About 400 students at an elementary school in Shanghai began the spring semester by swinging golf clubs.

　　今年春季的新学期，上海一所小学的400名学生挥舞起高尔夫球杆。

　　The Experimental School of Foreign Languages Affiliated to East China Normal University is the first public elementary school in China to introduce golf as one of its compulsory courses.

　　华东师大附属外国语实验学校成为中国首个开设高尔夫为必修课的公立小学。

　　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.

　　该校的网页上写着，自本学期2月18日开学起，所有一、二年级学生必须每周上一节高尔夫课。

　　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."

　　该校校长夏海萍对澎湃新闻记者说，“高尔夫并不是一项有钱人专享的贵族运动。它是普通大众都可以参与的一种全民健身活动。”

　　Xia said the school added the course to its syllabus not only to improve conditions for junior students, but also to help them with etiquette.

　　她表示，学校把高尔夫加入教学大纲，不仅仅是为升入初中改善条件，也是为了让学生掌握礼仪知识。

　　Extra tuition fees will not be charged for students who take the course, which has been launched by the school and the Century Teenage Golf Program initiated by Shanghai Century Publishing Group.

　　本课程由学校和上海世纪出版集团 “世纪青少年高尔夫”项目组联合启动，对学生免费。

　　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.

　　据估计，中国目前有30多所学校——包含所有公立和私立、小学和中学——开设了高尔夫作为体育课的一部分。

　　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.

　　这项运动在中国非常受商务人士的欢迎。许多家长希望在申请出国留学时，高尔夫能成为孩子的一个优势。

　　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，广东省深圳大学设立了高尔夫学院，这在亚洲教育机构中当属首例，它致力于培养打高尔夫和管理这项运动的专门人才。

　　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.

　　据沃德管理集团体育管理公司称，2013年，中国大约有3.2万的青少年高尔夫球手，这个人数呈上升趋势。

　　In 2010, the group, in partnership with the Golf Course Builders Association of America, developed more than 100 golf programs in 30 Chinese cities. Most of the programs provide basic golf instruction to youngsters age 6 to 15.

　　2010年，该集团曾与美国高尔夫球场建造者协会合作，在中国的30个城市发展了100多个高尔夫项目。其中的大多数都为6~15岁的孩子提供高尔夫基础教学。

　　Private golf tutors charge an average of 300 to 700 yuan ($46 to $108) per session in China. Despite the growing demand, insiders say there is a serious shortage of coaches for junior golfers.

　　中国的私人高尔夫教练平均每期收费为300至700元(约46美元至108美元)。随着需求不断增加，业内人士表示，青少年高尔夫教练严重短缺。

（编辑：何莹莹）