It seems that freedom is far-fetched idea for the members of China’s Communist Party, and added recently to their limitations was golf club membership. Communist China made a big decision, and intensified their war on golf by making golf club memberships illegal for party members. Prior to this law’s creation, the Communist Party ruled that golf clubs could no longer be constructed back in 2004. Environmentalists believe that golf courses are a waste of resources and harm the ecosystem.
The dislike for the sport goes back to the days when communist leader Mao Zedong was in power in 1949. He believed golf was “a sport for billionaires”, and goes against the values of the communist party. Golf came back to the scene in China in the 80s, creating an image communist China did not want. For years, golf regulations were highly ignored. To attract tourism, local officials encouraged the construction of more golf clubs even after the 2004 ruling. The government decided to close 66 golf clubs this past March, which made up about 10% of golf clubs in China.
Communist regulations not only hurt golfers, they also hurt any owner or a business that offers luxury services. Other formal Communist bans include extravagant eating and drinking, and abuse of power. Now, more jobs will be lost due to this latest regulation. The regulation does not explain why there is a ban against golf memberships, but it made very clear that those caught in violation would be punished and possibly removed from the Communist Party.