The best from Chandigarh Golf Club will compete against each other come next week, as the Chandigarh Golf League tees off at the 7,202-yard-long golf course in the city from September 21 onward.
The league, which will have a total of 360 members participating (a maximum of 18 players in the 20 teams), will be played in the ‘round-robin’ format in the group stage, before the teams clash in the knock-out stage.
As per officials, the first-of-its-kind league in UT, saw ten players being picked by the owners of each team, with the remaining eight being picked from a pool during an auction conducted last month. The total prize money for the league is Rs 20 lakh, officials said.
“I am very glad to bring the Chandigarh Golf League in a new format to be played at Chandigarh Golf Club. It has not been done earlier and as the president of the club, I am happy that the members will get to compete in a team this time. Normally, members only get to watch professional events happen at the club. A mandatory condition was put in this time that every team will need to field a senior player above the age of 75 years and one lady golfer. We put this rule in to ensure maximum participation among the members,” Lieutenant Colonel HS Chahal, president of Chandigarh Golf Club said, while speaking during a press conference on Friday during the launch of the league.
The teams — Canam Raptors, Captains 18, Chandigarh Gladiators, Chashma Shah Royals, Empire, Fairway Comets, Golf Masters, Green Gators, Hunting Hawks, Netsmartz Tigers, Ninjas, Partee Panthers, Punjab Aces, Signature by KLV, Sleepy Owl, Chargers, Soaring Eagles, Sultans of Swing, Swinging Samurai, Tee Birds and The Mulligans — have been divided into three groups. Two groups will have seven teams each, and one group will have six teams. The teams in each group will play each other once and after the round robin format, the top two teams from each group along will qualify for the quarterfinal stage. Each team will play two singles matches and five doubles matches, with 12 players playing in one match.
“The course has been playing good and we have also upgraded the greens on the course in the lead up to this event. Keeping the greens as well fairways in good conditions for each match day will be the challenge that we look forward to meeting,” said KS Sibia, captain of UT Golf Club.
The matches will start at 8 am daily, with the last match of the day starting no later than noon. The knockout stage of the tournament will be played in October. “Members have been practicing hard and the club is ready to host all the 360 members for this multi-team league. Members who aren’t participating and the public too can come to watch,” said Dr GS Kochhar, vice president of UT Golf Club.