It’s golf season in hill town, 500 players to pick up clubs

Udhagamandalam: It’s that time of the year when golf comes alive in the hill town. With the summer golf meet organized by the Ootacamund Gymkhana Club commencing on Friday, it won’t be any exaggeration to say the next 20 days belong to the people who swing the tee perfectly and strike balls into holes.
More than 500 golf players from across the country are expected to take part in the event that would feature 19 playoffs. Ooty golf course, which falls under the management of Ootacamund Gymkhana Club, is considered one of the best in the country. It has played host to India’s most prestigious and historic golf competitions. The South India Open Amateur Championship has been held here ever since 1906 without a break.

The 19 playoffs comprise the famous Nilgiris Cup, 116th Open Amateur Golf Championship of Southern India and the Dunlop Shield.

As far as the Nilgiris is concerned, one among the rich legacies of the British era is the Wenlock Downs Golf Course in Ooty. Located at an altitude of 7,400ft above the sea level, the 18-hole golf course is spread across 193 acres of Wenlock Downs, hence the name. The golf course follows the soft contours of down land, with its tonsured effect of tree-bare heights. The golf links are lush but tight, and greens are well maintained.

Playing here is a challenge to the golfer as well as a delight to the senses. Speaking about the holes, there is no gentle opening in Ooty. The first hole’s tremendous length (583 yards from the back tees) is offset by fast running downhill fairway all the way to the green. The second is a rare thing in golf – a blind shot. The hilly terrain forced the designer (Colonel Ross Thomson) to include several blind shots in this unusual golf course.

In more than 120 years of Ootacamund Gymkhana Club’s formation, the town has grown into a bustling commercial resort. But the golf course, which was set up in 1896, still remains a refuge from the hustle bustle of the town.

“Ooty golf course is one of the best courses to practice in the country because of its peculiar conditions. It has produced several golfers. The scenic beauty and breathtaking views make the course one of the most sought-after in India,” said K Krishnakumar, secretary, Ootacamaund Gymkhana Club.

The summer golf meet will conclude on May 25.