Investigation And Research On The Current Development Of Golf In Heilongjiang Province

The advancement of human society and the changes in people's lifestyle has increasingly placed sports under the spotlight.As the quality of life improves,people's expectation of life is no longer limited to food and warmth,but extended further to the maintenance of health and mental happiness.Such changes have directly created the popularity of leisure sports – outdoor exercises,hiking and golf are turning into common activities in increasing number of people's lives.Participation in Golf has been growing since its introduction due to its healthy,green and aerobic characteristics.The government has been enhancing its regulation and standardisation of golf court management by closing down unqualified or unregistered golf courts.Although Heilongjiang province has long been below average in the development of Golf sports,it is now welcoming the best opportunity ever to catch up under the general atmosphere of socio-economic development and the strategic promotion of tourism-sports initiated by the provincial government.This article investigates the current development status of Golf within Heilongjiang Province on the basis of literature reviews,expert interviews,actual surveys and comparison analyses.The research has taken into account a diversity of factors including natural environment,talent pools and nurturing,the strategies and structures of sports and its marketing,customer base,management and local policies etc.to provide theoretical evidence and reference methodologies for further sustainable development of Golf within the province.After more than a decade since Golf entered Heilongjiang Province,a number of standard golf courts and outdoor/indoor driving ranges are now available for public use.However outdoor golf is significantly limited to the time between May and October because of the geographical location and its distinct climate characteristics of each season.Golf fans are normally populated during the peak season with a fraction of them from across the country because Heilongjiang is a known holiday go-to place in the summer.The cost of using driving ranges in Heilongjiang is below average compared to other provinces.The majority of players choose to enjoy their games during weekends and public holidays.This includes a large proportion who join the games through group purchases.All the above mentioned have collectively revealed the high level public interest in the sports of golf.Indoor driving ranges are normally equipped with imported simulation computers and facility.Locally manufactured devices are less favoured.According to a survey,the major of golf sports are now available at several universities in Heilongjiang province including Harbin Sport University,Heilongjiang Professional Institute of Ice and Snow Sports,Harbin Technology College.Among these universities,the average number of students enrolled in the major of golf exceeds one hundred.To date the development and promotion of golf as a sport for adolescents within the province are still driven by private golf clubs,where profit margin is the top priority.The sport department at local government has rarely involved itself into such activities,which led to the current fallen-behind situation across the country with respect to the cultivation of young golf talents.Upon completion of the research,the development status of the sports of golf in Heilongjiang province have been revealed in more details.In order to accelerate the chain development of golf within the province,the following strategies are recommended : Take full consideration of the regional features and characteristics;Fully utilize the advantages of the region and build a high-end tourism-golf brand;Establish comprehensive legislations to protect the development of golf as a sport.Invest more resources in the development of sports interrelated with golf and thereby promote the chain development of golf as a sport.