Golf’s popularity is growing precipitously in China, where oddly, the game has long been banned. A loophole that developers have used to build golf courses in the country since the ban, calling them “sports parks” during the development stages, will now be enforced in Beijing, officials have announced, according to “The First Cut,” a newsletter published by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
Just in recent weeks, 12 courses have been shut down in the area. This movement counters a recent spark in the game. In 2013, Chinese citizen Ye Wocheng became the youngest player, at age 12, to qualify for a European Tour event. Another golfer, Guan Tianlang, finished 58th in the BMW Masters in 2013 at age 14. Golf has been banned in China since 1949, when Mao Tse-tung denounced it as being exclusively for the bourgeoisie.
