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| A View of the Fairway on the Golf Course |
Arguably
one of India’s most prestigious golf clubs, the Delhi Golf Club plays an
important role in India’s golf industry. From hosting some of the biggest
professional tournaments in India and many junior tournaments, the Delhi Golf Club
has seen the game grow to the level it is at today. The Delhi Golf Club is
located on Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg in Delhi and is one of the lungs of the city.
Many years ago, this area was a very thick jungle with dense undergrowth. Once
it was allocated for the development of a golf course by the Delhi Development
Authority and this area was cleared, many old tombs were discovered dating back
200 years or more. These are now a unique sight on the course.
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| A perfect blend of history and golf |
Today
the Delhi Golf course is spectacular with its lush green fairways and the monuments,
which are an integral part of the landscape. All the monuments are managed by
the Archeological Survey of India and add a magnificent setting to this golf
course. The holes are very well laid out, and provide a good challenge to most
golfers. The fairways are tight and some holes slope severely to the left into
the ‘woods’. Almost all the fairways are lined by these thick ‘woods’ and a
ball entering them generally results in declaration of a lost ball. The greens on the golf course are
surprisingly quick and narrow. The par 3 17th hole is an example of
one such deceptive green.
The
Delhi Golf Club features two golf courses, the Lodhi Course which is the main
golf course and the Peacock Golf Course which is a par 3 executive golf course.
This is a very novel idea as it allows people to have a short round if they so
desire and also allows coaches to conduct their on-course demonstrations
without disturbing the regular play.
Interspersed
with monuments, peacocks and beautiful natural foliage this golf course is
truly a feast for the senses. Because this course has such a long history with
the game in India, it has an important role to play in the development of new
talent in the game. At the end of the day it should never be about your club
versus mine, the interest in the game needs to be foremost. The courses of old
have a huge role to play in this. There is need for coordination between the
old and the new golf courses in India to recognize new talent, share resources
and best practices in order for the game
to be promoted. As a recognized venue of international events it can lead the
way in setting standards for other golf courses, so that many more Asian and
European tournaments can be hosted in India.
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| Its not everyday that golfers find this obstacle... |
As I
reach the end of this segment of my travels and look back to what I have seen,
it has been a journey of learning. One thing is for sure, the Indian golf
industry has only just begun to grow. However, what is needed is for courses to
work together. There is always this form of competition between clubs, this
mine- is-better-than-yours attitude. I can only hope, for the games sake, this
changes as this can become the biggest stumbling block to the growth of Indian
golf. I envision a time when golf courses work together for greater benefit of
the game itself, where older course share the experiences and knowledge, even
expertise. This may be a utopian idea but if even a small part of this change
happens, it can be a game changer (and this is true for all aspects not limited
to golf) and can lead to it becoming an unstoppable force of positive change.
