Tiger Who?

Stars don’t always get star treatment. Just ask the “Emperor of Golf,” Tiger Woods.

Woods was recently given the cold shoulder by his neighborhood golf club.

At the end of last year, Woods moved into his new, luxurious 40 million won mansion on Jupiter Island, Florida. However, local newspapers reported on December 9 that Woods will have trouble getting a membership at the Jupiter Island Golf Club.

That is because the members of the Jupiter Island Golf Club do not want to accept someone as famous as Woods. Much like the Augusta National Golf Club, which hosts The Masters, the Jupiter Island Golf Club is run as a closed institution. Accepting a celebrity member is likely to draw unwanted media attention.

Some membership-oriented golf courses in U.S. do not accept new members without the consent of existing members.

In Korea, there are a few golf clubs located in city outskirts that have similar membership systems. No amount of money guarantees your acceptance.

This puts Woods at an inconvenience. He will have to use a golf course farther down the road instead of the one next door.

Woods’ previous home in Orlando, Florida had the Isleworth Country Club nearby. It not only welcomed Woods as a member, but also modified its course to accommodate the long-hitting Woods.

Young-Sik Ahn ysahn@donga.com