Golf, the “Gentleman’s Game” found its roots in India in the colonial era. Introduced by British army officers and expatriates posted in different parts of India for the entertainment of the British officials in the military and administrative officials in the early nineteenth century, golf is a growing sport in India till date. Though it is popular among the wealthier class, the game of golf has not become easily accessible even today to the commoners of the country.
Royal Calcutta Golf Club, Calcutta: Established in 1829, the first golf club in India
India happens to be the first country outside UK to have a golf club. The first golf club of India was the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, founded in 1829 in Calcutta. The Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) happens to be the first golf club outside Great Britain and even Europe. RCGC served as the governing body for the sport of golf in India. The foundation of RCGC served as the stepping stone of the formation of many other reputed golf clubs all over India, thereby rapidly increasing the popularity of the game in the country. Soon after the foundation of the RCGC, the Royal Bombay Golf Club (1842), the Bangalore Golf Club (1876), Shillong Golf Club (1886), and Tollygunge Club (1895) were founded. Though these reputed clubs allowed only the British to enter and access the facilities, including the golf course, the establishment of these club opened new routes to the development of the sport in India.
The Indians did not show interest in the game of golf as a competitive spirit or as a mode of entertainment till the Second World War. Though the first ever national level golf championship in India, the first All India Amateur Golf Championship was organized by the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in 1892, the sport attained its status in the country among the natives only after the country achieved independence form the colonial British rule in 1947. Meanwhile, in 1906, the Ladies All India Amateur Championship was also launched, in which British women took part.
Mohinder Bal: First Indian to win the All India Amateur Golf Championship in 1949.
Indians entered into the game holding the hand of I.S Malik, who became the runner up in the All India Amateur Golf Championship, 1945, and became the first Indian member of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in 1946. Malik continued his streak of finishing as the runner up in the two consecutive years, in 1946, 1947 and 1948. Mohinder Bal became the first Indian to win the All India Amateur Golf Championship in 1949, fifty years after the prestigious tournament began. By the rest of the 1950s, the three Malik Brothers, I.S Malik, H.S Malik and Ashok Malik dominated Indian golf.
Indian Golf Union (IGU) formed in 1955
These significant achievements of the Indians led to the formation of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) in the year 1955. Since its establishment, the RCGC had been looking into the matters of the popularization and development of golf in India, and all the golf clubs operated under the affiliation of the RCGC. Indian Golf Union (IGU) became the apex body of golf in the country that oversees the development of golf at the national level and promotes golf to the grassroot level. IGU started off its journey with six golf clubs under its affiliation during its early days, and today, over 194 reputed golf clubs all over the country operate under its affiliation. A.D Vickers became the first President of the IGU, and prepared the rules and regulations of the IGU. Major L.B Hirst, the then Secretary of RCGC, became the first Secretary of the IGU.
Indian Open: Now known as the Hero Indian Open, debuted in 1964
In 1964, the prestigious Indian Open, now known as the Hero Indian Open, debuted at the Delhi Golf Club. Peter Thomson won the first Indian Open. In the following year, Indian Amateur golfer, P.G Sethi (68-68-74-72), popularly known as “Billoo”, clinched victory in the Indian Open, defending Thomson by a 4-stroke margin. India’s journey in the golfing world had begun, and the country began to be recognized by all in the world when, in 1970, Indian Open became a part of the Asian Tour. In 1973, India won the Nomuera Cup, an Asia-Pacific Team Event.
Lakshman Singh
Indian golf has come a long way since then. As competent golfers rose in numbers in the country, India men’s golf team secured gold in the 1982 Asian Games, held in Delhi. Lakshman Singh alone won gold in golf in the said year in the Asian Games. In the 1980s, amateur golfers like Lakshman Singh, Vikramjit Singh, Rajkumar Pitambar turned into professionals, and took the sport to a new zenith.
Ali Sher, Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa in the top, followed by Arjun Atwal and Smriti Mehra at the bottom.
Since 1980s, the popularity of golf has increased not only among the wealthier classes, but also among the people of the grassroot level. India has continued to shine in the golfing world ever since. Players like Ali Sher (first Professional Player to win the Indian Open in 1991), Jeev Milkha Singh (joined the prestigious European Tour in 1998, received the Arjuna Award in 1999 and became the high-ranked pro golfer in 2008), Jyoti Randhawa (winner of the Asian Tour Order of the Merit in 2002) and Arjun Atwal (qualified for the PGA Tour in 2004) created the first wave of professional golfers who represented India before the world as great golfing stars. Meanwhile, Smriti Mehra became an inspiration for the women of the country by becoming the first Indian woman to qualify for the LPGA in 1996, and kept her card till 2008, thereby proving that Indian women are also capable of taking up sports as a full-time career and win at the national and international levels. The year 2010 was a year of inspiration and pride for golfers in India, as Arjun Atwal became the first ever Indian to clinch victory on the PGA Tour.
Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) was stablished in 2006
The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the professional golf tour for men in India began in the year 2006. A successor to the Indian PGA Golf Tour, PGTI serves as the Feeder Tour for the Asian Tour. PGTI serves as the platform for Professional golfers to perform better in tournaments of international level and serves the motto of taking Indian golf to a global level. The formation of the PGTI added a feather on the crown of Indian golf as players strive to make their places before the golfing world and represent India at an international level.
The pioneers of Indian golf in the 21st century are:
Rising junior golfers from the country who are the golfing prodigies in today’s times are:
Indian golf is thriving and prospering. Veterans, professionals as well as budding golfers are taking the sport to a whole different level not only within the peripheries of the country, but also out in the world. While golfing prodigies are on the rise, Indian golf has got a long way to go. More and more budding golfers need to be created who will be able to represent the country at international levels, perform well, and win tournaments, which is not possible without great expenses from the players’ part as well as form the government’s part. Only proper infrastructure and training will be able to create more and more golfing prodigies in the days to come.
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