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Guest column: It’s the season to tee off in comfort
Gentlemen sitting on the bar stools seemed like a box of bees, happy, chatty and close to honey, in this case the beer tap.
The dying days of sultry September can be treacherously warm. Autumn and winter, best seasons for the sport, remain a mirage for golfers till they finally arrive. Just the other day, when our four ball (competitors paired as teams) trooped into the cool environs of the lounge bar to soothe our throats with the best draught beer in town, the place was already abuzz with activity, and rather early at that. But then, for golfers, anytime is a good time, as long as they are within the precincts of the golf course!
Gentlemen sitting on the bar stools seemed like a box of bees, happy, chatty and close to honey, in this case the beer tap.
“Guys, what a round of golf! It seemed to be a little warm at first, but just for a while. How I look forward to a round at your club.” This one seemed to be an outstation guest. To this, a cynical club member remarked, “Arre yaar, you didn’t come last year. It was better. The greens this time around are not up to the mark. Too many temporary ones in play.”
There was a pause before this burly fellow, probably the backmarker of the four ball, capped it, “you see the problem with us is that firstly, we have an abysmally short memory span and, second, we ignore the ground realities at will.”
Overactive monsoons
Suddenly, everyone was quiet as he continued, “Monsoons this time have been overactive. Chandigarh too experienced near-flooding with Sukhna sluices letting off excess water beyond the danger mark. This coupled with an extraordinary footfall on this 132 acre expanse is not easy to handle for any course management. And it is not just the greens but the multifarious flora and fauna that needs equal attention. Do you guys know the Chandigarh Golf Course houses more than 500 species of trees, plants and bushes?”
He then glanced at the earlier speaker and proceeded, “And of course, an equal if not more number of dissenting golfers and critics!”
When everyone was quiet, the cynical member, visibly wiser now, remarked loudly, “Cheers,” before another pitcher of chilled ‘king of good times’ was placed in front of him.
A loss and looking for someone for guidance
The sad demise of Col Paramjit Singh (retd), the efficient course manager, left everyone at the course unsure of the way forward. This is when the proactive management led by Gilly and the captain of the course, Sweety Brar, convinced Amritinder Singh, a professional (pro) golfer and son of legendary Simran Singh, the first pro from Chandigarh, to step into the shoes of late Paramjit Singh and manage the course.
The challenge was not easy, given the simmering summer with the monsoons around the corner. Amritinder, with his vast experience of the game, took up the challenge, even though the rain gods tested his skills and resolve. The gentleman withstood the pressure admirably while the greens, fairways and roughs got battered with incessant rain fury.
Now, with all the adversities, hopefully, behind it, the course is all geared up for a number of tournaments with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), a Jeev Milkha Singh invitational, leading the pack.
Three cheers!
The news of ace golfer Shubhankar Sharma being conferred with the Arjuna Award by the president of India also added to the cheer at the clubhouse. This happens to be the third feather in the club cap with Harmeet Kahlon and Jeev Milkha Singh being the other two , also added to the cheer at the clubhouse.
The chip off the old block in our four ball could not resist but nudge the veteran barman, “Mohan, pour another pitcher, I suspect the changing weather and the evolving course might force us to spend more time on the greens than at the bar.” And then in his inimitable style he announced before raising and guzzling his half full mug, “Ladies and Gentlemen. Let’s play golf.” For all of us on that wonderful day it sounded like the clarion call by thespian Amitabh Bachchan before the start of his popular show, Kaun Banega Crorepati.
(The writer is a retired Army officer in Chandigarh. Views expressed are personal)
