Officials play golf during working hours in Bac Ninh.
Golf - a noble sport from Europe was introduced to Vietnam nearly 3 decades ago, and is becoming a popular sport in Vietnam. Experts confirm that playing golf brings many benefits that other sports cannot have.
Accordingly, golfers have the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature and improve their mood. Playing golf improves overall physical fitness, helps to lose weight and control body weight, improves sleep quality, is good for the brain and improves thinking, thinking...
However, when golf gradually became a popular trend, many people began to find dramatic and competitive elements in it, and then variations appeared that distorted the identity of this elegant and refined sport, which has many effects on physical and mental health.
In recent days, the story of the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bac Ninh province spending 2-3 sessions a week playing golf during working hours has stirred up public opinion. Many people believe that this is not an isolated case but is happening in many places and localities. The attraction and benefits of this sport cannot be denied, but golf courses also have their dark corners.
Officials skipping work to play golf during working hours is one of the consequences of golf's transformation.
Addictive
" I think rich people feel like they are on a different level when they hold a set of golf clubs in their hands ," a famous golf coach in Vietnam told VTC News. He said that with the current economic conditions in Vietnam, golf is becoming more and more popular. This is a sport that stimulates self-limitation.
“ I was a tennis player before I knew golf. When I tried playing, I thought why golf is easier than tennis, which I can't play. So I always motivate myself to win, " the coach added.
Sharing with VTC News, Mr. Thanh Van (character's name has been changed) - a businessman over 40 years old in the construction industry in Hanoi - who has played golf for many years revealed how he came to this trendy sport and became increasingly passionate about it.
“ I learned about golf when my friends invited me to try it. I have been a football fan since I was a kid, and when I was studying abroad in Europe, I only spent money to watch football matches. But golf brings a completely different experience ,” said Mr. Van.
According to this person, learning golf is not as difficult as many people think. After a certain period of time, when the basic movements are done well, the player will discover a new feeling, no different from an "addictive" substance to the brain.
“ For me and many other players, golf is a sport that competes with oneself, winning or losing is entirely up to oneself, personal achievements are not affected. We play to the best of our ability and do not compete with anyone. Therefore, golf is a sport that stimulates ourselves, surpassing ourselves, ” said businessman Thanh Van.
Golf has many benefits but it also comes with its dark side.
Once he became “addicted to golf”, this businessman was no longer interested in football, and also gave up tennis. Whenever he had free time, Mr. Van immediately arranged to be at the golf course. His passion for golf grew. After that, Mr. Van also invited many friends with similar conditions to join in playing golf in their free time.
Also because it is an “aristocratic” sport, golfers are basically the “elite” of society. Some people come to golf to expand business partnerships, to entertain guests and even to “make an image”.
“ I know many cases, and I myself am the same, going to the golf course, playing a round of golf sometimes means evaluating your partner. Golf is a sport that makes players reveal a lot about their personality. In addition, it is normal for your partner to receive you on the golf course. Golf has many positive aspects ,” said Mr. Van.
Meanwhile, 6 years ago, Mr. NVS (Bac Ninh) was accidentally invited by a friend to go with him, but now he admits to being a "golf addict".
“ Golf is also a sport. Going to the golf course makes me feel like I am on another level when I am served by many people, respected and even promoted. In addition, the golf course is also very beautiful, with spacious landscape. Each golf course is a different experience.
Especially when playing golf, I seem to escape the frustrations and stress at work ," Mr. S explained why many people are addicted to playing golf to the point that it can be called golf addiction.
Therefore, Mr. S does not hesitate to admit that " whenever I have time, I go play golf ".
Mr. S. also said that before, he could play 2 matches/day, each match was 18 holes and had to spend at least 5 hours, sometimes a whole day on the golf courses.
Working on the golf course
Sharing the same opinion with many golf enthusiasts, Mr. PT, director of a business in Hai Phong, confided that nowadays, many people come to the golf course during working hours not just to play but to work, to do business, to exchange work.
“ Talking about playing golf is just one perspective, but in fact, many people work at golf courses now. Going to work is like going out to play, playing is like going to work, ” said Mr. T., adding that at golf courses, transactions, exchanges, and approaching partners are easy and confidential.
There are also many government officials on the golf course, many of whom go out during working hours as reported by VTC News.
Being too passionate about golf - like "addicts" - leads to many consequences.
