"Golf is a public relations tool that businessmen use to hook government officials"

Mission Hills, the world’s largest golf club, is located in Hainan.

This CNBC newsitem describes how President Xi Jinping is making his mark in the campaign against corruption, which has toppled senior party and military leaders.   

Now anti-corruption investigators have turned their eyes to golf : "sport for millionaires and a capitalist pastime," in line with state-run news media's depiction of golf as yet another temptation that has led Communist Party officials astray. Golf has been called the 'aristocrats' game because of its high cost and unique glamour. 

The government has shut down dozens of courses across the country built in violation of a ban intended to protect China's limited supplies of water and arable land. Communist party officials have been forbidden to golf during work hours "to prevent unclean behavior and disciplinary or illegal conduct."

According to  Xinhua - Chinese news agency - the Communist Party of China's (CPC) anti-corruption agency has opened a column on its website where corrupt officials' confessions are published to "warn, deter and educate". China, it appears, has declared war on golf courses. 

According to another press item, it is widely publicized that Xi Jinping does not want government men betting on golf games, he does not want them doing on-course deals or taking golf "jollies". In plain, he does not want them playing golf and being associated with the sport of Barack Obama, with the game that Chairman Mao dismissed as the "sport of millionaires". Golf is being bracketed with gambling, prostitution and drugs being used as a public-relations tool that businessmen use to influence government officials.

Recently, anti-corruption inspection teams from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Network visited central China's Electronic Information Industry Group Co., Ltd. (China Electronics) and found two top executives involved in golf related corruption. In the period from 2013 to 2014, they made eight repeated visits to Beijing for a golf course, using public money to play golf. The Party Discipline Inspection Commission is taking action in the matter. 

It is worth noting that after taking the helm of the CPC in November 2012, Xi Jinping vowed to fight corruption, targeting both high-ranking "tigers" and lowly "flies".