An ancient yet modern sport

The Scottish are certain that theyinventedthe game of golf over 500 years ago but the Chinese, the French and even the Dutch have also made suchclaimsin the past.

We may never know who first played the game but does this ancient sport really have a place in the modern world?

When the US golf team stepped off the plane in Ireland recently at the beginning of the Ryder Cup competition they were dressedhead to toeinmatching tweed suitsandFair Isle knitwear. It seemed they wanted to invoke golf's history,rootsand traditions but in fact, mostcommentators and spectatorsthought they just lookedplain daft.

At the Royal and Ancient golf club of St Andrews in Scotland the traditions,rules and regulationsof golf are still alive and well. Some say the numbers of dos and don'ts can seem pretty overwhelming while others say the golfing code of conduct allows golf to maintain its sporting values in spite of becoming a multi-million pound international industry.

At the heart ofgolf's rules are two principles -respect for the courseand respect for fellow golfers. Examples include not talking duringa player's swing, not disturbing a player who'sputting on the greenand replacingdivots.

Tiger Woods, the Thai-American player, is currently the world's number one golf professional. He is alsothe face of one ofthe world's biggest management consulting companies – Accenture. In today'sglobal marketplaceeveryone is looking for a way to get ahead and having the trusted Tiger Woods as a spokesperson might just give this companythe edgeit's looking for.

In China golf lessons are going to becompulsoryfor some students at Xiamen University where its president Zhu Chongshi, recently said "It will teach students communication skills and benefit their future careers."

So it seems the ancient art of golf and the modern world of commerce have found a happy balance together all around the globe.