Fore!

Dan Tri reports that the Vietnam National University in Hanoi will include golf as a trial subject in its physical education curriulum starting in 2021–2022 academic year.

Nguyen Viet Hoa, director of the Centre for Physical Education and sports at the university, told the news source that the school has partnered with an unnamed golf academy to provide equipment, new facilities and training for the program.

"Learning golf in the university will help the students become more confident," he added. "It's less competitive than other sports and will make learners want to improve themselves. It may be a bridge to help students expand connections and relationships in the future."

If the trial year is successful, swinging clubs and balls will join other sports such as football, swimming and table tennis in the regular PE curriculum.

One challenge is that golf is not particularly popular in Vietnam, and as the first public school in the country to add it to their programs, VNU has had some trouble arranging gear and trained teachers.

According to VnExpress, a 2009 plan from the government envisioned 89 golf courses across Vietnam by 2020. However, as of last June, only 30 were in operation, and a number were struggling financially.

[Photo via DTI]