Leisure TEEING AWAY TO GLORY As an increasing number of business executives take to golf, over 50 new golf courses are coming up across the country. To cash in on the opportunity, international manufacturers of golf equipment are expanding their footprint in India. A report by Anand Philar. he importance and popularity that golf has acquired in the last decade is perhaps a good reflec- tion of the growth in India’s Teconomy. Once seen as an elitist pastime, today golf is being played by an increasing number of people, especially youngsters. While Jeev Milkha Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Kapur and Jyoti Randhawa have put India on the world map, the popularity of the sport within the country is also soaring by the day. Not surprisingly then, that property developers, ever on the lookout for a viable commercial proposition, have jumped on the bandwagon leading to a profusion of golf courses and resorts and townships built around designer golf courses. 53 LEISURE ‘GOLF IS THE FASTEST-GROWING SPORT IN INDIA TODAY’ An interview with Padamjit Singh Sandhu, director, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) The number of competitive golfers in India is on Do you attribute the growing popularity of the sport the increase, as also people taking to the sport. Is to Indian performances on the pro tour or because this a phenomenon or a natural progression of a of the increasing involvement of corporate, hence sport that was once branded elitist? sponsorship, and real estate developers, making Golf is getting popular in India and is today the fastest-growing golf a ‘lifestyle’ proposition? sport in the country. A key catalyst for this has been the robust I would say both. And more importantly, the very supporting growth and consolidation of the PGTI, which has happened and important role the media has played in helping take the over the last three years. A competitive platform has been sport to the masses. created by PGTI for our players at the domestic level and that has helped them to be in contention and win at the international Has the profusion of golf course-linked residential stage. Earnings at the domestic and international levels have properties/townships in the past years directly reaffirmed faith in golf as a career, thereby attracting fresh contributed to the promotion of golf? talent. In the last three years (2006 -2009) prize money went It certainly has, but what is more important for the sport to up by over 250 per cent compared to almost no growth in the really be able to achieve its true potential in India will be the 15-odd years before that. support of the public sector and the governments both at the There has been an increase in the number of professional centre and at the state level in helping set up more public golf tournaments. More Asian Tours and joint sanctioned events courses and driving ranges. We have seen a positive start in will be played in 2010, and the number could be four or five and that direction in some states, and are hopeful the trend will up to six in 2011, with increasing prize money. The PGTI will spread across the country. start a B-tour from 2010 to create more playing opportunities for our second-rung professionals who otherwise do not get What are PGTI’s targets and programmes for the to play on the main tour. coming years? For 2010, the target will be 24 Order of Merit events, eight B-Tour events and three to four Asian Tours, plus European Tour events in India. Prize money for the Order of Merit events is expected to be over US$ 2.15 million, which will be 30 per cent over the 2009 season. What are PGTI’s initiatives to heighten the profile of golf and its promotion in India? The initiatives include: conscious efforts to take professional golf tournaments to all parts of the country; working towards setting up teaching and certification academies across India over the next few years; through our media partner Sport18 – highlighting player achievements, tournament coverage, teaching tips with our top players in the electronic media, golf magazine shows to highlight infrastructure development and tourism potential of places with golf courses; golf clinics by our top professionals with high net worth individuals and corporate houses who we feel will over time partner with PGTI and invest in bigger and better opportunities for our players and the tour. We will stay focussed on creating more competitive playing opportunities for our players on the main tour and develop and create career options for our professional players beyond their competitive playing years. PGTI is in the business of golf and is committed to producing quality players in increasing numbers, who go on to become global brand ambassadors for India and Indian golf. 54 LEISURE One of the first privately-owned golf encourage consumers to look at golf courses to be launched in the country homes. In the past decade several real was the Eagleton Golf Resort on the The maintenance estate developers decided to ride the outskirts of Bengaluru in 1996. Ashok wave, offering a