After 60 days, Chandigarh Golf Club set to tee off, conditions apply

The maintenance work was on at the Chandigarh Golf Club even during the lockdown

After a 60-day corona-forced hiatus, the Chandigarh Golf Club is set to throw open its sprawling greens to its members from Wednesday.

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The club is apparently the region’s first sporting facility to have opened its doors after the central government announced a slew of relaxations in the round 4 of the countrywide lockdown.

A premier club of the region, CGC is credited with grooming a generation of golfers. These include precocious talents such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Karandeep Kochhar and Ajeetesh Sandhu.

“We will start operations from May 20. Apart from golf course, all other club facilities, including restaurant and gymnasium, will be closed,” says Sandeep Singh Sandhu (Bobby), CGC president. Sandhu added that the club will follow all safety protocols.

The club management has come up with the guidelines for the golfers and there will be a list of dos and don’ts that have to be followed strictly and the members have to book their slots in advance. All the members will be screened prior to entry in the club. A minimum physical distance of six feet has to be maintained and masks are mandatory for golfers.

The booking opens one day prior at 1 pm for morning slots (7.30 am to 11 am) and at 8 am for afternoon slots (11.15 am to 4.30 pm). Bookings close at 6 pm.

“It’s for the first time since the inception of the club that the course had been closed for such a long period. The golfers are eagerly waiting for the course to open and the safety of players is our top priority. We have incorporated certain changes to avoid contact during the entire course of play. The pins have been modified to retrieve ball by lifting disc by putter head,” adds Sandhu.

“The guest, registered applicants, reciprocal members, dependants and student members will not be allowed till the time fresh guidelines are issued,” he said.”We urge the senior members ( above 65) not to come to the club as per the UT administration’s advisory,” said the club president