Flying to Jeju Island was exhilarating. In all my years visiting Korea, I’d heard so much about this special island that it felt like a destination I finally had to experience. If you enjoy seafood and authentic Korean cuisine, Jeju is a standout — several local friends insisted it offers some of the finest seafood around.
Tameus Golf & Village features three distinct nine-hole courses, giving visiting golfers a variety of terrain and challenges. Westerners were scarce during my visit — I remember spotting only one other foreign player, with whom we exchanged friendly smiles and a laugh. Korean courses typically provide female caddies; in Jeju most spoke little to no English, so plan to manage the course largely on your own. I often found myself waiting while the caddie assisted my Korean playing partners, so I’d grab a few clubs and move ahead. If a shot went awry, I could always direct the blame toward the caddie in jest.
The three courses are aptly named Woods, Lake and Mountain. On the day we tackled the property, we played the Lake course first, followed by Mountain. Both offered memorable holes and a different kind of golfing experience.
LAKE
Hole 1 | 372 yards, par 4
This hole shouldn’t be overly difficult, but my companion Mr. Kim and I decided to take more adventurous routes toward the right. Mr. Kim’s ball ended up far right enough to allow a clean return to the fairway, while I had to punch out from beneath a row of trees to regain position. Our teammates, Mr. Koo and Mr. Han, hit strong, centered drives that set them up to attack the green and post pars or bogeys.
Hole 2 | 580 yards, par 5
This demanding downhill dogleg right calls for careful strategy, and our foursome was pressured by the slow pace earlier on the first hole and a group quickly catching up behind us. Rushing led to mistakes: my tee shot landed just past where the cart path forks and near the large lake, and a bold 3-wood from there found the left rough and dense foliage. The left side seemed to trap several shots; only Mr. Koo avoided trouble by staying in the center of the fairway. He then unleashed a daring shot that cut the corner of the dogleg to reach behind the green and salvage a bogey — the best result for our group on this tough Lake course hole.
Lake, Hole 3 © Francis X. Gallagher
Hole 3 | 184 yards, par 3
This hole seems designed to punish overconfidence. I struck what looked like a perfect tee shot, only for the ball to hit the rock embankment in front of the green, bounce backward to the ladies’ tee area, and send the group into laughter. Frustrated, I took a pitching wedge and reached within a few feet, settling for a bogey rather than a par.
Hole 4 | 380 yards, par 4
Somehow I managed a par on this one. My drive drifted left and dropped among small trees, with no caddie guidance available, so I hunted down the ball and punched out to the fairway. From there I executed a solid 7-iron to the pin and one-putted for par. Mr. Han matched the performance with a precise approach, and we celebrated while the rest of our group sighed over their missteps.
MOUNTAIN
Hole 2 | 330 yards, par 4
Not usually listed among the toughest holes at Tameus, this one can still cause problems. The fairway and rough are narrow and flanked by woods. I set aside any risky shots and hit a straight, controlled drive. My approach was a high, accurate shot to the right of the pin onto a slightly elevated green guarded by a left-front bunker. Mr. Han and I hustled to the green — he beat me by a hair, but I managed to secure a par after the short sprint and steady play.
Hole 7 | 648 yards, par 5
This lengthy par 5 is among the most challenging on the Mountain course. The scorecard lists distances in meters, which underscores how long this hole plays. It bends gently from right to left toward the green and rewards precision and distance. A bunker sits near the preferred landing area on the right, with another serpentine bunker further down about 100 yards from the green. The hole tests patience and shot-making; keep your composure and par remains achievable.
Hole 8 | 398 yards, par 4
Playing with friends from overseas, you sometimes want to impress. I managed that on this hole despite a flawed drive that landed short and left on a steep hillside. Recovery is key in those moments: with intent and a bit of improvisation, I used a 3-wood from a stance above the ball, hit a bold shot to the right side of the green, then chipped and two-putted to save face and post a respectable score.
Hole 9 | 377 yards, par 4
I joked that I needed my own caddie in Korea after this finishing hole. My drive sailed far right into thick foliage while my teammates found the center and right side of the fairway, setting up cleaner approaches. The green sits tucked to the left with a pond guarding its front, and several bunkers line the right-side landing. The green is slightly elevated, and managing those hazards made for a satisfying end to a good day of golf. Mr. Han teased me afterward, returning some of his “winnings” and saying, “Driving range!”
Tameus Golf & Village
Jeju Island
South Korea
tel 82 64 793 0707
lordland.co.kr