How to spend a 'noble' winter

• Published Jan 17, 2013 7:53 PM KST
• Updated Jan 17, 2013 7:53 PM KST

By Yun Suh-young

Winter makes us shrink inside our house, enclosed in our blankets.

Not many people feel like taking part in sports when it’s cold ― unless they are real fanatics. And it’s not just because the weather is cold. It’s also because winter sports, which usually involve a lot of equipment, can be a bit cumbersome for some.

For those who want to engage in winter sports activities but with the least amount of inconvenience, here are some alternatives to get you out of the house.

Instead of going skiing or snowboarding with heavy equipment, hop in your car and head to where you can fish and golf without having to bring your own equipment.

Glam-fishing

We have all heard of “glamping,” a newly created word which combines glamorous and camping to mean “glamorous camping.”

Glamping, unlike real camping, simply provides a camping-like experience. At a glamping site, there’s a tent set up to create the camping atmosphere and everything needed for the camping experience is already prepared. Because “glampers” don’t have to set up the tent themselves, they can sit and relax in a luxurious setting which resembles a real camping site.

Glamping can be a relaxing experience for those who don’t want to engage in any hard work and simply want to eat and drink in or outside the tents.

But for those who want to spice up the experience a bit, glamping may not satisfy their needs.

Another unique winter activity called “glam-fishing” can replace “glamping” for those who want to feel like doing something.

Glam-fishing is another combination ― this time of glamorous and fishing. As the word literally suggests, glam-fishing is a charming way of engaging in the plain and rather boring (no offense to fishing maniacs) sport.

There are several places that offer glamping, but there’s none that offers glam-fishing except The Ananti, a country club located in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province.

The Ananti is a luxurious Korean-brand country club built in 2010 which offers golf, tennis and swimming facilities. The club, however, does not have accommodation yet. A condominium with a spa is currently under construction.

At the club, there are 10 tents which are rented to visitors for the glam-fishing experience every day. The glam-fishing site is located on a 1,653 square-meter site which is a lake. When the lake freezes during the winter, the tents are set up and fishing holes are dug. When it melts, it becomes a water hazard part of the golf course.

Inside the tents, there’s fishing equipment already set up with additional equipment such as chairs and tables as well as a camp fire to keep you warm.

There are two small holes inside the tents for visitors to experience catching masou salmon and trout. The club provides hot potatoes, sweet potatoes and marshmallows for the guests to grill on the camp fire. A grilled trout is offered as snack for two people.

The glam-fishing program is offered for a full day from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. But for children who may be bored with waiting for a fish, other activities are offered at the club such as kite-flying, top-spinning games, and sled-riding.

The fee for renting a tent for a full day for glam-fishing is 214,500 won for two people. The program is offered until Feb. 8 and a prior reservation is needed.

Snow golf

For those willing to move their bodies more or for golf-lovers who need a fresh new golfing experience, “snow golf” can be an alternative.

Snow golf is a sport based on golf but played on the snow instead of grass.

The history of snow golf goes back to the 17th century where Europeans were seen playing the sport in paintings by renowned artists Aert van der Neer and Hendrick Avercamp. Rudyard Kipling, author of The Jungle Book, is also known to have enjoyed the sport as an avid golfer back in the 19th century.

Snow golf has championship games like other sports such as the World Ice Golf Championship which is held annually in Uummannaq, Greenland, since 1997, and the annual Chivas Snow Golf Championships held in St. Moritz in Switzerland which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2009.

To our delight, this legendary and rare sport has landed in Korea.

The sport, which has never been played in the Korean Peninsula let alone in Asia, was launched this year for the first time in the country by The Ananti.

The country club offers a snow golf program until Feb. 8 where golfers can play from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

There are no carts and no caddies involved in the game. At all tee-off spots, there are clubs already set for users to pick and choose from. The merit of snow golf at the club is that golfers can come empty-handed.

Also there are no carts for golfers to use because they can walk through the 5-hole course which isn’t that long.

Walking from hole to hole is quite an exercise itself. Some people even come to trek on the snow golf course, according to a golf coach at the club.

At each target point, there are operating personnel to help out with spotting and retrieving the balls. For the game, only colored balls are used for better visibility in the snow.

The snow golf at The Ananti is sponsored by Scotch brand Ballentine’s. Because of this, the club offers events for golfers where those succeeding in making a hole-in-one at a Ballentine’s designated hole get a 17 year-old bottle of Ballentine’s as prize.

Also, golfers succeeding in putting in the “Ice Putting Competition” held from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. in front of the club house are also awarded with a bottle of Ballentine’s. At the swimming pool-turned-putting ice, golfers must put in the ball in one shot from 15 meters.

On Feb. 7, a Snow Golf Championship will be held where anyone who has played snow golf at the club at least once can participate in. The winner will be given a bottle of 40 year-old Ballentine’s.

The price of playing the snow golf is 100,000 won per person during weekdays and 120,000 won during weekends. The fee includes lunch and a dessert buffet.

For more information, call 031-589-3334.