Golfing in the territory of the ‘Super Kings’

For the past few years Chennai has dominated the cricket scene with the ‘Chennai Super Kings’ bagging the coveted DLF IPL championship two years in a row. Although it has had its share of cricket and tennis fans, there has never been such fervor in the game as expressed today. The game of golf too in Chennai has steadily been developing in terms of players and facilities and is all set to capture hearts and fans in this South Indian City.

In the last 5 years this city has witnessed an explosion in the number of golf courses. Earlier the city had one private golf course (the Madras Gymkhana) and a few army courses. Now the city has 3 private courses, another two in the pipe line and even a standalone driving range with a 9 hole executive course! One of the main reasons for the increase e in popularity of the sport is the growing number of MNC’s who have setup operations in Chennai. Another factor is the return of NRI’s (Non Resident Indians) who understand the importance of golf from a business and recreational perspective.

Interestingly golf has been a very old sport in Chennai, the 130 year old Madras Gymkhana being one of the oldest clubs in India, after the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkatta. In fact one of the oldest running shields in the golfing world is played between the Bangalore Golf Club (the third oldest course in India at 128 years) and the Madras Gymkhana Club.

On my visit to the golf course of the Madras Gymkhana, I discovered it is a unique 18 hole par  70 golf course located in the middle of the Madras Race Course (horse racing). The course covers 100 acres with tight fairways and small greens that demand accurate approach shots from the golfer. The course also features 3 par 5’s which demand prudent play with one of these par 5’s being 603 yards from the championship tee. During the summer the course plays slightly easier as the fairways are drier and the ball does not hold. The most interesting feature is playing golf in the shadow of the race course, where even on a non racing day, one can hear the din of cheers and the hype of the announcer as races and results of events held elsewhere are broadcast over the PA system. Golfing is allowed only on non racing days. I thought it was excellent use of vast land that lies unused on the inside of a racing track. The facilities and buildings of the turf club are shared with the golf course. 

One of the main challenges facing developers in the city is the availability of land. As the city of Chennai has expanded, the cost of land has more than doubled. This high cost also makes development of courses questionable, as the land could possibly be better suited for large scale housing which is a priority social need. Another challenge is water. Courses such as the Madras Gymkhana and the Officers Training Academy have an advantage because they are situated virtually in the heart of Chennai. However transport and availability of water tends to become more difficult and expensive for those located on the outskirts.

These constraints have been overcome by some of the golf courses. In fact, the Cosmopolitan Club has developed its own in house water treatment plant that enables it to reuse sewage water. The Madras Gymkhana Club has similar plans to purchase treated recycled water from a hotel nearby.

In recent times golf has been dormant in India, with only a handful of clubs offering membership and not much of an ‘active interest’ shown by the public for the game. Things are now changing. I believe that the change in how golf was perceived in Chennai could reflect a transformation in attitude towards the sport in other parts of the country as well. As the country develops, more people become affluent, the number of NRI’s return home and the inflow of foreign tourists and expats increase, demand for the game is bound to rise. In Chennai today, avid golfers are members of not one, but at least three golf clubs (the Madras Gymkhana, Cosmopolitan and the Kodai Golf Club). All this in the span of the last five years…  I cannot wait to see the transformation in golf in other parts of our country!