上海一小學將高爾夫球列爲體育必修課
About 400 students at an elementary school in Shanghai began the spring semester by swinging golf clubs.
The Experimental School of Foreign Languages Affiliated with East China Normal University is the first public elementary school in China to introduce golf as one of its compulsory courses.
華東師範大學附屬外國語實驗學校是國內首個將高爾夫納入必修課程的公立小學。It said on its website that since the semester began on Feb 18 all first- and second-grade students must practice golf once a week. Extra tuition fees will not be charged for students who take the course.
該校的官網上寫着，自本學期2月18日開學起，所有一、二年級學生必須每週上一節高爾夫課。且該高爾夫課程是免費的。
Xia Haiping, the school principal, told Chinese media outlet The Paper: "Golf is not a high-class sport exclusive to the rich. It can be a popular game accessible to all."
該校校長夏海萍對澎湃新聞表示：“高爾夫並不是一項有錢人專享的貴族運動。它是普通大衆都可以參與的一種全民健身活動。”Xia Haiping, the school principal, said the school added the course to its syllabus not only to improve conditions for students, but also to help them with etiquette.
夏海萍校長表示，學校增設高爾夫課程，不只是爲了增強學生體質，還旨在幫助學生掌握禮儀。It is estimated that there are more than 30 schools in China - private and public, elementary and secondary - that include golf as part of their physical education lessons.
據估計，全國有超過30所民辦和公立中小學的體育課開設了高爾夫課程。The sport has become hugely popular among businesspeople in China. Many parents now hope that it can give their children an edge when applying for overseas university places.
該運動在中國非常受商務人士的歡迎。許多家長希望在申請出國留學時，高爾夫能成爲孩子的一個優勢。In 1997, Shenzhen University in Guangdong province was the first educational institution in Asia to establish a golf college dedicated to training professional talent in playing and managing the game.
1997年，廣東省深圳大學設立了高爾夫學院，這在亞洲教育機構中當屬首例，它致力於培養打高爾夫和管理這項運動的專業人才。According to the sports management company Forward Management Group, there were about 32,000 junior golfers in China by 2013, and the number is rising.
據沃德管理集團體育管理公司數據顯示，2013年，中國大約有3.2萬的青少年高爾夫球手，這個人數仍呈上升趨勢。
