I think I have finally found a sport I actually enjoy. And no, it is not yoga. It is golf. I recently spent a weekend in Chandigarh at Forest Hill Resorts, where I was introduced to the basics of golf and, quite unexpectedly, to the idea of a golfcation. It was also my first stay at the newly opened Wilderness Lodge at Forest Hill, a luxury retreat set in the foothills of the Shivaliks, close to Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. I went in thinking I would spend a quiet weekend at a resort, try my hand at golf and come back home. Instead, 48 hours later, I was thinking about golf, land restoration, the plants in my own home and how we need to rethink the way we holiday.
So, what exactly is a golfcation?
I had never really thought of golf as something I would build a holiday around. I know people who play golf regularly, and I have seen golf courses at resorts, but I had never understood the appeal of spending several hours hitting a tiny ball across a large expanse of green. Then I tried it. The first few attempts were exactly what you would expect from someone who had no idea what she was doing. But as I slowly got the basics right, something clicked.
Golf needs so much concentration that, for those few moments, everything else disappears.
You are thinking about your stance, your swing, where the ball needs to go and what you need to do differently on the next shot. I realised I was not checking my phone, thinking about work or planning what I would do next. I was simply playing. And that was when I finally understood why golf works so well as a holiday activity.
A golf holiday where everyone gets to have their own weekend
The other thing I liked about Forest Hill was that you do not have to be a golfer to enjoy being there. This is important for families and groups because it is rare for everyone travelling together to want the same thing from a holiday. One person can spend hours playing golf while another can head out for a nature walk. Someone else can spend time by the pool, explore the trails, go for a safari or simply sit with a coffee.
The official Wilderness Lodge information also lists activities including trekking, nature drives, boating, horse riding, angling, bonfires, an in-house lake, organic farms and golf. For me, this is where the golfcation idea really works. It is not a holiday where everyone has to play golf.
It is a holiday where golf becomes one part of the experience.
The part of the weekend I did not expect
The most interesting conversations I had at Forest Hill were actually about the land around it.
The property sits within a much larger landscape, with Forest Hill spread across about 1,000 acres. The Wilderness Lodge itself is surrounded by mountains, lakes, greenery and organic farms, according to its official information. What I found particularly interesting was learning how the development is being kept to a relatively small part of the overall property, with only around 15% to 20% of the land being used for development. The rest is being treated with far greater sensitivity.
That made me look at the place very differently. It is easy to look at a large resort and see the buildings, rooms, restaurants, pools and golf course. What I found more interesting was understanding how much of the surrounding land has been left to exist as part of the larger natural setting.
What the conversation with the Afforest team about Sukhna taught me about plants
This was probably my biggest learning from the weekend. Forest Hill is working with Afforest on restoration work around Sukhna, with a focus on understanding the existing ecosystem and bringing back indigenous plantation. That includes removing foreign plant species and encouraging plants that naturally belong to the area. The reason is simple but something I had never really thought about.
A plant may look perfectly harmless, but introducing the wrong species into an ecosystem can have consequences. The aim is to bring back vegetation that supports the local environment and helps create the right conditions for birds, insects and animals to thrive. There has also been work around areas that have suffered damage and landslides, using research and simple restoration techniques to help the land recover. And suddenly I started thinking about all the plants in my own house.
I love plants. I have bought plants because they look pretty, because I like the shape of their leaves. After all, I think they will work in a particular corner of my home. But I had never really stopped to ask if a plant belongs in the environment where I am putting it. Will it help the bees? Will birds benefit from it? Does it belong to the terrain? Could it actually have the opposite effect? That was my biggest takeaway from the weekend.
We need to respect the land for what it already is rather than simply adding things because they look good. So the next time you buy a plant, ask yourself where it belongs before you decide where it will look good.
My cottage was a lesson in small sustainable choices
The Wilderness Lodge itself made sustainability feel very practical. My cottage was gorgeous. It had the premium feel I would expect from a luxury stay, but it was the small details that stayed with me. There were steel bottles for water instead of disposable plastic bottles. Reusable cloth bags. Hats. Laundry bags.
And in the bathroom, there was no collection of tiny toiletry bottles. Instead, everything was kept in reusable containers and pump bottles, much like the way we store things at home. I liked this because nothing screamed sustainability at me. It was simply part of how the room was set up. To me, that's the kind of change that makes sense.
The food deserves its own mention
I am always interested in food at a resort because it can make or break a stay. At the Wilderness Lodge, the kitchen operates 24 hours a day, and guests can order from a small, well-planned menu whenever they want. That is a very useful feature for travellers like me who do not necessarily eat according to standard breakfast, lunch and dinner timings. And then there was the baker. The in-house baker made some of the most delicious muffins and cookies for breakfast, and I found myself going back for more. The main restaurant also offers a wide range of cuisines, and the food throughout my stay was consistently good.
