Golf in India
Duration : 20 Nights / 21 Days
Destination : Delhi - Chandigarh - Shimla - Delhi - Calcutta -
Chennai - Coimbatore - Ooty - Bangalore - Mumbai
Day 01 - Arrive Delhi
On
arrival you will be met by our representative and transferred to hotel,
where we will be holding the rooms on ready occupancy basis. Overnight at
hotel.
Day 02 - Delhi
After breakfast transfer to Delhi Golf Club. The 6972 yards, PAR 72, 18
Hole Golf Course was redesigned by Peter Thompson in 1977 - 78 and got a
major fillip when it was chosen to host the first ever golf tournament at
the Asian Games in 1982. More than 500 Golfers walk into History every
day, as they play in the country's busiest course. The Club also has a
Nine Hole B Course used primarily by beginners. The first hole on the main
course is a 522 yards, PAR 5, which doglegs to the left around a thorny
bush rough. Afternoon return back to Hotel.
Day 03 - Delhi
Optional sightseeing tour of Delhi visiting Old and New Delhi both.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 04 - Delhi - Chandigarh
Drive to Chandigarh. On arrival in Delhi, check in into hotel. Afternoon
half-day city tour. Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 - Chandigarh
Have breakfast and proceed to Golf Club. Starting a Golf Course in
Chandigarh was conceived in the 50's, it took almost 10 years for it to
take shape. In 1960 a piece of land was allotted and the club was
established with an initial membership of just 10 Golfers. The 09 Hole
course was enlarged to 12, when the benevolent governor - who surrendered
a major chunk of land from his official resident - granted additional land
to the club in 1966. It was only as late as September 1983 that a regular
18 Hole PAR 72 Course was finally laid out over Sprawling 132 Acres.
Afternoon return to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 06 - Chandigarh - Shimla
After
breakfast drive to Shimla. Afternoon city tour of Shimla. Overnight at
hotel.
Day 07 - Shimla
Shimla was summer capital during British Raj & no English Township
could be completed without a golf course. A suitable site was finally
chosen at Naldehra which is 23 KMS away from Shimla. Course is carpeted by
a fine spirgy turf, which requires little maintenance. The PAR 68 Course
is basically located in a bowl & has 09 Holes, which can be back
played to 18. Come back to hotel for relaxing, dine and overnight stay.
Day 08 - Shimla - Delhi
Today we enjoy train journey from Shimla to Delhi. On arrival transfer to
hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 09 - Delhi - Calcutta
Transfer to airport for flight to Calcutta. On arrival transfer to hotel.
Afternoon city tour. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 - Calcutta
After
breakfast transfer to Royal Calcutta Course. This course was originally
paddy field hence consequently is very flat. Successive Committees have
built mounds and planted thousands of trees and shrubs. But the Royal's
conspicuous features are its strategically located water tanks and natural
water hazards. The most significant are the two large tanks across the
tenth Fairway, the 457 yards PAR 04 hole. From the tee, the tiger line is
over the first tank and must carry all of 230 yards. The after route to
the right leaves a very long second shot over the second tank, a good 100
yards wide, to a small undulating green wickedly trapped all around.
Return back to hotel to relax, dine and overnight stay.
Day 11 - Calcutta - Chennai
Morning transfer to airport to connect flight to Chennai. On arrival
transfer to hotel. Afternoon sight seeing tour of Chennai city. Overnight
hotel.
Day 12 - Chennai
After breakfast transfer to Madras Gymkhana Club, it was founded in 1886.
Unique in that it is situated within the 2400metre oval of the guindy
racecourse, it offers a challenging game. The fairways at guindy are flat
and fast and encircled by the out of bounds racetrack. The greens are lush
and well maintained and also strategically located, mostly along the
track. Hazards on the course include not only thick rough, bunders and
water tanks, but also unpredictable obstructions like the racehorses on
their workouts. The first hole on this course is a heavy looking PAR 04 at
415 yards, it however takes a calculated and well lofted drive to avoid
the bunkers placed on the fairway, 130 yards from the tee. The second hole
is an easy PAR 03 at 170 yards, with a tricky green, at the gradient of
almost 30 degrees. Overnight to be spent at hotel.
Day 13 - Chennai
Free day to explore Chennai city, optional tour to Mahabalipuram or
revisit to golf club. Overnight Chennai.
Day 14 - Chennai - Coimbatore - Ooty
Transfer from hotel to airport for flight to Coimbatore on arrival at
Coimbatore, three hours drive will take you to Ooty, a hill stations in
South India. On arrival check in into the hotel. Dinner and overnight at
hotel.
Day 15 - Ooty
After
breakfast proceed to Ooty Golf Course, it follows the soft contours of
downland, with it's tonsured effect of tree - bare heights, ringed with
gorse and thickly wooded copses of Eucalyptus, Oak Rhododendron and fir in
the Hollows. The altitude of 7600 feet a few degrees above the equator,
provides a combination of light/thin air which is near intoxicant, and the
ball travels much further than it would in plains because of the rarefied
atmosphere. The Ooty Golf course is not only scenic but also quite tiring
and it would be wise for the visitor to play only 09 of the 18 holes on
the 01st day. Dinner & overnight at hotel.
Day 16 - Ooty - Bangalore
Drive from Ooty to Bangalore, visiting beautiful country - side.
Overnight at hotel in Bangalore.
Day 17 - Bangalore
After breakfast transfer to Bangalore Golf Club. The 18-hole course,
started with browns, which were later converted to greens. Scarcity of
water in the area is a major constraint and the course has very few water
hazards. Besides trees and deep ditches, the major hazard on the course is
the Bangalore crow, which often picks up the ball, mistaking it for an
egg. It is therefore, not surprising that the logo of the Bangalore Golf
Club depicts a crow with a ball in its beak. Overnight at hotel.
Day 18 - Banglore - Mumbai (Bombay)
Transfer to airport for flight to Mumbai. On arrival transfer to hotel.
Afternoon city tour. Overnight at hotel.
Day 19 - Mumbai
After breakfast transfer to Bombay presidency Golf Club, A green heaven
amidst a concrete jungle. The 110 acre founded in 1827, the PAR 70, 18
hole course was redesigned by Peter Thompson to International Standards.
Presidency's fairways are narrow and tight, but its greens are undoubtedly
the best in the country, the real test at presidency, however, is the
variable and shifting sea breeze, which could fox even the most
experienced player. It is not a difficult course, it's not too long, not
too narrow, and yet not an easy course to break par. The 5th hole is one
of the most challenging on this Mumbai Course. A 480 yard, PAR 05, a dog
leg to the right, with a fairway trap strategically placed to catch the
long hitter trying to cut the corner. Afternoon drive back to hotel.
Overnight to be spent at hotel.
Day 20 - Mumbai
Day free for personal activities. Overnight at hotel.
Day 21 - Departure Mumbai
Transfer to International Airport for flight back home.
