Golf in Uttarakhand - India
India is the first
country outside Britain, which took up the game of Golf. What makes
golfing in India exciting is the diversity of its golf courses. Spread wide
through the mountains, plains, deserts and at beach resorts, the
environment of each golf course is unique in its culture and
history.  This is what has made
India an ideal destination for golf and hence started the idea of a
golf-tour in India.
So, if you have not played golf in India, you are
missing out on a wonderful adventure. Indian golf courses can well
compete with some of the leading golf courses in Asia. Varying
environments, club houses, caddies and proshops. You can experience
this all in India from our golf
tours in India.
on a Golf tour in India
India not only has
the oldest golfclubs in the world outside England. In India is also the highest golfcourse in the world, located at
Gulmarg in Kashmir. Golftours in India are convenient for tourists
as most of the golf courses are well connected by road, rail and air
and have excellent facilities. The Indian Golf Union is affiliated
to the World Amateur Golf Council.
Being a part of a Golf-tour in India is one of the
best ways to experience the sporting spirit in India closely. A
large number of international standard courses designed by Arnold
Palmer and Jack Nicklaus are found in India, providing the golfers
with adequate challenge. Your Golf-tour may cover many places like
Nainital, Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Bangalore, Varanasi, Calcutta,
Gulmarg and so on. The courses in Delhi and Jaipur are widely
applauded by golf lovers across the globe.
Delhi Golf Club: Delhi Golf Club is perhaps the only Golf Club in the world, dotted
with the historical monuments of archaeological importance. This
course was originally called the 'Lodhi Golf
Course'. In the 1930's, the British ordered their Chief of
the Horticulture Department to design a course amongst the
picturesque surroundings of the Tombs of the Lodhi Dynasty of Delhi.
The Delhi Golf Club is also home to many professional tournaments
including the Indian Open, part of the prestigious Asian PGA
circuit.. The club has every facility of bar & catering, a
swimming pool and recently a new pub and a health club has been
added to provide more facilities to the members.
DLF
Golf and Country Resort: The DLF Golf & Country Resort
designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer is ideally located close to
the international airport and the New Delhi CBD. This magnificent golf course offers a great test of golf and
challenges players of all skill levels. Night golf at DLF is a
memorable experience and is not to be missed. There is a fully
equipped golf academy and a warm, comfortable clubhouse too. 
Classic Golf
Resort: The Classic Golf Resort is the first South Asian
signature championship golf course designed by the
great Jack 'Golden Bear' Nicklaus. The resort stands in a 300-acre
expanse, at the foothills of the picturesque Aravalli hills. This
international standard Classic Golf lies on the outskirts of Delhi,
off the Delhi - Jaipur highway and about 45 minutes drive away from
Delhi. This fusion of international experience with Indian
expertise, indigenous adaptation of globally accepted materials and
processes as well as the strict adherence to quality standards is
what makes the Classic Golf Resort a truly world class championship
venue.
Jaipur Golf
Course: An eighteen-hole course with nine greens and nine
browns overlooks the picturesque Moti Doongri Palace and the
historical Nahargarh Fort in Jaipur. These days there are more
golfers to be seen on the ground where the royals once moved on
their chargers. The upper course has nine greens around the polo
ground. A drain separates the lower course, which has nine browns
spread over a rough undulating terrain.
Overall, our golf-tours in India will makes you
feel the royalty of the game along with the contemporary amenities.
We provide you a memorable experience that compels you to come to
India over and over again.
North West India
Uttar Pradesh/Uttarakhand
Agra: In the city of the Taj
Mahal, Agra, a game of golf can be played at the Agra Club
against the backdrop of the magnificent mausoleum. It is a nine hole
course with all greens just a stone's throw from the Taj Mahal
is actually playing golf against the background of one of the
seven wonders of the world. Indeed, a unique course to play on!
The Agra Club manages the course. The tall trees on all the sides
offer just a glimpse of the Taj dome from the clubhouse. You will
require all your golfing acumen to save the ball from getting lost
in the woods. The course is certainly a challenge for the
professional, as the putting greens are not as smooth as one would
like them to be but where else would you find such a historical back
drop of monuments to play against? A casual visitor can play by
paying a green fee, which is always nominal. Agra, with its
laid back lifestyle and its immense wealth of architecture,
handicrafts and jewellery, is among the most remarkable cities of
the world. As visitors walk down the narrow, bustling streets,
they shouldn't be surprised if the man contentedly smoking a hoo
kahturns out to be a direct descendant of some bygone Mughal. Agra,
with its innumerable monuments and sightseeing attractions,
including excellent shopping, needs no introduction to
tourists. It has excellent hotels and is easily accessible by
road, rail and air from Delhi.
