Shanghai's urban festival brings elite golf to the public

A three-day urban golf festival opened in Shanghai on Friday, aiming to make the traditionally elite sport accessible to ordinary city residents through public activities and interactive experiences.

The Golf Urban Green Life Festival, which runs through Sunday at the Bund Finance Center and Fosun Foundation, is part of an effort to rebrand golf as an inclusive urban lifestyle pursuit.

"We hope to allow more people to participate in popular sports like golf and tennis with lower barriers to entry, combining international sports concepts with broader physical activities so more people can enjoy exercise and urban life," said Xu Baiwei, cofounder and chief planner of the event.

The festival coincides with the 2026 Buick LPGA Championship Shanghai, the Chinese mainland's only official LPGA tournament, taking place from Oct 15-18 at Sheshan international golf club.

"We at Fosun Foundation Golf Club have been considering how to create a project that allows greater public participation at this Bund location," she said. "Our festival starts with golf but isn't limited to it. GOLF stands for green, open, lifestyle and family — these four letters form the core of our entire festival."