June 24, 2013. In a first ever initiative in the Kashmir Valley, young school girls are being introduced to golf in the picturesque Royal Springs Golf Course. An effort put together by the Women’s Golf Association of India and the Indian Golf Union has organised a putting session to break female interest in the game.
[highlight] NGAI coach Mr Vikram Sethi is on the job trying to build interest in the game. Seen here at the girls from the Srinagar Presentation Convent. The smart young girls came curious and impeccably dressed in their sports uniform wearing their school house colours [/highlight]
National Initiative for Golf in Schools (NIGS) has launched this program in Srinagar schools. Parents in the valley are keen their daughters get introduced to new sport and are given the opportunity to experiment with golf. The program is being overseen and conceptualised by the Secretary General of the WGAI Champika Sayal, who is also a native of the state and spent many a year playing and learning golf in the Gulmarg region. “It all started when a group of parents fixed an appointment for me to meet the principal of the schools.”
NGAI coach Mr Vikram Sethi is on the job trying to build interest in the game, seen here with the girls from the Srinagar Presentation Convent. The smart young girls came curious and impeccably dressed in their sports uniform wearing their school house colours. The DPS in Srinagar – with over 5000 children – has a golf academy within the school premises with a bunker, teeing ground and chipping area.
Golf is not new to Kashmir as the armed forces present in the region promoted it by building a few courses. But it’s only now that there is a renewed boost towards golf tourism and promoting the game among the young. You’ll be surprised how well informed the kids are about global greats of the game. “A little boy who was asked by the coach to name the number one golfer in the world – Aryan Singh gave a prompt reply naming TIGER WOODS,” shares Sayal.
The camp ends on 5th of July.