Agra Golf
Club, 191, The Mall, Agra 282 001
91-562-363579,
363738, 254706, 254709
Dehradun: Also located on the Kumaon - Garhwal range of mountains is Dehradun, most
famous for its Forest Research Institute, and as a gateway to the
hill resort of Mussoorie, Dehradun is also the training ground for
the Indian Army and the Indian Military Academy initiates its cadets
into the sport on a lush nine hole course, playable 18.
Delhi: Originally located in an area more than twice its present
size, the course at the Delhi Golf Club was consolidated to its
present 220 acres in 1950. Like the rest of Delhi, its golf
course is also laid out on a part of India's history. There are some
interesting tombs and monuments. The Delhi Golf course is also a
sanctuary for over 300 species of birds, and the rain dance of the
colorful peacock or the scurrying of a partridge often startles the
golfer. Planted with a variety of over 200 trees, the Delhi course
is the most lush in the country, and its sandy loam has produced a
rich turf good for the exacting fairway shorts.
The 6,972 yards, par 72, 18 hole golf course was
redesigned by Peter Thompson in 1977-78 and got a major fillip when
it was chosen to host the first ever golf tournament at the Asian
Games in 1982. More than 500 golfers walk into history every day as
they play the country's busiest course.
The club also has a nine-hole B course, used
primarily by beginners.
A vieuw of the green: The first
hole on the main course is a 522 yards par five, which doglegs to
the left around a thorny bush rough. A bunker placed a good 180
yards from the tee is the marker for the drive. The second shot has
to negotiate the narrow elbow, which has thick bushes on either side
or a trap in front. It's best to use an iron on this stroke and keep
the ball in play. You are still a good 100 odd yards from the green,
which looks deceptively distant because of the mound in front of it.
The green itself is very fast and tilts on either side.The 378
yards, par four, second hole, is intriguing. If you take the tiger
line, you have a long carry over some grasping trees, but then
an easy shot to a sporting green, fast in some parts and slow
in some. The par three holes on the course are fairly simple
with the exception of the 12th, which is on a plateau with a deep
hazard in front where water and slush are allowed to accumulate
during the winter and thick scrub abounds in summer. The
oval green on the 12th is also one of the most interesting with
dips, slopes and ripples making it fast
and difficult to read. The 17th hole is
an easy par 3, the tee off for which is located near a Lodhi Tomb,
and the green of which requires a lofted shot by three bunkers, one
almost five feet deep. The 16th a long par four is among the
most testing on the course. The drive needs to carry a good 210
yards to enable the player to take a regulation on the second shot.
The drive is constricted by a narrow doglegged fairway and needs to
clear the two-neem trees paced at the center of the elbow. Should
your drive fail to clear the trees, the green is obstructed by the
trees on the left, thorny rough on the right and a huge mud hill in
the center.
- Delhi Golf Club Address: Dr.
Zakhir Hussain Marg, New Delhi 10003 Year of Foundation: 1931
Altitude: 216m Open: Round the Year No. Of Holes: 18 Distance
Ladies: 5,859 yards Distance Gentlemen: 6,869 yards Par: 72
Additional Facilities: Pro Shop, restaurant, bar, card room,
swimming pool. Accommodation: In the city. Climate: summer: Max. 44C
Min. 21C, winter: Max 33.1C Min 7.3C.
Delhi also has a golf course run by the Army at
DSOI in South Delhi, which offers an alternative to a
busy day's golf at the Delhi Golf Club.
- Air Force Golf
Club, Air Force Station, Race Course, New
Delhi-3
23012372
- Army Golf
Course, Dhaula Kuan, New Delhi 110 010
25693830
- Delhi Golf
Club, Dr. Zakir Hussain Marg, Near Oberoi Hotel, New
Delhi 10003
91-11-4362235, 4361236
- Qutub Golf
Course, Press Enclave Road,Lado Sarai, New
Delhi-30
26965597/9127
Haryana Tourism has two golf courses close by, in
the adjoining Suraj Kund Complex and in neighboring Faridabad.