"Even ward chairmen go golfing. They go to serve their superiors, to get promoted easily. To be exact, they go to do business," said Mr. T.
“ When they go, they need someone to serve them. There are a lot of people serving them,” Mr. T. shared, and said that on the golf course, there is mostly a “servant culture ”, mainly subordinates serving superiors, businesses serving officials.
Mr. T. believes that many officials neglect their work to participate in the aristocratic sport, because they cannot resist the attraction of "soft power" on the golf course.
Golf course visitors are strictly controlled, cameras are placed everywhere. One time, Mr. T. and his friend went to a golf resort in Hai Phong. When they saw the guests, the security guard immediately came to ask which room they were staying in. Mr. T. replied, "We saw it was beautiful, so we came to visit ." Immediately, the security guard asked, " Please go out now ."
" So golf culture for many people is no longer about exercise ," this golfer shared.
Golf betting
To play at golf courses, players must buy a card by period, by quarter, or even a yearly card. “ The most VIPs buy by year. Only the “bees” buy cards and pay by the day. The cheapest is 3-5 million for a golf session ,” he revealed.
Spending money on the golf course is also a way to show class in many people's opinion.
In addition, players also have to tip the waiter 200 thousand VND/person, and each serving team usually has 5-7 people, the tip alone costs 1-2 million. The rental fee for the court also costs at least 5 million VND per person, the fastest playing session also takes half a day (4 hours). Each month costs at least 50 million VND.
“ Like my dad’s case, he goes all week, goes on tour, goes to tournaments at the courses. It’s very expensive, in general, it costs billions of dong a year ,” Mr. T. cited.
However, according to the businessman, the above amount of money is simply for playing golf, not to mention betting. Betting is the culture of golfers, and betting is hundreds of millions, billions. Betting usually takes place in a group that goes golfing together.
“ Betting thousands of dollars, betting in Vietnamese currency is just for fun for a few people. This is a game where you spend money without thinking, ” Mr. T. expressed.
The problem of betting in golf is gradually distorting this sport. In fact, golf betting is no different from other forms of gambling, in which players transform themselves into the activities they participate in betting.
Businessman Thanh Van (Hanoi) also did not hesitate to share his betting story with reporters.
“ Of course, golf, like European Cup football matches, requires betting. Of course, betting with the bookie is not something that many golfers are interested in. Here, betting and winning or losing with golf partners is what makes many people unable to give up golf ,” businessman Thanh Van shared.
According to the reporter's research, the most "expensive" expense for golfers at this time is not the course fee, the "tip" for the caddy or the accommodation fee, but the "betting" fee with the opponent. There are many forms of betting. The betting amount is unlimited, from 10 million VND to 1 billion VND, even several billion VND for a match, depending on the player's budget.
The bet is even calculated by stroke (the fewer strokes it takes to complete a hole, the higher the score). For example, if the agreement is that the loser must pay 10 million for each stroke more than the opponent. The amount can be up to hundreds of millions of dong if the new golfer is unlucky enough to meet a "master".
“ Sometimes gambling is just for fun, for example, whoever loses has to pay the caddy fee. However, many people gamble, considering it a profession. Many people in Vietnam say that gambling is to train their nerves, but that is just an excuse.
They will bet based on Handicap (the golfer's "handicap" index). In football, there are bets on corners, goals, and scores, while in golf, there are bets on the ball falling into the water, falling into a trap, or betting on winning or losing strokes or holes. They can bet 200,000 or 500,000 per stroke. If they bet more, they can get millions, even hundreds of millions ," the professional golf coach revealed.
Stories of “broken homes, ruined homes” and selling off assets to pay off debts due to losing golf bets are not uncommon. According to businessman Thanh Van, a friend in the South of this businessman once lost “a house in Ho Chi Minh City” just because of his gambling addiction.
Then, the more they lose, the more “thirsty” the golfer – gambler becomes. From here, business and family are increasingly neglected. All they think about is playing golf and recovering the money lost from golf betting.
In mid-March this year, the police caught many golfers gambling in the form of playing poker in a hotel while preparing to participate in a golf tournament at Dam Vac Golf Course (Vinh Phuc). The indictment of the Supreme People's Procuracy determined that 41 defendants had committed the crimes of "Organizing gambling", "Gambling" and some defendants were determined to have committed both crimes at the same time.
The defendants are mostly businessmen who share a passion for golf. Notably, among them are two vice presidents of golf associations.
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