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Alex Jenkins

From a moratorium on building new courses to a ban on Communist Party officials playing and “being led astray”, golf has suffered the brunt of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on all things unsavoury.
Lumped together with drugs, gambling, prostitution, ill-gotten wealth and conspicuous consumption, the game has been portrayed as a vice in mainland China, a temptation to hook officials.
Since the party’s ban on membership came into effect in October 2015, over 60 courses have been closed by authorities.
And at least another 50 are in danger of disappearing because they are no longer profitable enterprises, says Aylwin Tai, an authority on the game in China.
“The government is not encouraging the game, so it’s a challenging time for all whose focus is golf,” says Tai, a Hongkonger who is president of the Club Managers Association of China.
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The Communist Party has banned it, but key figures still believe ‘golf will grow in China’ – here’s why
 
“The government is very careful; they’re not showing support and are seeing how the market reacts.
“The market, it would appear, is not reacting all that positively, at least when it comes to the business of running golf clubs.
“The tax on golf is high, water [for irrigation] is expensive, as are labour costs,” says Tai, who managed Chung Shan Hot Spring in Guangdong province upon its opening in 1984 and whose company, Richtone Worldwide, organised 15 editions of the Volvo China Open.
He also says the game’s status as an Olympic sport has had a negligible effect on membership sales in the country.
“There could be another 50 or 60 courses that close in the next year, not by the government but because for many clubs golf isn’t a profitable business.”
High construction and operating costs, combined with the government’s general antipathy, meant public courses aren’t likely to be on the golfing radar any time soon, despite mainland star Li Haotong winning China’s national open last month, says Tai.
“It was a great performance but can the public relate to Li Haotong? If the public can’t relate then the impact of his win will be limited to the second generation of rich Chinese [who play golf],” said Tai. “Land is the big issue [going forward]. Unless the government is going to give away free land for the development of public golf courses, they’re not going to happen.”
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
While Tai argues that golf’s popularity among the middle classes has also been hit by a plethora of other sporting and leisure options now available to them, the current situation could be of long-term benefit to the sport’s health.
“It’s a good way for China to reposition itself in terms of golf,” he said. “We’ve seen Korea bounce back [after an uncertain period] and now we see that Singapore is reducing the number of courses.
“It’s not just China that has these issues; the whole of Asia is re-evaluating the game.”


50 more golf courses to feel the backlash of Xi Jinping’s crackdown

Promotional stunts like this on the Great Wall won’t be happening again any time soon after President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on the game in China. Photo: Richard Castka.

Aylwin Tai, a dapper Hongkonger who is president of the Club Managers (Golf) Association of China. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

Li Haotong of China holds the trophy after winning the Volvo China Open golf tournament in Beijing on May 1, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER

The Communist Party has banned it, but key figures still believe ‘golf will grow in China’ – here’s why

Golf remains an enigma on the mainland – it may be an Olympic sport but courses have been shut down and party members banned from playing

Li Haotong of China hits a shot on his way to winning the Volvo China Open golf tournament in Beijing on May 1, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / GREG BAKER

This handout photo taken and received from OneAsia on April 27, 2016 shows Zhang Lianwei of China smiling during the Pro-Am event ahead of the Volvo China Open golf tournament at the Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing. / AFP PHOTO / OneAsia / Paul Lakatos / -----EDITORS NOTE --- RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / Paul Lakatos / OneAsia" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS - NO ARCHIVES

Feng Shanshan of China poses with her trophy after winning the Dubai Ladies Masters December 13, 2014. REUTERS/Caren Firouz (UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - Tags: SPORT GOLF)

Profile picture of Simon Leach, China director of the European Tour.

2-10/22/83 - CHUNG SHAN HOT SPRING, QUANGDONG PROVINCE, CHINA: Golfer Arnold Palmer trying to teach a Chinese worker on a ball during his visit on the Chung Shan Golf course 10/22. A 18 holes and lakes golf course is designed by Arnold and constructing under supervision of the Palmer course company and which will be opening soon April, 1984 and also become the first international standard championship golf in the mainland China since 1949. UPI ch/Carl Ho

An ancient scroll shows China’s emperor playing golf with eunuchs in the Xuande period 15th century. The sport is not so popular with the country’s rulers these days

Sport

Hong Kong

China

Golf

Clubs will be forced to close because they are no longer profitable businesses, says aficionado Aylwin Tai
