India has the richest golfing heritages in Asia. Though a colonial game, that began as a familiar recreational sport for British officials of the British East India Company residing in India, the game gained popularity among the Indian royalty and propertied classes due to the thriving aspect of the game. Indian golf courses, golf clubs and even Indian golf display a perfect blend of traditions and innovation. Here in India, the historical fairways date back to the 19th Century and the modern championship layouts are designed by top international architects of the 21st Century. The shape that Indian golf courses have taken today is a testament to intense scenic beauty and technical excellence. These golf courses put a golfer’s skills to test over the years by hosting competitive golf tournament of national and international statures.
The top 6 golf clubs of India are:
Royal Calcutta Golf Club
1. Royal Calcutta Golf Course (RCGC), Kolkata: The Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC), founded in 1829, located in Calcutta (now, Kolkata), happens to be the first ever golf club in India, and also the first golf club to be established outside Britain. The RCGC, originally called the Calcutta Golf Club, had a very humble beginning with a 9-hole course at Dum Dum in 1829, followed by two other nine hole courses in the Maidan area, Kolkata. The Dum Dum facility closed down in 1897, followed by the other two in the Maidan area due to the establishment of the Victoria Memorial. In November 1912, the club came to be known as the Royal Calcutta Golf Club when the Chief Secretary of Bengal conveyed the grant of the Royal Charter, as granted by His Imperial Majesty, commemorating his visit to Calcutta earlier in 1912. Though the club and the golf course was designed by club members and members of the club committee, J. A Tassie and honorary Secretary, J. A Anderson, the course was renovated and redesigned by legendary golfer, Australia’s Peter Thomson in 1978. Known by all for hosting the Indian Open several times till 1999, the club fairways have been walked by recognized golfers like I. S Malik, H. S Malik and Billoo Sethi. Players like Jeev Milkha Singh, Lakshman Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal and Anirban Lahiri have been a part of the golfing history of RCGC.
Tollygunge Club, Kolkata
2. Tollygunge Club, Kolkata: Ranked among the top 10 country clubs of the country, the Tollygunge Club, Kolkata, founded in 1895 by Scottish banker William Dixon Cruickshank, has one of the most picturesque golf courses in India. The 18-hole 70 par golf course was designed by international architects of great repute. Tolly has seen the evolution of many golfers like Indrajit Bhalotia, Rahil Gangjee, Viraj Madappa, Vandana Agarwal and many others who have rose to fame both nationally and internationally. Every year, the Club hosts multiple competitive tournaments including IGU tournaments, PGTI Tours and corporate golf tournaments throughout the year, which draw the participation of not only local golfers, but golfers across the country, and even players from abroad.
DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurgaon
3. DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurgaon (Haryana): The DLF Golf and Country Club was originally established in 1999. It is a globally celebrated golf course, with immaculate fairways and top-notch golfing facilities. The first and original 9-holes of the DLF Golf and Country Club was designed by Arnold Palmer, while the 18-holes golf course happens to be the one and only golf course designed by Gary Player. The Club is equipped with Night Golf facilities, and also known for establishing the fist golf academy of India. Over the years, multiple Asian and European Tours have been held here ever since its establishment, and players like Bryson DeChambeau, Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma and Carloz Ortis have walked the fairways of the club and played here.
Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida
4. Jaypee Greens Golf Resort, Greater Noida: The Jaypee Greens was established in June 2000. The only Greg Norman course in India, Jaypee Greens is the longest course in India with a length of 7,347 yards. The design of the course involved the creation of several lakes, the earth from which has been used to generate a dynamic, soft and undulating landform. It has gently rolling fairways which are grassed using a an imported Bermuda grass called Evergreen. Jaypee hosted the inaugural edition of the India Legends Championship with Swedish golfer Joakim Haeggman.
Gulmarg Golf Club, Jammu and Kashmir
5. Gulmarg Golf Club, Gulmarg (Jammu and Kashmir): Located at an elevation of 8,690 ft. above sea level, the Gulmarg Golf Club is the second highest golf course in the world. When it was established in 1890-1891, the Club had a 6-hole course designed by Colonel Neville Chamberlain. Later it was redesigned by Peter Thomson, and updated by Ranjit Nanda. The Club was opened in 1911 and in 1922, Gulmarg hosted the first golf championship. In 1929, the Nedou’s Cup was first presented here. The 18-hole green golf course happens to be the highest and one of the oldest golf courses in the country.
Bombay Presidency Golf Club, Mumbai
6. Bombay Presidency Golf Club, Mumbai: One of the most prestigious golf clubs in Maharashtra, the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, located in the suburbs of Chembur, Mumbai, was established in 1927 on 90 acres of reclaimed swampland. The 18-hole par 70 course was designed by five time British Open champion Peter Thompson and was redesigned by Nelson and Haworth. Originally called the “New Club Ltd.”, the course tests the skills of golfers thereby promising great rounds of golf. Gurbaaz Mann holds the course record at BPGC by shooting a 7-under 63 on May 5, 2010.
These iconic golf clubs stand as the pillars of India’s rich sporting heritage. Generations of reputed golfers have walked the fairways of these courses leaving behind stories of victory, perseverance, and passion for the game of golf. With the legacy these clubs carry, golf clubs in India continue to evolve, but these timeless golf courses continue to lead the way, setting benchmarks for excellence, elevating India’s position in the world of golf.
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