The East Point Golf Club

A view of the City

Vishakapatnam (Vizag) is a port city and after Nagapatnam and Chennai it is considered one of the important commercial and naval ports on Indias eastern seaboard. It is the second largest city in Andhra Pradesh, but, unusualy for a city this size, it has only one golf course.

The East Point Golf course is nestled in the foothills of the Eastern Ghats, approximately 20 minutes from the city center. The views from the golf club are spectacular as the golf course is enclosed on three sides by dense forest. With this backdrop and a cool breeze from the sea wafting through, it sets the stage for a memorable round.The golf course is currently being renovated and the management is introducing automatic sprinklers which will benefit the fairways during the harsh summer months.

Some of the Wide Fairways on the Course

The course features a native grass mixed with crab grass on the fairways. These grasses are hardy and require less maintenance. The greens are a local Bermuda variant. They are not very fast, but as they are small, they can be difficult and force accurate approach shots from the golfer. On the whole this golf course is not very challenging with wide fairways that do not severely punish wayward shots. The exception is some awkwardly situated trees on some fairways that force safe play. The lower handicapped golfer would not be greatly tested by the layout and a below par score can be expected.

I feel the course though not very challenging to play, has captured the essence of what most club golfers expect. In recent times golf course designers have begun to create courses that are extremely tough; in fact there is a common fallacy ‘the tougher the course the better it is’. This is not always so. The early proponents of this game intended that golf should primarily be enjoyed by the players. I believe there is a need to have golf courses such as this to encourage players and new individuals to take up the sport.

A view of the 18th Green and Club House

Having said this what is clear is the lack of regular golfers that has leading to the unkempt condition of this course. Currently the course only receives play during the morning sessions and the weekends. After the morning session (during the week) the course is empty. As it is the only golf course in the city this is uncharacteristic. Further the East Point Golf Club boasts of the only full driving range in the area. 

I believe this golf course is perfectly poised to create a program that introduces people to the game. This program could encourage individuals to participate in summer programs, or sign up to utilize only the driving range (driving range membership). The easier golf course would make it fun for new learners and at the same time give proficient golfers the thrill of scoring well. The East Point golf course can make a positive mark on the industry in the region if only it can look beyond being an exclusive ‘member-only’ golf club.

I eagerly await what Jamshedpur has in store for me.