Chinanews, Beijing, Dec.14 – A golf team was established formally at the beginning of December by the Golf Association of Peking University, the first college golf organization in China's mainland.

 

Not long ago, golf triggered a storm of debate among the general public when Xiamen University listed golf as a compulsory course, and then Peking University halted the project of building golf links. Although the controversy has calmed down now, a covey of golf enthusiasts from Peking University still clings to the idea of developing golf in China's colleges.

 

Chen Shangzhi, leader of the golf team, said they would prepare to host an "International Collegiate Golf Invitational Tournament". Besides, they are striving to prompt Chinese colleges to set up their own collegiate golf unions in 2008.

 

As a pioneer in China's mainland, the Golf Association of Peking University is established and managed by students themselves. All with some experience playing golf abroad, the initial founders brought the sport into Peking University.

 

The association has already participated in two friendship matches with Taiwan University and Beijing University of Technology respectively before this special team was recently established. Next May, the new team will go to Taiwan for another match with Taiwan University.

 

As a team leader, the second-year student Chen Shangzhi, from Hong Kong, started to play golf during his high school time. There are 7 members in the team now, some of whom are golf novices.

 

"We, representing our university, will take part in some matches, and mostly, we will do golf promotion among colleges and universities," said Chen.