New sport comes to Mountain Creek

1Club, based on Park Golf, a sport that’s hugely popular in Japan, opened this summer at the Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon.

The game uses one club and one ball and has shorter play times than traditional golf. And no experience is needed.

There are four Park Golf courses in the United States, and HMGG, owner of the Great Gorge Golf Club in Vernon, owns two of them.

HMGG opened its first Park Golf course in Kissimmee, Fla., in August 2024.

“Great Gorge strategy is about balancing hard and easy fun,” said Dan Kondel, the 1Club supervisor. “(The) aerial ropes course is considered hard, zip line is easy, (the) 27-hole golf course is hard so it made sense to balance this with Park Golf, which is easy. Fun for all ages.”

The original location of the driving range was perfect for 1Club, he said.

After moving the driving range, a 820-yard 18-hole course was designed for that location, Kondel explained.

Each player is fitted for a right- or left-handed club (two children’s sizes, one adult size), then selects a colored ball.

In addition to the shorter course, the club, ball and cups are significantly larger than those used in traditional golf, making it easier to learn and play.

In the center of the course, a cozy sitting area surrounds a converted shipping container, now an outdoor full-service bar serving beverages for adults and children.

With about 50 outdoor speakers scattered across the course, music plays throughout. The music may be adjusted to fit any request.

“It’s like walking in the park, a relaxing atmosphere,” Kondel said.

Cade McGovern, 1Club operations assistant, said Park Golf originated in Japan in 1983 for senior citizens. It has become a global sport enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels, with no athletic ability required.

It’s a fun game that requires some walking but may be learned and played in half the time of traditional golf.

The scorecard shows the yards and par for each hole while tracking strokes to determine the winner based on the fewest strokes.

When visitors arrive for their reserved tee times, 1Club staff introduce them to the history and rules of Park Golf, including stroke penalties for hitting the ball beyond the white and blue stakes scattered across the course.

Staff members provide an overview of the green tee boxes at each hole, which include a brush tee to help position the ball before swinging.

They demonstrate the waist-high swing, rather than a full golf swing. The challenge is judging how hard to strike the ball to reach each hole.

1Club attracts people of all ages, including families, from both local areas and out of town, even from other states, staff members said. Membership is not required to play.

Kathy Priovolos, 1Club food and beverage supervisor, called it a “great addition to the community, another fun thing to do in Vernon.”

To book a tee time, go online to greatgorgegolfclub.com/1club-park-golf or call 862-801-7031.