Noida (U.P.) Adjoining Delhi is
the Noida Golf Course, recently set up by the Noida
Authority. Easily accessible to foreign tourists and Delhites,
it is situated on National Highway 13-A. An 18 hole golf
course covering almost 100 acres, it is new and still in the
process of providing additional facilities and amenities for the
golfer.The Noida Golf Course boasts its own antiquity with
historical monuments dating back to the British period. The
monument commemorates the Battle of Delhi in which the British Army
under General Gerard Lake defeated the forces of the Maharattas
commanded by M. Louis Bourquien. This was fought on September 11th,
1803, and brings to the Noida Golf Course a touch of India's
historical past. There are number of water hazards. A water drain
runs through fairways No.8 ,10, 11, and 7. There is a big lake on
hole No. 7, which is also the tightest hole. The distance from
tee No. 7 to the end of the lake is about 150 yards.
- Gautam Budhha Nagar:
Noida Golf Course, Sector-38, Noida Distt, Gautam
Budhha Nagar, Uttar
Pradesh
95120-2431493/2431467
- Meerut: Army Golf
Course, P.O. Punjab Regimental Centre
Meerut
Cantt-250 001, Uttar
Pradesh
- Nainital: Raj Bhawan
Golf Club, Nainital, Uttar
Pradesh
91-5942-36962
Ranikhet: In the Kumaon hill is a small town called Ranikhet. Close to the more
popular hill town of Nainital, Ranikhet is a resort for those
who prefer the quiet environs of a country town. Located amidst a
thick grove of pine trees, the Uppat Golf Course has nine holes
with browns.
- Uppat Golf Course: Uppat Golf Course, Ranikhet, Uttarakhand, India (9 hole)
Location: 360 km from Delhi. Close to the
more popular hill town of Nainital (55 km),
located among fruit orchards.
Patna: The capital of ancient India for many
centuries, Patna was originally called Pataliputra and was a center
for religious learning. Now the capital of the state of Bihar, Patna
is still frequented by religious scholars. The Patna Golf Club has a
well-maintained course and offers a fine game.
Lucknow: The former seat of the
rulers of Avadh, is the capital of the state of Uttar
Pradesh, a city steeped in culture and tradition, fine monuments
and exotic cuisines. Lucknow has two golf courses, the
privately owned Lucknow Golf Course. Mauribagh is an 18-hole
course with greens and thickly wooded fairways. Lucknow is the holy
city of Allahabad, the
venue of the famous Kumbha Mela and the meeting point of the holy
rivers Ganga, Jamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. The defence
Services Golf Club at McPherson Park has a fine nine hole course.
- Lucknow Golf
Club, #1, Kalidas Marg, Lucknow 226 001, Uttar
Pradesh
91-522-220631
- Mauribagh Army
Golf Course (MAGC), G.G.S. Marg, Lucknow Cantt, U.P.,
226002, Uttar Pradesh
91-522-296098
Kanpur: Also in the state of Uttar
Pradesh, Kanpur, is an industrial town with a nine-hole golf course
at the Defence Services Club. Running parallel to the river Ganga,
the course is playable to 18, and has well maintained greens.
- Defence Services
Golf Club, #1, Tagore Road, Kanpur, Cantt. 208 004,
Uttar Pradesh
91-512-367-847
- Kanpur Golf
Club, Cantonment, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
Varanasi: Varanasi
(Benares) is the holiest of Indian cities. Hindus believe they
can cleanse their sins with a dip in the holy Ganga flowing here.
Even in this city, where religion (and dying) is the primary
occupation, a fine game of golf is possible at the DSO Gorkha Golf
Club.
Rajasthan:
Jaipur: At Jaipur, or the Pink
City, the golf club is a part of the Rambagh Palace, the residence
of the former maharaja.
An eighteen-hole course with nine greens and nine
browns overlooks the picturesque Moti Doongri Palace and the
historical Nahargarh Fort. The fairway passes through the Rambagh
Polo Grounds, which have seen some of the finest polo matches in the
time of the late Sawai Man Singh.
These days there are more golfers to be seen on the
ground where the Royals once moved on their chargers. The upper
course has nine greens around the polo ground. A drain separates the
lower course, which has nine browns spread over a rough and
undulating landscape. A casual visitor can play by paying a nominal
green fee. Interspersed with a play of red and pink were white
borders and motifs, painstakingly outlining the architectural
highlights of Jaipur's buildings, ever since 1727, when Maharaja
Sawai Jai Singh II had built Jaipur. Except for the busy traffic of
bicycles, cars and buses, little seems to have changed. There
is a timeless quality to Jaipur's bazaars and its
people. As the gateway to Rajasthan, Jaipur figures on every tourist
itinerary. A game of golf would prove yet another incentive.
