In a unique and historic development Carnoustie's Championship Golf Links is formally establishing a Sister Links Relationship with the renowned Tiger Beach Golf Links of Yantai in China.

At a ceremony, in the Carnoustie Golf Course Hotel on Saturday 29 June, Carnoustie Golf Links Management Committee (CGLMC) Chairman David McNicoll will sign the agreement established to 'enhance and develop friendship and co-operation' between the celebrated Scottish links and the only links course in China.

Co-signing the landmark agreement is Beeta Song, the chairman and president of the Silport Group of Shanghai which owns three courses including Tiger Beach and Silport Golf Club, where the Volvo China Open will be played for the fourth time in September.

Golf is enjoying unprecedented interest in China with the existing 150 courses expected to expand to almost 400 by 2006. With their current golfing population of 150,000 set to double in the same period this emerging golfing nation is seeking to strengthen its connections with the home of golf.

Tiger Beach has chosen to formalise this relationship with the world famous links at Carnoustie. This builds on the existing Sister Area Agreement established in 1999 between Angus and the government of Yantai in the Shandong Province of China to foster trade links.

Angus Provost Mrs Frances Duncan said: "Earlier this year the golf links management committee visited China as part of a golfing delegation organised by Angus Council and were very impressed by the development which is going on in the sport. This growth brings with it demands and challenges which presents Scottish golf with an exceptional opportunity to work with our Chinese counterparts and learn from each other.

"I am therefore very pleased that Carnoustie and Tiger Beach Links have established this formal relationship which has the potential to bring mutual benefit via tourism, trade and sporting connections to both areas."
CGLMC chairman David McNicoll said: "Golf is a global game but only relatively recently has there been much participation from China and much of that has centred round an ex-pat corporate community. However it is currently enjoying an explosion of interest with locally born Chinese golfers who now are the fastest growing segment of the market. In 1984 there was only one course in the entire country, now there are 150 with 48 expected to be operating around Beijing alone in the next two years.

"At Carnoustie we have a wealth of knowledge about course management, green keeping and a technical knowledge of links maintenance and development envied and emulated by golf organisations across the world. During our visit to Tiger Beach we had very fruitful discussions about how both parties could share expertise and knowledge. The Golf Links Management Committee in Carnoustie is therefore delighted to formalise our relationship with Tiger Beach with the signing of this Sister Links Agreement."

The Sister Agreement has the backing of the R&A who already have a golf programme led by Elmwood College in Fife with the China Golf Association. In a letter of support the R&A's golf development secretary Duncan Weir acknowledged the relationship established between Carnoustie and Tiger Beach saying: "Golf obviously plays a major part in the lives of people in Angus and Fife ... given the rapid growth of the game in China, it will not be too long before you have courses just as well known if not as old (as Carnoustie and St Andrews)."

In addition to the representatives of the two courses the Sister Links Agreement will be witnessed by the Provost of Angus and a representative of the Yantai Government.