New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): The Indian Golf Union is hopeful of hosting some Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) events in the next two years after gaining the support of three top international golf bodies besides getting full voting membership of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
The IGU is riding a high after gaining the support of global bodies -- the International Golf Federation (IGF), the Royal and Ancient (R & A) and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC). The IGU, which has worked closely with the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Sports Authority of India (SAI), and IOA, is looking at sending Indian golfers to at least 12-15 events in 2025.
The IGU has also been working to get funding from Olympic Solidarity, who have responded very favourably to presentations and necessary paperwork initiated by IGU. It has also received a boost with full voting membership in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA), which clears the path for receiving support from the government. “We have asked the APGC to give us events to host and will keep pressing them,” said Brijinder Singh, the IGU President. “Our pitch at recent international events like the Asian Amateur Championship has received favourable support to host Asia-Pacific events in the next year or two. That would mean our golfers will be able to play top competitions at home and reap the benefits of home advantage.”
The IGU is now recognised as the custodian of the Indian Open, which is a two-million-dollar event on the DP World Tour (European Tour). “We have had very strong fields in the last couple of years and we have already begun preparing for them in early 2025 and have been in touch with many top stars,” said the IGU official.
The IGU has been working to promote golf in the North East, the organisation informed in a release on Tuesday.
“We are working with the Tourism Ministry of Assam and taking events to the North East and are going to have a promotional tournament in Jorhat. We are using the sport of golf to promote tourism for the first time in India.
“Also, with a focus on taking the sport to more people one of our other big successes, which has been well appreciated is taking golf to schools in a pilot project. Our National Development Manager has reached out to schools and sensitized 10,000 students and about 2500 of them have got a feel of the game,” said Brijinder Singh.
That combined with the revamping of the National Golf Academy of India (NGAI) and India’s inclusion into the Confederation of Professional Golf (CPG) has marked significant advancements in professional training and recognition, he claimed.
“Tremendous support in the form of funds and coaching support has given a conflict-free and harmonious environment which has seen a resolution of all legal issues of the past,” he added. “We have seen that good relationships with international bodies and other national federations have yielded great results. The past couple of years have been spent in strengthening that. We have received requests not only to send players and teams for competitions but also referees and officials to conduct events. That experience adds to the quality of events in India,” said the IGU chief.
The other big boost for the IGU has been the Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar (TARS) which will be held in India for the first time ever in April 2025.
The IGU has been getting invitations to send golfers for various events to countries like Australia, South Africa, Singapore, and so on. “The success of Avani Prashanth, Kartik Singh, Nishna Patel, and others at the amateur level has meant more competition. These players, as also others will turn professional in the near future,” said Brijinder Singh.
The introduction of a holistic National Squad System encompassing mind training, physical fitness, nutrition, and technical skills has yielded positive results and has received appreciation from the R&A and the APGC, and that has translated into support from them, the said IGU release.