Jodhpur: The second largest city
in the state of Rajasthan after Jaipur, Jodhpur, located on the edge
of the Thar Desert, is one of India's most picturesque cities. The
city’s arid climate, with its hot summer temperatures, does not
deter its golfers, who enjoy the game in the sandy fairways of the
Sardar Club.
Chandigarh: What makes the Chandigarh course interesting are its lush
green fairways bounded by groves of trees, which funnel out onto the
green. Each fairway has is own distinctive fragrance, depending on
the species of trees planted there.
Playing the full course, a golfer will pass through
thick mango, jamun, eucalyptus and kikar groves, dotted by a variety
of rose bushes. The greens are the truest in the country and have to
be read very carefully. The par five, 480 yards, seventh hole is one
of the toughest on the course. It requires short and sure shots
to negotiate the crescent shaped fairway and avoid the thickly
wooded roughs. The most difficult green is the fourteenth,
surrounded by bunkers and out-of-bound areas. The most scenic hole,
however, is the 580 yards, par five, sixteenth, with an extremely
tight fairway running parallel to the lake on the right and a
mini-zoo and grove of trees on the left. A road bisects the
Chandigarh course into two, with nine holes on either side.
Inspite of the fact that the idea of starting a
golf course in Chandigarh was conceived in the 50's, it took almost
ten years for it to take shape. In 1960 a piece of land was
allotted, and a club established, with an initial membership
of just ten golfers. The nine-hole course was enlarged to 12
when a benevolent governor who surrendered a major chunk of land
from his official residence granted additional land to the club in
1966. It was only as late as September 1983 that a regular 18-hole
par 72 course was finally laid out over a sprawling 132 acres.
Like the city itself, Chandigarh's golf course is
one of the newest courses of international standards in
the country. It conforms to the ethos of the city with its lush
green fairways, well-manicured greens and a variety of fruit and
flowering trees. Soon after India's Independence, Le Corbusier, the
famous French architect, was commissioned to design a modern city.
Corbusier chose a site in the foothills of the Shivalik Mountains,
close to the temple of Goddess Chandi, and Chandigarh was born.
Sandwiched between the states of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh
functions as a common capital for both. Chandigarh is indeed a model
city, a tribute to Corbusier, whose primary concern was to
avoid the urban congestion prevalent in most India's cities. Wide
roads lined with avenues of trees, neat buildings, lush gardens,
fountains, waterways and even a lake -Sukhna Lake - was formed by
chanellising two hill streams, and is today a favorite with
Chandigarh's citizens who use it boulevard for their
constitutionals.
The lake has also become the winter home a large
number of migratory birds from Central Asia, which journey here to
in its serene and unpolluted environs. Chandigarh is only 5 hours
drive from New Delhi and provides a leisurely lifestyle in a
modern and comfortable environment with comfortable hotels and
excellent excursion possibilities in the Himachal hills
- Chandigarh Golf Club: Address:
Sector 6, Chandigarh. 0172-740350, 740327 . Year of Foundation: 1966
12 holes, 1983 - 18 holes Altitude: 304 - 365m Open: All year round.
No of Holes: 18 Distance Ladies: 6,182 yards Distance Gentlemen:
6,618 yards Par: 72 Architect: Sports Department.
Additional Facilities: Bar, card room, swimming
pool, and cafeteria. Accommodation: In the city Closest town:
Chandigarh, 250 km from Delhi. Closest Airport:
Chandigarh.
How to get there: By Road: On National Highway 22
from Delhi, By Air: Indian Airlines
Climate: Max. 44C, Min. 1.7C Clothing Cottons in
summer, Woolens in winter.
Golf in Eastern
India
Kolkotta: The first impact of
golf to India was felt in Calcutta. The Royal Calcutta Golf
Club, established in 1829, is not only the oldest golf club
in India but also the oldest in the world outside Great
Britain. Originally located near the Calcutta airport,
the club moved to the Maidan and finally to its present
location at Tollygunge in 1910. Meant exclusively for the
use of gentlemen, ladies were very reluctantly admitted
to the club in 1886, when the committee voted 43 against
13 on the condition that female members be allowed to use the
course only in the mornings.In 1911 King George V and Queen
Mary, who conferred on it the title of “Royal” to commemorate their
visit to Calcutta, honored the club. Much of the memorabilia
connected with the history of the club is still preserved in the
clubhouse.The country over which the Royal Calcutta course is
laid was originally paddy fields, and the course is
consequently very flat. Successive committees have built mounds
planted thousands of trees and shrubs. But the
Royal's conspicuous features are its strategically located
water tanks and natural water hazards. The most significant are
the two large tanks across the tenth fairway, a 457 yards, par
four hole.
