E-Paper
Why should Pros have all the fun
So the question is: what made the difference that resulted in higher scores. The answer lies in the more challenging course setup as a result of good planning and preparation helped by timely rains two weeks before the event
What a big difference golf course preparation, course setup and conditions including wind can make. Six months ago, in October 2022 at the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational tournament presented by Take Solutions at the Chandigarh Golf Club, the winning score was 15 under par by the city’s Gaganjeet Bhullar.
However, within only half a year, in the recent PGTI Players Championship 2023 presented by the Chandigarh Golf Club, the winning score was a staggering five strokes higher at 10 under par during Karan Pratap Singh’s maiden Pro victory. The 36 hole cut in 2022 was one under par 143 but was two over par 146 this time. A significant rise of the cut score by three strokes despite a much better field in 2022. It is not possible that the standard of golf fell drastically within six months. Rather, the standard of golf is on the rise monthly and scores and cuts are getting lower regularly. This time only two Chandigarh golfers -- Harinder Gupta and southpaw Jairaj Sandhu -- finished in the top 10 and were never in real contention as compared to five Chandigarh players finishing in the top 10 in 2022, including the winner Gaganjeet.
So, the question is: what made the difference that resulted in higher scores this time ? The answer lies in the more challenging course setup as a result of excellent planning and preparation helped by timely rains two weeks before the event. As predicted , the fairways have never looked better with stripes clearly visible from both tee to green and backwards from green to tee like in mega championships and on major tours. Playing preferred lies was never in question this time as is normally the condition in Chandigarh .
During my practice round in a friendly chat with a senior PGTI official, our course came in for some well-deserved praise. The rough adjoining the fairways was almost six to nine inches at places and special technique with an open-faced lofted club was needed to get the ball far and high enough to stop it on the greens which were running at almost 11 on the stimpmeter which is a rarity for Chandigarh Golf Club . They were firm and also looking quick, shiny , well-rolled and lightly watered. Some of the pins were in tight ,challenging and creative positions, especially in the rear left position on hole 10 . There was also just the right amount of wind which made the scoring a bit more challenging.
Unfortunately Chandigarh players including me did not do as well as expected with no one in contention . Could this be due to the fact that we are not used to our home greens being quick and firm and the rough thick , thereby negating some home course advantage.
There is always a scope for improvement and we can immediately start planning to implement this same course standard for the highly anticipated 2023 edition of the successful Chandigarh Golf League and the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2023. There can be a similar rough around the greens also and a two to three foot wide first cut between the fairways and the thick rough. The two new greens on 9 and 13 also played well and players are hoping for a couple of new greens maybe on hole no. 7 and 15 .
It was a heartening to see our lovely golf course with its lush green fairways, purple flowering jacaranda trees on live TV for anyone appreciate and even log into their mobile apps from all over the world. We have shown what good we are capable of and it is time for the members to experience, appreciate and enjoy the same conditions which they admire on TV. As they say, “why should the Pros have all the fun.”
kahlontrio@gmail.com
(The writer is a Chandigarh-based Arjuna awardee golf professional)
