WOMEN GOLFERS -
TURF CARE & MANAGEMENT BY WOMEN

By Col K. D. Bagga (Retd.)
Bagga's Golf Management Group

In the last about ten-year there is phenomenal surge in the number of women in golf and it should cause a call for golf course and range owners to make the game more female-friendly.

Experts say, trends are revealing that the women's golf movement now represents the industry's best new bet for bigger profits. Universally the analysts advise that a huge increase in the numbers of women players combined with coming changes in the game mean that if trends continue, women are set to dominate influence on the future of golf.

In the early 1990s there were just about 20 women golfers playing at Delhi Golf Course (DGC) but in the last ten years I have seen that just after the 9 O'clock departure of men folk, the golf course is virtually taken over by pretty legs. Later part of 90's, the young brigade of lady golfers was lead by Shuruti Khanna and suddenly there has been a spate of teen age girls hitting the greens to send a loud and clear message, "men beware - we ladies swing better".

While the number of women golfer has been soaring, we need to congratulate some leading ladies of golf, Ms. Sita Rawelly, Harji Malik, Nonita Lal Qurashi, Chander Talwar, Kavita Singh for their very inspiring and determined drive to bring women golfers to fore. Most importantly Ms. Champika Sayal has been one women golfer with a mission to take the Indian women golf to world standards. Her untiring efforts have been soulful to make The Ladies Professional Golf a reality and to record a booming reckoning for Indian women.

Therefore, its time that there are competent women golf course managers & superintendents to take care the golf courses for this will greatly contribute to the promotion for emerging women golfers and young kids in India.

Figures from the US National Golf Foundation show that women's golf in now the fastest-growing sector of the game. During 1998-2004 the number of male golfers increased in the U.S. by less than 5% whereas there is galloping increase for women by staggering 25%. Even by conservative estimates the number of women players in India has leapt by almost 20% over ten years, sparking calls for the industry to catch up with the trend to feminize.

It is reported that for the first time in the history of the game, women now represent one quarter of all golfers, with 6.9 million players in America alone.

But experts warn that the golf industry has been slow to capitalize on the surging trend of more women players. I am sure that more women staff is needed on courses and ranges, including green-keepers, secretaries, and instructors also in the pro shops for feminizing golf In India.

Talking to some leading lady golfers like Ms. Chander Talwar past captain and Ms. Neena Khanna present Captain Ladies' section of DGC, I have gathered that more women working in the industry will help to increase the numbers of women players by increasing their comfort levels, this is possible with women participating in the green-keeping and management of golf course.

Whereas the number of women golfers is growing faster than male golfers but 99.9 per cent of the golf industry staff is male. Won't you like to agree with me that there is a great need for 'how to think like a woman golfer' that it becomes a prominent element in golf staff's education and training.

I strongly feel that to better the financial future course and range facilities we need to understand the demand of women golfers. I feel that the women golfers are best attracted to play or practice when golf is:

•  Fun
•  Friendly
•  Fast
•  A feel-good experience

Course and range owners could do worse by encouraging a less competitive atmosphere. Although most men like their golf to be competitive, women prefer it to be collaborative; the industry could gain significantly by making the game appear less aggressive. Women are not impressed by aggression all the time.

Taking the lead in Green-keeping is the most dynamic Ms Nuzhat Gul at the Royal Spring Golf Club, Kashmir . She is a thorough professional and qualified agronomist exuding robust self-reliance and rare verve to tame the stunning beauty of an international golf course. She has taken this challenge with both hands and is seen flying around the golf course dispensing instructions with great candour. It is no surprise to find her working on machines and spreading fertilizers to ensure just the correct application.

Feb 2004, we had just completed one year and the first publication of "Stick to Greens" had reached golf clubs in India . There were many congratulatory messages for this launch. But greatest appreciation was a surprise phone call in steely and determined voice, "I am Nuzhat Gul from Kashmir and I am the golf superintendent of Royal Palm Golf Course. I am greatly delighted to learn about GCS&MAI, this is a great association for the golf courses superintendents. I am very keen to meet you, Mr. Bagga and discuss plans for the growth of GCS&MAI."

Did I underestimate our meeting with Ms. Nuzhat Gul? In fact, I was meeting a thorough professional with restless sense of urgency for learning and growth of golf superintendence. She was so very motivated with our discussion that she called up Commissioner and Secretary Tourism to support the GCS&MAI.

Soon after about two months I came to meet with Ms Shiraboni, another stubborn Green-keeper to be. She was working with Alertgolf and I met her at Indian Military Academy Golf Course where I was called for some help. A graduate in Agriculture, I found that she was a keen learner and followed me everywhere to pick up instructions. She kept complete follow up of instructions and one day she called for advice about the future of women Green-keepers in India . I told her that "her confidence in herself" is singular factor to make success in any pursuit.

Shiraboni is now doing a full time Masters in Turf Management from university of Sydney and she completes the degree in April 2007. She is on a determined course to make herself the number one green-keeper for the country.

Ms Harshad Abhyankar, Asst Manager Turf at the most challenging Amby Valley Golf Course, is another keeper of turf with Masters in Agriculture. This is a unique golf course nestled in the midst of primary jungles, therefore unlike most urban golf courses in the country, it gets the onslaught of all known forms of diseases and wild life. She has worked at this golf course for more than tree years. It is real music to the ears when Col Sinha, General Manager, fondly and confidently says that she is now groomed to be a successful Green-keeper for any golf course in the country.

As Tiger Woods helped attract more juniors in the same way I think Michelle Wie will have the same effect. With players like Paula Creamer and Birdie Kim, the LPGA is helping to build excitement in the game.

However, the biggest influence on more women wanting to play golf is likely to be the expected increase in the attention of the mass media and when more women managers come to participate in green-keeping to understand the need of fun for women golf. It is heartening to observe that so far all the women green-keepers in India are knowledgeable and thorough professionals possessed with zest for excellence. Let us all help this trend for the growth of golf and women golfers in India.