More than 20 government officials in east China's Zhejiang Province have been required to quit an golf association after their involvement in the expensive sports club aroused controversy.

The city committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) of Wenzhou also ordered a thorough probe into the involvement because an Internet posting revealed that almost half the association's management are local government officials.

A list of the government officials and their positions at the golf association, including chairman and honorary chairman, was posted on the popular website Tianya.com Tuesday.

On the website, many netizens posted sneering comments, insinuating the officials position at the golf association came about through shadowy deals.

Wang Chaojun, the deputy secretary general of the Wenzhou City Government, was listed as the club's chairman and president. This was confirmed by the city's CPC committee when Xinhua inquired on Friday.

"A 'perfect' combination of sports and public relations (corruption). I'm so 'jealous' of them," said a posting from a netizen named "Absolute King."

"I'm looking forward to Ferrari clubs, Louis Vuitton luxury clubs and antique clubs," taunted a netizen named "a friend of causal workers."

Netizen "Wenzhou News Eye" indicated the golf association was a perfect place for companies and government to do shady deals.

Though there is no evidence to show any official has corruptive deeds in the golf association matter, many speculated how the officials could afford playing golf, which is still a luxury for most of the Chinese.

Golf club membership fees run up to more than 100,000 yuan in Wenzhou while the average salary of a civil servant is far too to be able to afford such an extravagant pastime.

"If the club provided free membership to the officials, it goes against the investors' interests. If the golf club boss paid the membership fees for the officials, it is bribery in disguise," wrote another netizen.

Other netizens said the officials' positions at the club breached government rules.

The State Council, China's cabinet, issued a policy in 2007 to prevent civil servants from taking roles in trade associations and chambers of commerce.

However, some argue that joining in the golf association does not necessarily mean the official misbehaves.

"Golf is in the Olympic Games now and in provincial sport games, so it needs the support and encouragement of government," said an anonymous official from the city's athletic federation, who admitted the officials were "dummies" for accepting the positions at the club.

"To take a position does not necessarily mean to have membership. But the club wants to use the officials to gain favor," said another official who was an advisor to the club.

"They did it without my consent," said the chief of Wenzhou's sports bureau, who was the club's honorary vice chairman.

"I was used," he told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

"But I know there are many officials around me taking roles in all kinds of associations and clubs, which is very shocking," he added.

The Wenzhou city Party committee said investigations are ongoing.

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