From the tee, the tiger line is over the first tank
and must carry all of 230 yards. The safer route to the right
leaves a very long second shot over the second tank, a good 100
yards wide, to a small undulating green wickedly trapped all
around. The out-of-boundary wall dangerously hugs the entire
left flank of this hole. Greens at Royal are small by modern
standards, but undulations make them tricky, and there is a
little nap. From the tee the course looks deceptively easy, but its
strength lies in its par fours, and to score requires good long and
medium irons.
While Delhi lays a premium on accurate driving, it
is the second shot irons, which pay off at Royal Calcutta.The
Royal Calcutta also has a Bowling Green section, founded in the
early 19th century. Here members can indulge in bowling their
woods along the grass in an attempt to get close to
'jack' the little white ball immortalized by Sir Francis Drake.
Just across the road from the Royal Calcutta is the Tollygunge Club.
The extensive grounds of the club were originally an indigo
plantation, laid out in 1781. In 1895, Sir William
Cruikshank, a banker of repute and a keen sportsman, acquired
the estate from Prince Ghulam Mohammad, the son of Tipu
Sultan, and founded the Tollygunge.Besides maintaining an
18-hole golf course, the Tollygunge Club also
pioneered equestrian sports, and steeple chasing and show
jumping are still held annually at the club.The 100 acre club
grounds boast an enviable collection of flowering trees
and tropical plants which have bee brought from as far afield
as Australia and South America. The foliage provides a home for
a number of species of exotic birds.The par 71 course at Tollygunge
is fairly easy to tackle but for the large number of water
hazards. The fairways are lush green and wide, and the greens
well maintained and easy to read. A particularly
difficult hole is the 321 yards, par four fourteenth, also
known as 'Hydrophobia'.
The player has to cross over a large water
tank, built by Prince Ghulam Mohammad and filled with water
lilies, to approach the green on the other side. A
miscalculated or over swung drive could easily land the ball in
the tank or the out-of-bonds area. The dog legged seventh, also
called 'Devil's Elbow', is 491 yards, par five over a large
water body. No account of golf in Calcutta can be complete
without a mention of the Calcutta Ladies Golf Club.
The Club is unique not only because of the fact
that it has only women members, but that the club houses is on
wheels. In 1891, a group of ladies led by a Mrs. Peddler
could no longer take the humiliation of not being allowed to
play at will at the Royal and Tollygunge clubs. They approached
the local authorities, which allowed them to lay a nine-hole course
on the Maidan, provided they did not construct any permanent
structures. The ingenuous ladies overcame this condition by
constructing a clubhouse on wheels which could be moved
if the army authorities at Fort William so desired. The nine
hole par 68 course now has a hundred members, and men can
only play here as their guests.
Whether it is the monumental architecture of the
General Post Office you admire, or the Corinthian facade of
Writers Building, there's enough in between to show you the
monumental majesty of the city of Calcutta. In the heart of
the city is Fort William, out of bounds for visitors, but it is
surrounded by the Maidan all around where sporting
Calcutta is at her best. In this expanse of green is
the Victoria Memorial, the British Taj Mahal built in
memory of Queen Victoria and now symbolic of the city's brief
alliance with the British Raj. -
- Royal Calcutta Golf Club:
Address : 18 Golf Club Road Open : Round the Year No. of Holes : 18
Distance Ladies : 6,827 yards Distance Gentlemen : 7,189 yards Par :
Ladies - 72, Men - 73.
Additional Facilities : Bar and dining, swimming
pool, bowling, tennis.
Tollygunge Club Address : 120, Deshpran Sasmal Road
Open : Round the Year ; best season Oct. -Mar No.
of Holes : 18 Distance Ladies : 5,686 yards Distance Gentlemen :
6,520 yards Par : 71
Additional Facilities : Bar and Catering, Card
room, tennis, squash, swimming, billiards, riding and piano.
Accommodation : 18 rooms
How to Get There : By Air : Domestic and
International, By Road : On the national highway, By Rail : Eastern
Railways
Climate : Max. 30C Min.
