More women on the fairways

There is an estimated number of 77,900 women folf players in China, which is quite a progress compared with a few years ago.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Shi plays as many as 200 games a year, competing against both women and men, and has become quite famous for her skills and her passion among golf lovers nationally.

TV and broadcast stations routinely invite her to commentate on golf games.

Lin Peiqi, in her 40s, is among those who never cease to improve their skills. She started playing it about 10 years ago, and calls golf the "green opium" that has got her addicted.

She was exposed to the game by chance through a friend, and soon got fascinated with its gracefulness and good exercise effects, as well as the peaceful mindset it helps bring about.

Apart from learning from friends, she has also hired private coaches to teach her play.

Lin believes the body and its muscles have memories, and practice makes progress. To improve her flexibility, she practices yoga.

Golf has also changed her life, Lin says.

She used to lead an unhealthy life, including partying till late into night. But since she took up golf, she has gradually made new friends, and adopted a much healthier lifestyle. Now she goes to bed early and gets up early to play golf.

Like most women golfers, Lin pays great attention to her appearance on the greens, collecting hundreds of clothes and gloves to match to her mood and the course.

All of three women golfers agree that the majority of women golfers are in their 30s and 40s. They also believe that women who play golf instead of other sports have common personalities, such as being strong-minded, independent. They often also belong to a higher economic class.

Housewives make quite a large proportion of women golfers now, according to Chen Xing, the captain with Jin'guo team.