Golf - A Social Bridge

There are always two levels in every sport, the professional and the club/amateur level players. For any sportsman, competing on a level playing field with other players of the same skill level is itself a challenge; it is next to impossible to compete with professionals from the same sport discipline.

However this is where golf is very different from other sports.

All golfers around the world are held to a single standard in the form a Golf Handicap. A handicap is a numerical algorithmic number that indicates playing ability of the individual and is accepted throughout the world of golf. It is an assessment irrespective of age, gender and geography.

The handicap is issued by the host golf course and is valid at any golf course around the world, provided it follows the prescribed system accepted by the sport’s governing bodies, the Royal and Ancient (R&A) and the United States Golf Association (USGA). The software most commonly used by clubs is Golf Handicap and Information Network (GHIN).

Once a golfer has a handicap, depending on the range (a low handicap 0-10 is considered good and high handicap 15-25 usually needs improvement) it is possible for these golfers to participate in tournaments at the club level. In club tournaments their handicap is computed along with their score to arrive at their ranking for that tournament. Should golfers choose to pursue a career at the professional or amateur level, the minimum criterion is a low handicap of a prescribed level usually in single digits.

Interestingly, it is possible for a club golfer to play in a professional tournament as a ‘back marker’ nominated by the host golf club when there are an ‘odd’ number of players who make the cut to play in the final two days of a tournament. Of course, by not being a professional, one is not in contention for the prize.  Jeff Knox is one case in question and the tournament is nothing less than golf’s major tournament, the Masters. http://www.golf.com/tour-news/2018/03/07/rory-mcilroy-lost-rematch-augusta-club-champion-jeff-knox

This is what sets golf apart from other sports. It is possible to remove artificial hierarchies that exist as all levels players can compete with each other based on their handicap.  

Some could argue that this advantage is not apparent in the developing world where fewer people have access to golfing facilities. While this may be true and golf has a long way to go in these countries, another leveling factor is the emergence of professional players from the caddy group and club workers.

Some of India’s most successful golf professionals like Chikkarangappa from Bengaluru started out as caddies on a golf course.

So even in countries where the sport is underdeveloped the ‘Spirit of the Game’ lives on. Once you pick up the sport and adhere to its rules and etiquette, written and unwritten, all other barriers fall away. Your pedigree, economic or social status, caste, or religion are of little or no significance. All that matters is the quality of the golf swing and where the ball lands.  

This how golf builds bridges and is a great leveler at any age and any playing ability.

A small Step for Shubhankar one giant Leap for Golf in India!

Perhaps one of the most memorable scenes this year, will be a young 21 year old from India, fist pumping his way into the record books and joining a hand full of Indian golfers who have EVER made it into the PGA Tour. Shubhankar finished T-9 at the recently concluded WGC championship in Mexico; and needless to say his heroics did not go un noticed.
3 days later, Shubhankar is invited to play at nothing less than the 2018 Masters held in Augusta National. The story of this young professional from India is truly inspirational. At only the tender age of 21, he is accomplishing more than what many seasoned Indian Golf Professionals have in a life time.

Shubhankar's Invitation to participate in the masters

What is interesting to me, is the impact that this is going to have on the game in India. It is no secret that the future of golf lies with the developing world. These markets provide some of the largest captive audience of youngsters, and some of the highest growth rates in disposable income. India alone is a captive market of 267 million households (2016) and this figure is said to double by 2024. It is the growth of these households that will lead to to the development of golf in the country.
Though this may look attractive, for the sport to actually develop, players children to be galvanized and energized to pursue the sport into the professional level.

I feel a suitable parallel can be drawn to snooker, shooting or wrestling. The popularity of the sport is covered by the success of the individuals participating in it. This is the fate of golf in the country. For the sport to truly develop, we need many more Shubhankar's to shine on the domestic and international stage. Countries like Thailand are ahead of India in terms of sheer number of golfers who are breaking into the international circuit. At present there are over 21 players on the international (European and PGA circuit) this is quite remarkable. I believe India is not far behind.

Shubhankars entry to the masters can be to golf, what Pankaj Advani's win was to billiards, what Vishwanathan Anand's win was to chess and what Sumit Rathore's win was to shooting. It has shown golfers in the country that a path to success is available and it is not as shrouded in mystery as was once thought. It is clear and beckoning many more professionals to follow suit.