The Sport
Golf is a precision club-and-ball sport, where players attempt to hit balls into each hole in a course in the fewest number of strokes. It is one of the most famous sports in the world and one with a major economic impact, including a growing golf sport following in India. In fact, the golf generated as much as $84.1 billion in 2016 in the USA alone. In addition, the sport supports more than 1.9 million jobs and about $58.7 billion in compensation. This huge number is even more impressive as the game, unlike other major world sports, is played by few individuals. The sphere of influence these few golfers have stretch out to most countries in the world regardless of the number of golf following in their region. This is because golf tournaments are broadcasted internationally making the top players famous everywhere.
Let’s look at the status of the sport in India and how does it fare in the international scene.
Golf in India
In India, golf is still a growing sport. It is particularly popular among the wealthier families as the sport require comparatively higher costs in contrast with other common sports. Recent Indian golfers have also successfully made their names in the international golf scene by winning prestigious golf tournaments. The most successful of which are Jeev Milka Singh and Anirban Lahiri. Under his belt, Singh has three European Tour titles, four Japan Golf Tour titles, and six Asian Tour titles. Equally, Lahiri has two European Tour titles and seven Asian Tour titles. Other famous Indian golfers include Jyoti Randhawa and Arjun Atwal—both have won the Asia Tour Order of Merit. In particular, at the Asian games, the Indian golf team has won gold in 1982 and silver in 2006.
Governing Bodies
Governing Bodies
Indian Golf Union is the main governing institution of gold in India. Prior to its inception, the Royal Calcutta Golf Club served as the primary managed all matters related to golf in India. However, due to the sport’s promise and continuing strength beyond the metropolitan area, its members decided to create a more nationalized organization to facilitate said growth. This resulted to the establishment of the Indian Gold Union in 1955. It operates with and under the standards of the International Golf Federation
The Professional Golf Tour India serves as the successor of the Indian PGA Golf Tour and as a feeder tour for higher level tours including the Asian Tour. As an international member of the International Federation of PGA Tours, PGTI golfers receive world ranking points starting from 2019, gaining five points for a 72-hole event. The most successful golfers in the tour are Rashid Khan and Ashok Kumar who both won twice.
Other important golf institutions are Women Golf Association of India, Indian Pitch and Putt Union, and the Paralympic Golf Association of India.
Golf Courses
India’s vast lands is especially suiting for the sport as it requires varied terrains on different courses. To date, the country has 196 registered golf courses of which about half are located on military bases. More than half of the courses feature 9-hole courses, while 39% are 18-hole and the rest are 27-hole clubs. Golf courses in Delhi and Jaipur are famous among elite golf players for their terrain and scenic views.
Golf Tournaments
A number of local and international golf tournaments in India has emerged since the sports introduction. Notably, this includes the Airtel India Golf Festival, DLF Women’s Professional Golf Tour, Eastern India Amateur, Solaris Chemtech Open Championship, Tata Open Golf Tournament, All India Amateur, Jaypee Open Amateur, and Singania Open Golf Championship, among others.
These tournaments are held in many parts in India including Jaipur, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Chennai, Mumbai, and Gulmarg.
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