A different way of running a large property
Another thing I found interesting was the management structure behind Forest Hill. Devinder Sandhu of Forest Hill Resorts has not tried to do everything himself. Instead, different specialists are handling different parts of the property. One brand manages destination weddings. Another handles catering. Another operates the kitchen. The Wilderness Lodge is run by a separate hospitality group. At first, this sounds like it could become complicated very quickly. As a guest, I did not feel any of that.
Everything worked together smoothly, with each team doing what it knows best. I actually liked this approach because it showed me that a large hospitality property does not necessarily need one team to manage every single thing. Bringing in specialists can make the overall experience far more efficient when everyone works towards the same guest experience.
What makes the Wilderness Lodge different?
The official Wilderness Lodge listing describes it as being close to Sukhna Lake and spread across the larger Forest Hill landscape, with villas surrounded by lakes, mountains and greenery. The property currently lists Acqua Villas and Acacia Villas as its accommodation categories.
The Acqua Villas come with private patios and lawns, lake views and butler service. The Acacia Villas have private pools, patios and two bedrooms, along with butler service. But what I remember most from my stay is not a room specification. It is the feeling of having so much space around me.
There was no sense of being trapped inside a conventional resort where the holiday happens between the room, restaurant and swimming pool. There was always something outside to look at or do.
Wilderness Lodge at a glance
| Detail | Information |
| Property | FHR Wilderness Lodge Chandigarh by TUTC |
| Location | Village Karoran, District SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab |
| Setting | Close to Sukhna Lake and the Sukhna landscape |
| Larger property | Forest Hill Golf & Country Club Resort |
| Larger land area | About 1,000 acres |
| Accommodation | Acqua Villa and Acacia Villa |
| Activities | Golf, trekking, nature drives, boating, horse riding, angling, bonfires and more |
| Other experiences | Organic farms, in-house lake, venue dining and nature-based activities |
| Food | 24-hour lodge kitchen plus dining options at the property |
| Sustainability touches | Steel water bottles, reusable cloth bags, laundry bags and reusable bathroom dispensers |
| Airport | Chandigarh International Airport |
| Location reference | Village Karoran, Kharar, Punjab |
The official property information currently lists the lodge at Village Karoran, District SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, and confirms the accommodation and activity options above.
How to reach Wilderness Lodge, Forest Hill
By air
Chandigarh International Airport is the most convenient airport for the property. From the airport, a private car or taxi is the simplest option.
My own drive was around 45 minutes, although I would keep about an hour in mind while planning the trip, depending on traffic.
By road
The property is in Village Karoran in the Mohali district of Punjab. A private car makes the most sense if you want to explore Chandigarh during your stay or move around the wider Forest Hill property.
From Chandigarh
You can drive from Chandigarh city towards Karoran and Forest Hill. I would recommend having your accommodation arrange the final transfer if you are arriving late or visiting for the first time.
The official address listed by TUTC is FHR Wilderness Lodge Chandigarh by TUTC, Village Karoran, District SAS Nagar, Mohali, Punjab 140103.
So, would I go back for a golf vacation?
I did not expect to say this, but yes. I found a sport I genuinely enjoyed. More importantly, I understood why a golf-focused holiday can work even for people who do not play golf every day.
There is something wonderfully simple about spending the morning learning a new sport, taking a break for a good meal, heading out for a nature experience and then returning to a comfortable cottage.
For families, it gives everyone enough room to do their own thing. For couples, it can be a different kind of weekend away. For people who already play golf, it adds a new reason to travel. And for someone like me, who went there without any real interest in golf, it was a surprisingly good introduction. But the golf was only half the story.
What I carried home was a little more awareness about the land around us. I now look at plants differently. I think a little more about where they come from, what they need and what they might do to the environment around them. That was not something I expected from a weekend away.
And perhaps that is what made these 48 hours at Forest Hill so interesting.
I arrived thinking I was going to try golf. I left thinking about how we holiday, how we build, how we use land and even what plants I should buy for my home next. Not a bad return from one weekend in Chandigarh.
Similar articles for you
Tried and Tested: Every suitcase I have reviewed so far, simplified into one buying guide
I compared hard shell VS soft shell luggage; here's what I'd buy again
Handpicked monsoon destinations in India backed by hospitality experts; what to pack, how to plan
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.
Catch your daily dose of Fashion, Taylor Swift, Health, Festivals, Travel, Relationship, Recipe and all the other Latest Lifestyle News on Hindustan Times Website and APPs.