After a long hiatus of seven years, the picturesque Kashmir Golf Courses are back to hosting international tournaments. Srinagar’s Royal Springs Golf Course is hosting an international tournament, in which more than 126 professional golfers from India and abroad are participating. The government of Jammu and Kashmir is promoting the valley as the golfing destination since Kashmir’s golf courses are considered to be the best in India.
”It’s an international golf tournament which is being hosted by the Professional Golf Tour of India. It’s a prestigious golf tournament. It’s a very proud moment for us to host 126 professional golfers, one among them is Udaymane who represented the country at the Olympics,” said Javaid Bakshi, Secretary of the golf course. “
An inspection team arrived before the players to check the golf course.
Bakshi further informed, “They have a course director who does all the planning. We are lucky and proud that Mr Sampat who is the tournament director has rated this golf course as one of the best in the world. It’s a big feather in the cap of Union Territory. These golfers will go as ambassadors and promote Kashmir as a golfing destination.”
There are six golf courses in total in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Out of these, three are in Srinagar, one in Pahalgam, one in Gulmarg and another one in Jammu. Spread over 100 acres of land, the Royal Spring Golf Course has 18 holes with three lakes, a club house and around 8.5km pathway for cart.
The golfers participating in the tournament are all praises for the beauty and landscape of the Royal Spring Golf Course. They also say that it has more potential and should be opened to kids so that they can take it up as their professional sport.