article—one of subtlest and funniest parts of intercultural experiences), The City Golf provides a clean, quiet, cozy place to stay loose when the occasional bout of windy or rainy weather hits Los Angeles. But the place is all business—they don’t sell food or drinks, they play quiet spa music to chill you out, and they’re still deciding whether offering virtual course playing would lead to unwanted rowdiness. Launch monitors at each hitting stall collect a wide range of data for every swing you take, from ball speed, to spin rate, to launch angle, and cameras capture your swing from the front and back. All of this is then displayed on a nearby screen for your viewing pleasure. Ideally, the cameras would extend a little taller to more accurately show your plane, but it’s helpful nonetheless. If you’re alone, you can grab an individual stall with unlimited balls for $20 an hour, but if you’ve brought friends or a swing coach, you can rent out a bigger bay. Perhaps most uniquely, it’s located inside a small shopping mall, allowing you to grab groceries or stop for a mani-pedi on your way out.
The City Golf
Where to Eat
Koreatown’s culinary reputation is as much of a reason to visit as its golf related activities. Okay, let’s be real: it’s more of a reason. Below are some options for pre- or post-golf grubbing, whether you’re alone, on a date, or with a group. Also included are some non-Korean food options, so give those nearly equal consideration, considering they help make Koreatown what it is.
Korean Cuisine: If you’re with multiple people, check out Sun Nong Dan for insane galbi jjim or make yourself some duck fried rice at Sun Ha Dang. Check out Daedo Sikdang for a trendy, simple, high quality beef meal. Chosun Galbee has that same high quality beef but has been around for years, so you’ll see old people and families celebrating birthdays and accomplishments. For bars, Dan Sung Sa’s dark wooden paneling and low hanging curtains will have you feeling like you’re in another country and era while you bite into your perfectly chewy kimchi pancake. Ddong Go is a great bar serving honey fried chicken and seafood pancake with a name that loosely translates to “bootyhole,” but it’s very smoky so beware. Toe Bang and DWT (Dwit Gol Mok) have great vibes, while Cafe Brass Monkey features an out-of-control karaoke room. Get dessert at Anko (go for the mango bingsu), the cute-as-a-button Bumsan for super Instagrammable soft serve, or stop by Cheesetella for a take home cheesecake.
Non-Korean Cuisine: Cassell’s for burgers, Guelaguetza for Oaxacan, and Pollo a la Brasa for insane-in-the-membrane Peruvian rotisserie chicken. Check out El Taurino’s tacos or tostadas, too.
Cassell’s Hamburgers
First, second, third photos by Amanda Corr