Driving for excellence: IGU eyes Chandigarh Golf Association as regional hub

The Chandigarh Golf Association (CGA) range is aiming to drive to the next level as the Indian Golf Union (IGU) evaluates the facility as a potential high-performance centre of excellence.

Central to this push is the CGA’s landmark initiative for economically weaker section (EWS) golfers, conceptualised by CGA president RK Pachnanda, IPS (retd). The programme provides underprivileged youth—many of them former caddies—with comprehensive equipment, professional instruction, and tournament funding. The initiative has already propelled four EWS players onto the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and secured a sports-quota job with Indian Railways for one participant.

IGU president Brijinder Singh toured the facility recently alongside Greg Thorpe, the general manager of Talent Identification & High Performance at Golf New Zealand, to assess its potential for expansion.

Speaking to HT on Saturday, Brijinder Singh said, “CGA is an apt place. Look at the sheer talent it has produced, whether it’s golfers like Jeev Milkha Singh, Gaganjit Bhullar, or Shubhankar Sharma. It also has the lone golf Dronacharya awardee, Jesse Grewal, acting as the epicentre for shaping talent. You don’t need an 18-hole course for a centre of excellence. We may need to add specialised teachers and equipment, but the infrastructure is already there. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

With golf firmly on the Olympic stage following landmark international runs—such as Aditi Ashok’s fourth-place Tokyo finish and Indian women breaking into the top 100 World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR)—the demand for accessible high-performance hubs has surged.

While metro venues like NCR’s DLF Golf and Country Club remain costly, Chandigarh offers an established talent incubator. The National Golf Academy of India (NGAI) is already headquartered at the CGA Range, where a rotating squad of 20 elite junior golfers regularly trains.

Beyond infrastructure, junior golfers train on the same turf as established champions and EWS mentors.

“CGA champs hitting off the tee and rubbing shoulders with junior golfers is deeply inspiring for the kids,” the IGU chief said. “Imagine playing with Sachin Tendulkar at the nets during his prime—that is the exact environment we foster here.”

To transition into a full centre of excellence, the proposed project will focus on integrating sports science into daily training through advanced analytics by deploying launch monitors and 3D motion-capture systems to analyse swing mechanics and ball data. There will be specialised coaching, including conditioning coaches, sports psychologists, and physical therapists to support veteran coaches like Jesse Grewal. Besides, precision putting labs will be installed with force plates and high-speed video tracking alongside custom gear-fitting facilities.

With Commonwealth Games and Olympic cycles on the horizon, Brijinder Singh says establishing a dedicated centre of excellence remains a primary regional goal, though timeline depends on institutional backing.

“There is no specific deadline because for funds we need sponsors or the government to invest. These are long-term propositions, but with the Olympics in our sights and an excellent squad stationed right here in Chandigarh, the momentum is undeniably with us,” he adds.