프로 골프 선수 데이터를 활용한 골프 코스 난이도 지표 비교 분석: KPGA 선수권대회를 중심으로

초록

This study aimed to develop a hole difficulty evaluation index that reflects the playing characteristics of professional golfers by utilizing data from KPGA Korean Tour tournaments and to compare and validate it against the existing handicap number (Stroke Index, SI). For this purpose, data from 2016 to 2025 were collected from the KPGA tournament with the highest points and prize money. The research variables included the traditional index (SI) and three newly proposed indicators: Difficulty Index (DI), Risk Index (RI), and Variability Index (VI). Each of the front and back nine holes was ranked from first to ninth by year, and the average rankings over ten years were calculated. The consistency between the existing and new indices was then examined using Spearman’s rank correlation and Kendall’s τ-b. The analysis results showed no statistically significant concordance between the existing (SI) and new indices (DI, RI, VI) (p > .05). These findings suggest that the conventional difficulty system, which is designed based on amateur golfers, does not adequately capture the contextual and performance characteristics of professional tour play. In conclusion, the three indices proposed in this study demonstrate potential applicability as a difficulty evaluation framework for professional golfers and provide foundational data for developing course rating systems tailored to professional-level performance, highlighting both academic and practical contributions.

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