Curtains on eventful year, focus on upcoming New Rules

CHENNAI: GOLFERS everywhere are raising a toast to 2022, thankful to have gotten back to the fairways and found their rhythm and form. COVID-19 had taken away sporting activity for two years and although its variants keep popping up, normal life and sporting activity resumed in 2022. Boosters have been a shot in the arm, literally and figuratively.

Health matters apart, other developments in the sport made 2022 very engaging, specially the issue of Liv Golf, and the allure it held (and continues to hold for top pros) because of the sheer quantum of money to be made in a short time in this format, dwarfing even the PGA purse. For the amateurs, the points of discussion were often centred around the application of the R&A’s rules of 2019, the migration to World Handicapping System (WHS) and the push towards playing ‘ready golf’, in order to accommodate as many players as possible on crowded golf courses.

The TNGF hosted the PGTI tour and a number of amateurs walked the course, marvelling at the pros’ economy of swing and the precision with which they landed their shots. It was a masterclass on course management.

The Juniors tournament, held in both the courses, the TNGF and the Madras Gymkhana Golf annexe, saw quite a number of young participants display plenty of potential for the long haul, having taken to the sport less than three years ago. Will the talent pool in Tamil Nadu grow and produce stars in the coming years, is the question on everyone’s mind, especially since golf is now officially a sporting event in the National Games.

Sea Captain’s glance

For Chennai golfers, there was additional engagement with the sky, thanks to the unusually balmy weather during most of August, September, October, November and December, the peak golfing season. Weather became a dominant topic on chat groups, and today, not many recall the times when weather forecasts were as keenly followed as IPL scores.

To be fair, there were equal number of twists and turns. Quite a few golfing days were lost, but that is par for the course. On the whole, players managed to have a great outing, with a number of them notching up hole in ones to their credit, earning the right to host a party to celebrate with their friends.

December season

The last week of December is normally packed for amateur golfers in the city. Some move out of the city to play abroad, while an equal number move into the city maintaining a balance of numbers. One either competes in local tournaments, or heads off to Kodaikanal, where various tournaments are conducted.

As the tournament season is all set to roll out, players are spoilt for choice with events clashing. The PGTI qualifying event is set to take place in Jamshedpur and Kolkata in January. A gruelling programme with three pre-qualifying rounds in Jamshedpur and the last final qualifying event in Kolkata will select the fresh entrants to the Professional Golf events for 2023, I am told. Four golfers from Chennai are hoping to make the cut, backed by the goodwill of all city golfers.

The New Year will also see the rolling out of the new rules by R&A and USGA. The earlier revision, made in 2019, was aimed at speeding up the game and the current revisions are initiated keeping in mind the growing popularity of the game among various age groups.

Special provisions for the differently abled and removal of some draconian clauses have been announced. Golfers forgetting to enter their handicap on the card will not be severely penalised, as the onus now shifts to the clubs/ committees. A model Local rule format is also to be issued. All in all, a pulse quickening start to the New Year.