14C
Shillong: Close to the Polo Ground is
one of the most attractive locales of the town, the Shillong
Golf Club. Golf was introduced to Shillong in 1898 by a group of
British Civil Service officers who initially constructed a
nine-hole course at an area called Laban. It was only after the
first world war the Shillong gained popularity as a golf
resort for European golfers from East Bengal and Calcutta, and in
1924 the present 18 hole course with its picturesque club house
was inaugurated. Capt. Jackson and C.K. Rhodes, who were
remarkably successful in preserving the natural beauty of the area
while giving it an excellent layout, did the layout of the new
course.
The course is set in an undulating valley covered
with thick groves of pine and rhododendron trees. The tight fairways
are carpeted with an indigenous species of local grass, which
hardens the soil and makes the course tough to play. The longest
hole on the course is the 594 yards, sixth, which makes it an
extremely trying hole, and also one of the longest in India. The
tight fairways are difficult to negotiate in any case, but the
number of ‘out-of-bounds’ makes the task even more trying streams
that criss-cross almost every fairway. Most of the approaches are
uphill shots, and even veterans opt to play safe. The greens are as
challenging as the fairways. They are lightning fast and are
invariably trapped by heavy sand bunkers. The 372 yards, par five,
ninth hole is a dogleg, and one of the most picturesque on the
course. The tee off is from a pine grove elevated some 200 feet
above the fairway. The tiger line is onto a steep ridge and to
the left of the single pine tree, which demarcates the common eighth
and ninth fairway. The second shot is placed into the elbow of the
dogleg, which is in a valley, and from where the green is
now visible on a hillock ahead. The third stroke has to be lofted to
gain height as well as negotiate the tight fairway. It requires
a good chip and a lucky putt to get a par on this hole, as the
area around the green is uneven, and the green itself extremely
fast. Not only is the Shillong course scenic and enjoyable, it's
also challenging. Obstructions don't come only in the form of
bunkers and trees, but also rain.Shillong is just 56 km from the
wettest place in the world! The capital of the state of Meghalaya,
Shillong, as one of the outposts of the British in the
northeast of India, has been the meeting point of
traditional cultures and cosmopolitan styles. It's the hole of
the fun loving Khasi tribals who follow the traditional
matriarchal system of society and still don their
native attire. Shillong, as one of India's best-known hills
resorts for many decades, has its own charms and attractions- and
its own following of regular seasonal visitors.
Located 56 km from Cherrapunjee, the wettest place
in the world with the highest recorded rainfall, Shillong is
set amidst a landscape covered with heather and pine forests
which supports a variety of flowering orchids. There are a
number of interesting sights to visit within the town : Ward's Lake,
Lady Hydari Botanical Park, several waterfalls, the Museum of
History and Ethnography, and St. Paul's Cathedral - one of the
oldest places of Christian worship in India. Often likened to
Scotland, it has rolling hills, heather covered slopes,
beautiful waterfalls, moving mists, silent lakes and rich and
unique varieties of flora and fauna. Foreign visitors require a
clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Umiam Lake, 15 km from the city, has boating
and watersports facilities, besides a floating restaurant and
accommodation in Orchid Lodge. There is a health resort near
Crinoline Waterfalls.
hillong is connected by air with nearby Guwahati,
37 km away. there are frequent bus and taxi services that
connect the two cities.
Accommodation is available in the city at a number
of clean and modest hotels, including that run by ITDC and the
state government.
Cane, bamboo and wooden handicraft items,
shawls and fabrics are the main buys of the city.
All emporia are located in the downtown area.
- Shillong Golf Club Address :
Polo Ground, Shillong. Year of Foundation : 1898 - 9 holes. 1924
became 18 holes course. Altitude : 1496 MSL Open : Round the year
No. of Holes : 18 Distance Ladies : 5,231 yards Distance Gentlemen :
5,873 yards Par : 70 Architect : Capt. Jackson
Additional Facilities : Bar and cafeteria
Accommodation : In the city Closest Town
Shillong Closest Airport
Shillong via Guwahati from Calcutta by Indian
Airlines
Closest Railway Station : Guwahati.
How to Get There : By Road : Guwahati 103
km,
Climate : summer : Max. 23.3C, Min. 15C. Winter :
Max. 15.6C Min. 3.9C
Clothing : Light woolens. Winter : Heavy woolens.
Facilities: Should you seek any special assistance,
in most cases the secretary of the club you are playing in
will be able to advise and assist you. It is wise to remember that
though some clubs have facilities for golfers who wish to stay on
the premises, the number of rooms are limited and must, therefore,
be booked in advance. It may be more practical to stay in city and
resort hotels that are available in a wide range, and generally have
an extensive variety of services to offer. For commuting between the
hotel and the golf club, any of a choice of transport may be
utilized. This may include deluxe tourist cars, yellow-top
taxis and inexpensive autorickshaws.