lifestyle option complete Kumar Meda, chairman, Eagleton Golf cost of a golf with a golf course, be it 18- or nine-hole, Resort, thought of a championship golf as an ‘incentive’ to affluent Indians. Many course with a star hotel and resort with course is very high of the courses were developed by interna- a residential enclave, when the sport was tionally-renowned course designers. But just beginning to gain popularity. and the revenues the major hitch is acquiring large tracts of The resort has since evolved into one land for golf courses in cities. of the finest in the country, boasting of are generated Golf is one of the fastest-growing an 18-hole, 7,100-yard championship sports in the country and a growing course with on-site residential facilities through other number of young people are taking to the like expansive villas, recreational facilities facilities, besides sport. Eagleton has produced the likes and corporate conveniences. of Anirban Lahiri (No1 professional in Chetan Meda, director, Eagleton Golf corporate events. India), Chikka Rangappa (No1 junior) and Resort, says: “Over the years we have Abhishek Jha (No.1 amateur). added facilities to Eagleton, offering Another venture, Kensville Golf and services such as corporate conferencing, Munish Patel, Country Club, was established at Dev director, Kensville Golf & Country Club besides conducting major tournaments, Dholera, about 40 km from Ahmedabad. including the European women’s tour The resort, besides an 18-hole champion- event in 2007. We are now hoping to acres.” ship golf course, has a swimming pool, start a sister facility in Mysore called Meda believes that the attraction of library, fitness centre, guest rooms, spa Eagleberg, which will have the country’s green housing and lower noise and pollu- and other recreational facilities. longest course spread over nearly 200 tion levels at such complexes should “A golf course adds value to the 55 LEISURE property,” explains Munish Patel, director TEEING OFF ON A NEW COURSE of the 300-acre project. “We have an WAY back in 1829, the first golf course European Tour and the PGTI. 18-hole championship course and I feel that such a project is the only way for golf outside Britain was built in Calcutta “Indian golf has been on the to develop. The maintenance cost of a (now Kolkata). The Royal Calcutta Golf upswing for some time now,” remarks golf course is very high and the revenues Club was followed by similar clubs, Keith Waters, director, international are generated through other facilities, set up over the following 60 years, in policy, European Tour. “India already besides corporate events. Also, the value places such as Bombay (now Mumbai), has multiple winners on European of the real estate is bound to appreciate Bangalore (now Bengaluru) and Tour with Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun over a period of time and so it is a win-win Shillong. Atwal. The addition of Avantha Masters situation.” Today, there are about 250 golf to the European and Asian Tours is Other projects are on the anvil, courses across the country and another further proof of that.” including golf academies. Says Patel: 50 are being developed. At least half a Luxury car-maker Mercedes-Benz “These are long-term options. There are million people have basic golf skills in has also been sponsoring golf events many courses in India, but most have an entry-barrier and perhaps resorts such as the country and a growing number of in the country. The 10th edition of the ours offer opportunities for people to take professionals are making their mark Mercedes Golf Trophy in India kicked to golf.” internationally. off recently at the Eagleton Golf Club, India’s leading developer, DLF Ltd, According to the Professional Golf Bengaluru, with a tee-off by Dr. Wilfried is one of the prominent players in this Tour of India (PGTI), the official body Aulbur, ceo and managing director, industry; it developed the 18-hole, fully- of professional golf in the country, Mercedes-Benz India. floodlit, DLF Golf and Country Club in Indian golfers have achieved a string of “The Mercedes Trophy has emerged Gurgaon, on the outskirts of Delhi. successes in the last 15 years, having as the largest golf extravaganza in won more than 40 international titles on India,” points out Aulbur. “With 14 cities, Asian, European and Japanese tours. 2000-plus golfers and very attractive Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and awards, the Mercedes Trophy is the Arjun Atwal have more than 25 titles most premier and eagerly awaited If you look at the between them; other Indian winners event in the Indian golf calendar.” in the international circuit include The Mercedes Trophy 2010 is a increase in prize- Gaurav Ghei, Gaganjeet Bhullar, S S P 10-leg club qualifier organised across money in the past Chowrasia, Shiv Kapur, Chinnaswamy 10 cities – Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Muniyappa, Rahil Gangjee, Harmeet Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Delhi, Chennai, few years, golf Kahlon and Vijay Kumar.