Page 40 - 07.06 p1-56 (Final Print)
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STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
CHINA & HONG KONG
LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL course management, tournaments, teachers,
playing pros, caddies, etc. The way we see it
is the government has been laying a sound
and complete groundwork to grow the golf
industry in the country. This may be also one
of the plans to boost domestic spending and
By Steve Mak
President GDP, especially when international trade
HKGTF and USGTF-China and globalization is under threat and facing
tremendous uncertainties in the future.
arlier we reported that the government of The recent outbreak of the coronavirus has
EChina had suppressed the sport of golf since caused a huge loss in life and damage to the
2014 by closing down some 300 golf courses economies of China and the world. But one
out of 700, and closing countless driving ranges bit of good news out of this disaster was that
around the country in an effort to clean up all virus specialists commented that golf courses
illegal construction of golf courses and corrupt were the safest places, literally, and subtly
activities behind the scenes. encouraged people to play golf. The same thing
From 2014-2018, the central government happened in 2003 during the SARS outbreak.
did the housecleaning on one hand, while on China experienced a bloom in golf immediately
the other, it issued many new policies during when SARS settled down.
this period of time to promote golf: inclusion of The Chinese government is now working
golf on the encouraged list of sports for citizens; hard with full force trying to recover from the
brought golf into junior high and high schools; damage, and is investing tons of money and
admission of golf pros and amateur winners resources with full steam to prepare for the
into colleges with entrance exemption and 2022 Winter Olympics. We strongly believe the
scholarships, and Shenzhen City (first Economic government will really look into golf after the
Development Zone) and Hainan (international Winter Olympics and will seriously develop the
tourist island) provincial governments issued sport of golf as an industry in the years to come.
policies to develop golf as one of the main USGTF-China and HKGTF were impacted
sports with investments in research, infrastructure, badly by the market slowdown, decline in
training, and tournaments with handsome prize demand of certification and barely survived the
purses. past six years. However we endeavor to hang
First, the government cleans up the on, bearing the hope that golf will ultimately be
market to pave the way for healthy and long- recognized and promoted by the government.
term development. Second, it builds market We are getting close to the end of the tunnel
demand through introducing the sport to kids and will see the light soon within a couple of
and youth, and also to the general public. years. We are preparing ourselves to take a ride
Third, more colleges set up golf faculty to train of the tide when it comes, which may be the
and develop human resources to support second wave in China golf history, with the first
the industry. This development includes golf happening during the years 2004-2014.
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SUMMER 2020 Golf Teaching Pro ®
