Exploring the Ranking Culture of Korean Female Professional Golfers

PURPOSE This study aimed to explore the ranking culture of Korean female professional golfers under the assumption that side-effects such as performance degradation and sports desocialization result from the culture.METHODS To collect data, semistructured, open-ended interviews were conducted with eight former KLPGA Tour players, and the data were analyzed through the inductive analysis method suggested by Hatch (2002).RESULTS Our findings were the following: (1) There has been an oppressive culture regarding the salutation attitude among Korean female professional golfers. (2) The ranking culture of Korean female professional golf players formed a background of voluntarily noticing seniors from junior players. (3) As part of subduing juniors who go against the hierarchy culture, the phenomenon of group bullying by senior players was found. (4) There are players who influx the KLPGA tour after their tour career in foreign countries becomes uncomfortable with the ranking culture of Korean female professional golfers, or in worse cases, they leave the tour because of maladaptation. (5) Rather than protesting or raising issues, parents of players, especially those of junior players who have suffered damage against the ranking culture tend to accept the practices and endure disadvantages.CONCLUSIONS Follow-up studies on ways to improve them and additional studies on ranking culture and side-effects that may occur between athletes in other sports are required to restore the ethics of Korean sports and ultimately normalize them.