Caddy services are usually available
locally, and most clubs offer a temporary membership that may
cost as little as a dollar as two. At certain courses, an
introduction by a member may be necessary, should you wish to play
golf at that particular course. Also, membership may be restricted
or a little extra on weekends. Several of the clubs also house a bar
and catering facilities where basic meals and snacks, Indian and
Continental, can be enjoyed at far lower prices than at restaurants.
Golfing in India, in fact, probably comes cheaper than anywhere else
in the world!
As a handling agents in India organize golfing
tours which can include friendly matches with golfing members of the
club on payment of green fees etc. We can also arrange for
cocktail parties after friendly matches so that visiting golfers
have opportunities of meeting socially with their Indian
counterparts. Special golfing itineraries can be tailored
exclusively to meet your needs.
Golf in Western
India
A number of opportunities for golf exist in
Western India. Bombay, the gateway city, provides excellent
opportunities for playing golf. Pune has a few golf courses and
facilities are being fast developed in cities like Goa, which
are already firmly established as tourist centers. Western
India has traditionally been the foremost entry point into
India. Along with its many tourist attractions including
Aurangabad and the Ajanta and Ellora Caves, golf is fast catching
up as an additional bonus.
Bombay (Mumbai): For the
Bombay golfer, fresh air and greenery is more accessible. The
110-acre Bombay Presidency Golf Club at Chembur is a green
haven amidst a concrete jungle. Founded in 1827, the par 70, 18
hole course was redesigned by Peter Thompson to international
standards. Presidency's fairways are narrow and tight, but its
greens are undoubtedly the best in the country. The real test
at Presidency, however, is the variable and shifting sea
breeze, which could fox even the most experienced player. it is
not a difficult course; it's not to long, not too narrow, and
yet not an easy course to break par. The fifth hole is one of the
most challenging on this course : a 480 yard, par five, a dog
leg to the right, with a fairway trap strategically placed to catch
the long hitter trying to cut the corner. The drive on this has
to be placed carefully. If too long and pulled, it would end
up in deep trouble. With a well-placed drive around the fairway
bunker, the hole, in spite of the two overhanging trees on the
right, is a comfortable par five. The 416 yard, par four 11th
hole is also a test of precision golfing. The player has to
steer his drive through trees overhanging on either side, a short
distance from the tee. The fairly tight fairway has thick scrub
and trees on the left, a water hazard and an out-of-bounds on
the right with perhaps the trickiest and fastest green of this
course. With the pin placed towards the left edge, the approach
would roll off into the thick roughs, and not even a miracle would
allow a par. Of the par threes, the 17th hole is the longest at
218 yards. The green is deceptive with deep bunkers on either side,
and the rippled fairway can make a loose tee shot veer sharply.
Besides the Bombay Presidency Golf Club,
Bombay also has two other courses at the
Bombay Willingdon Club and the United Services Club.
Visitors are, however, restricted at both and need an
introduction.
Bombay, located on India's beautiful west coast, is
the hub of its commercial activity. Bombay's natural harbor
handles 40 per cent of the country's maritime trade.
Stretching 35 km into the Arabian Sea, the metropolis is a
collection of seven islands that have been interconnected
by land reclamation. Much of Bombay's construction was inspired by
the School of Art set up by Rudyard Kipling's father to promote
the skills of the local artisans. Prominent English building in the
city include the Old Secretariat and the Public Works
Department building, put up in 1867-74 by Col. Orel Henry St.
Claire Wilkins in what was then known as the "High Victorian
Gothic Style" The popular Crawford Market was designed by
William Emerson and decorated with bas relief by J. Kipling.
The Flora Fountain, a crowded landmark in the city, was built
in honour of Sir Henry Bartle Edward Frere, governor of Bombay, who
was responsible for building the new Bombay of the 1860s.
