School hooks students with sport(2)

Unique case

Can the program be emulated by other public schools? Pundits are optimistic but remain cautious.

Zhang Xiaochun, the dean of the College of Golf at Shenzhen University, attributes the campus promotion to Shenzhen's rich golf tradition and accessible infrastructure.

"After all, golf remains a minority sport that requires certain natural conditions and financial support. It doesn't belong to everybody, at least currently in China," Zhang said.

According to the Chinese Golf Association, Shenzhen has 25 golf courses, the most of any Chinese city.

The average fee for playing an 18-hole round at a private club is about 800 yuan ($131) for non-members, a third of the cost 10 years ago, said Chang Xiangqian, general manager of Shenzhen Noble Merchant Golf Club.

Benefiting from the lower expenditure, more than a dozen schools in the southern coastal city have introduced similar golf classes.

"It's great to be able to let children get exposed to the golf culture early, but we are not yet able to offer affordable public facilities as the US does. Low-price policies for juniors in Shenzhen won't necessarily happen in inland cities," Zhang said.

Xiong Bingqi, vice-president of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, echoed Zhang's sentiments, stressing that golf is not a popular sport like table tennis and basketball.

School training

Parents who expect their children to be the next Guan Tianlang — the youngest player to qualify for the Masters — or Feng Shanshan, China's first LPGA major winner, have to spend time and money sending their children to clubs for professional training.

"If you want to make it a career for your child, you have go on your own to hire a coach or to find a place to practice," said Hu Jun, father of the 6-12 category winner Hu Diandian of the Shenzhen Junior Championships.

Hu takes his son to practice at a local club every day after school and spends 100,000 yuan a year on trainers' fees and course rentals.

Zhang Xiaochun, dean of the College of Golf at Shenzhen University, said golf trainers must get into the schools, possibly by getting teaching certificates.

"This will be a big issue with the business growing. There must be approved channels for them to get into schools as PE teachers," Zhang said.