The Chinese Golf Association and sponsorship partner Rolex launched the Rules of Golf 2012-2015 China Edition in Tianjin on Sunday during the 19th China Open.

"The publication of the Rules of Golf 2012-2015 China edition is one of the grassroots initiatives that has been realized through our partnership with Rolex and will certainly go a long way in promoting and significantly regulating the development of golf in China," said Zhang Xiaoning, executive vice-president and general secretary of the CGA on Sunday.

In 2008, China officially adopted international golf rules, which not only helped promote the sport here but also provided stringent guidelines for local events.

However, Zhang said work still needed to be done to make amateurs and event organizers more aware of the rules.

"Translating the rules into Chinese will help the Chinese fans to learn how to appreciate the sport and will also assist local clubs in training their members about world-accepted standards. It's crucial for the game's healthy development in China," he said

Also attending the launch were David Rickman, executive director of Rules and Equipment Standards at the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and Matthias Koeppen, general manager of Rolex (Beijing) Ltd, as well as Li Jinliang, an international referee and head of the book's translation group.

"The R&A is the world governing authority of the rules of the game and the Rules of Golf is a very important document," said Rickman. "It helps to ensure that all golfers play by the rules, play by the etiquette of the game and, of course, very importantly the spirit of the game."

"The R&A is delighted that our long association with Rolex, which has supported the English language edition since 2004 and helped us to produce 2.6 million copies in the English language, has also helped in the translation of the Chinese edition."

In 2010, Rolex become an official partner of the Chinese Golf Association and has since supported its efforts to develop the game in China. That includes close ties with the national training program at the Nanshan International Golf Club in Shandong province. China's No 1 player, Liang Wenchong, has been a Rolex ambassador since 2008.

(China Daily 05/06/2013 page23)