THE DIGEST-JTP 2008
Inspiring Juniors
For the Delhi Golf Club JTP 2008 we adopted the same format as last year. I must confess that for me there was a feeling of 'deja vu'-as Chairman, I had introduced the four coaches and the four camps of 14 days each in the year 2000. Not that we had run out of ideas, simply that the program in its present form has been successful and much sought after, and even emulated by other clubs.

By Ramesh R. Kohli

(Left) Proudly displaying their trophies and certificates, the young trainees strike a happy pose. (Right) The JTP coaching quartet of (from left) Romit Bose, Nonita Lall Qureshi, Jasjit Singh and Vikram Sethi.

The four coaches, of course, were Nonita Lall Qureshi, Romit Bose, Vikram Sethi and Jasjit Singh. They were assisted by Anil Kashyap, Rohtas Singh, Dinesh Kumar and Ram Singh, respectively, and with eight coaches to instruct 220 participants, each trainee got a great deal of attention. This made for intensive coaching sessions that included playing and competitions in all aspects of the game, including chipping, putting, bunker play and driving. Audio-visual techniques were also used and one of the coaches even showed his students an inspiring film, 'The Greatest Game Ever Played', a golf drama based on the true story of the 1913 U.S. Open, where 20-year-old Francis Ouimet defeated his idol, 1900 U.S. Open champion Harry Vardon.

Video analysis sessions, using V1 Pro software for swing analysis, were also part of the program.

I believe it is extremely important to imbibe in the kids the spirit of the game, its etiquette and rules, and I am happy to say that the coaches not only imparted theoretical knowledge of the rules but also demonstrated these by holding clinics, quizzes and discussions on rules. Unfortunately, as witnessed during the I.G.U. tournament that followed, some children were still quite clueless about something as simple as filling up a scorecard.

Anita Dua puts the kids through their yoga paces.

Yoga, which was also first introduced in 2000, has become an integral part of the training program. Anita Dua, a member of our club, conducted the classes, and, I dare say, the children simply loved to take part. Meanwhile, Dr. Bharat Inder Singh's tips on dealing with the hot weather and injuries were of great help.

I would like to say that the program was successful in what it set out to do. To borrow the words of one of the coaches, "The idea is to provide fun-based learning exercises and develop enthusiasm for the game." What we need to do as a follow up is conduct 'Camps of Excellence', which will take the program forward. I believe we have succeeded in widening the base of golf-playing juniors through our program but we need to pick up those who have shown talent and provide them greater facilities in terms of playing rights, student memberships, and participation in competitions.

Rashid, Gurbani steal the show

Rashid Khan and Gurbani Singh get the victory heave.

The 3rd Delhi Golf Club I.G.U.-categorized junior tournament was played just after the JTP. Over 200 juniors from all over the country sent in their entries in the four categories. As the number of entries in each category was restricted to 30, of which the top 20 were drawn from the I.G.U. merit list, a pre-qualifying round was played. At the halfway stage the field was reduced to 20 plus ties in categories A, B and C.

The high humidity made the going tough for the young golfers. To add to their discomfiture was the fact that, as per tournament rules, they had to carry their own bags. Undeterred, they put up a great show!

Rashid Khan of DGC, arguably the country's No.1 junior, was in irresistible form, playing in Category A in the age group 15-17. From the back tees, he was seven-under 281 (72, 71, 71, 67) for the tournament. His flawless 67 in the final round had five birdies. Not surprisingly, he won by a walloping 22-stroke margin from Arshad Ali. Interestingly, Rahul Bakshi had won last year with a score of 294 and Rashid, who was runner up then, not only improved on the winning score by 13 strokes but also on his 2007 total of 302, by 21 strokes.

In Category B too, the scores were a lot healthier than last time. Abhishek Kuhar, who won in Category C last year, was 14 strokes better than last year's winner Khalil Joshi. In fact, the top five scores in this division were all better than last year's winning score of 312.

Gurbani Singh, who has made winning a habit, was the star of Category C. Teeing off from the same tees as the boys, she outshone them in this section to win with a score of 315 (76, 79, 84, 76). Gurbani's progress in the game has been phenomenal. Last year, in the same competition and in the same section, she was placed eighth with a total of 336.

A lot of the credit for her performance goes to her mother, who keeps a watchful eye on her and closely monitors her progress.

On the flip side, it was disappointing to see 13 participants being disqualified for submitting wrong cards. Though the Championship Committee gave them the benefit of doubt, treating them as cases of 'error' rather than cheating, a reference was made to it at the prize distribution ceremony. Generally, the control exercised by the Championship Committee was well received by players and parents alike, who opined that it was one of the best organized junior tournaments in recent times.

A Junior program for Noida

(Top) Monish Bindra passes on tips to the young boys and girls. (Left) Four-year-old Ashmit Bindra shows off his 'Best Putter' trophy; Bindra was the youngest participant at the Noida G.C. JTP.

Junior Golf is the future of Indian golf. Continuous support for budding golfers will help produce many more Jeev Milkha Singhs. The present generation has made breakthroughs on all international circuits but the quest to put more Indians on the PGA, European, Japanese, Australasian and Asian Tours must go on.

In 2004, the first camp for juniors in the Noida region was hosted by the Noida Golf Club. The success of these summer camps is seen by the increase in the number of young golfers, from 15 to 90, on the junior circuit. And each year, Noida G.C. is committed to hosting these programs.
Undaunted by the heat, 38 students from 11 schools in the National Capital Region turned up for the two Junior Training Camps at Noida G.C., which were

held in May and June. In the camps, youngsters learned techniques of the long game, putting, chipping, and bunker shots. Alongside, they were given lessons on the Rules of Golf, and etiquette, as well as advice on the importance of a good diet and exercise.

After achieving a reasonable understanding of the basic skills, the young golfers participated in a chipping and putting competition. They were divided into categories (as per I.G.U. norms). First and second prizes were given in each category in both camps. A total of 38 prizes were awarded, including
'Most Improved Player' and 'Best Upcoming Talent'.

"It is from these that the next generation of champions would emerge," said Monish Bindra, Head Pro, Noida G.C., and in-charge of the program. Meanwhile, the Club Secretary, Col. (retired) Parveen Uberoi, announced that juniors showing promise would be given student membership of the club.

The prizes were given away by Brajesh Sahay, the Founding President of Noida G.C.; Col. Uberoi gave away the certificates of participation. Among the winners were four-year-old Ashmit Bindra, Riya Jindal, Tanuj Agarwal, Antej Sharma, Dhruv Malik and Jai Lamba.

"The game must be learnt at your own pace but from a qualified professional, as, along with your natural flair, technical know-how is a must for a better foundation," said Bindra. "We understand the need for improving skill; our programs are designed for children of nursery, junior and senior schools. We are committed to helping students attain proficiency in golf," he added.

Aug 2008