Bombay is India's chief gateway for most visitors, and has a vast
network of airline services that link it internationally to all
parts of the globe. The Gateway of India remains the most
enduring symbol of the city, a splendid arch by the sea's edge built
in 1927 to commemorate the visit of Britain's King George V and
Queen Mary for the 1911 Delhi Durbar. An hour's ride by boat from
the Gateway will take you to the Elephanta Island, where caves have
been hollowed out and sculpted. British symbols qualify Bombay's
history, their hallmark of Indo-Sara-cenic architecture
represented in such buildings as the Bombay High Court, the
Old Secretariat, and the University Buildings that include
Jehangir Hall. Some delightful beaches edge in Bombay. In the heart
of the city is Chowpatty, while the suburbs have Juhu, both
evening fairgrounds with local entertainment and a taste
of Bombay. Further out of Bombay are such fine beaches as Gorai,
Marve, Manori and Madh. Bombay has an active interest in the arts,
and exhibitions of the latest contemporary works by renowned
painters and sculptors are a constant feature of its cityscape.
Excursions from Bombay include Ellora, 30 km from
Aurangabad, a sickle-shaped hill known for its temples are a unique
work of art, reflecting centuries of devotion encapsulated in the 29
caves that overlook a wide, horse shoe shaped gorge that falls
steeply down to touch a mountain stream hundreds of feet
below.
Poona: Poona Club Golf Course is one
of the oldest golf courses in India, situated within half an
hour's drive from major industrial areas of Pune and very close to
the airport and the railway station. Though the course is within 5
minutes drive from the city, it is in a quiet area. The courses
spread over 90 acres of land,which is the largest in the Western
Region. The exact date of establishment is now known, but based
on available records, tournaments were being played since 1920, the
first being the RWITC CUP (Royal Western India Turf Club
Cup).Originally the course was spread over nearly 135 acres of land,
part of which was later taken over by the Government for housing
development.When the British left India, Poona Club was thinking of
giving up the golf grounds, but thanks to a handful of
golfing enthusiasts, the course still exists and over 30,000
trees have been planted since the course was replayed between
1980-85 during the captainship of the late Mr. C.S. Kirloskar.
Competitive golf is played throughout the year and over 30
tournaments are held, the most prestigious being the
Maharashtra Amateur Open Golf being played since 1957, in
which leading amateur golfers from all over India participate.There
are four golf courses in Pune, but the Poona Club Golf Course is the
only course available to all golfers, including foreign
visitors. The weather being cool and pleasant, golf is enjoyed
throughout the year, unlike at many other places Pune being a
major industrial town and close to Bombay, the flow of visitors
is continuing all the time.The present Golf Committee has embarked
upon a major task of renewing the golf course. It is planned to
relay the course and raise it to international standards. Plans
include converting all the browns into greens and
construction of proper turfed fairways with modern irrigation
systems and beautiful landscaping with more ornamental trees.
One of the fastest growing cities in Maharashtra,
Pune gives the tourist a good idea of the dualities present in
modern India. On the one hand it is booming with streamlined
contemporary architecture and restaurants, shops and hotels
that would seem more at home in the industrialized West ; on
the other, the city holds on zealously to its active Indian
culture and the historic heritage handed down by its erstwhile
Maratha rulers. It is easily accessible from Bombay,
the closest metro city by air, road and rail.
Poona Golf Club Open : Round the
year (Monday closed) No. of Holes : 18 (1 to 17 browns; 18 - green).
Only 9 holes open for play during 1993 Distance Gentlemen : 6,198
yards Distance Ladies : 5,488 yards. Par : 71
Additional Facilities : Snacks, Beer.
Jammu & Kashmir
Army Golf
Course, Mira Sabh Satwari Jammu, Jammu, Jammu &
Kashmir
(914)3126 & Army Exchange 63331, 63592
B.S.F. Golf
Club, HQRS I.G. B.S.F., Paloura Camp, Jammu, Jammu
& Kashmir
Gulmarg Golf
Club, Srinagar
Kashmir Golf Club
(Srinagar), The Director/Administrator,
Royal
Springs Golf Course, (Cheshma Shahi) Boulevard Road,
Srinagar-190001
0194-457672
Royal Springs
Golf Course (Srinagar), Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Artrac Golf
Club, Headquarters, Army Training Command, Shimla HP
171 003, Himachal Pradesh
91-177-875864 (O), 872869 (R)
Naldehra Golf
Club, Naldehra, PO Durgapur, Shimla 171 012,
Himachal Pradesh
91-177-487-739
Meghalaya
Varanasi Gorkha Golf
Club, 58 Gorkha Trg Centre, Happy Valley, Shillong
793007, Meghalaya
Punjab
Jahan Khelan
Golf Club, Jahankhelan, Hoshiarpur, Punjab
146001
91-1882 272806
Ranjitgarh Golf
Club, Punjab Police Academy, Maharaja Ranjit Singh
Fort, Phillaur-144410, Punjab
01826 22061, 22062
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