Ping-pong diplomacy thawed relations between the United States and China in the 1970s, but don’t expect golf to smooth still tricky ties between the world’s top two economies. Though President Obama enjoys golfing with fellow leaders, his Chinese counterpart will probably steer clear of U.S. fairways during his state visit this September.

The ruling Communist Party that President Xi Jinping commands has long been nervous of golf’s image in China as an elitist, corrupt pastime. Authorities have taken a tougher stance against a sport that continues to expand in China, attracting U.S. stars to play in multimillion-dollar tournaments and earn millions designing courses. The government has closed almost 70 courses, frozen development nationwide for the past year and started corruption probes into officials who play golf.

via China shutters golf courses, probes officials who play.