Drive to play golf puts pressure on land

New courses are illegal but devour vast numbers of farmers' fields

BEIJING/Kunming - Despite the fact that the construction of new golf courses has been strictly forbidden since 2004, new courses nestled between luxury villas have continued to appear across China, especially in the less-developed western regions, said a senior official.

"In order to speed up economic development, authorities in less-developed areas are facing a dilemma between urban construction and land protection," said Li Jianqin, head of the Law Enforcement and Supervision Administration under the Ministry of Land and Resources.