Classic GCC at its best as Laxminarayan, Kapur top Audi event

By Rahul Banerji

Twenty-five odd years ago, we were driven deep into the hinterlands of the Nuh area off Gurgaon as part of a press party invited to the newly-opened Classic Golf and Country Club.

All those years ago, it was all rocky canyons and thick brush studded with dusty rock quarries and a small track winding from village to village as we headed towards Hassanpur.

Even today, a first look of the emerald green Jack Nicklaus-sculpted fairways is a personal heart-stop moment. And in all the time since, particularly after picking up this great game a few years ago, the Classic course remains one of my favourite destinations.

Happy days

So it was with a happy heart one that drove out yet again last week for the Delhi edition of the Audi quattro Cup 2019, thanks to event organizer, the flamboyant and cheerful Brandon De Souza, who has steered many such happenings across the length and breadth of India.

Those stone quarries are now silent, but in their place are schools, high-rises and even a mall! And the approach road is infinitely better thanks to all the activity in the area.

With partner ‘Tiger’ Rajesh, we did a reasonable job of negotiating the Classic’s friendly fairways and largely non-threatening hazards to rack up respectable points, though honours for the day were reserved for the pair of Laxminarayan S. and Tarun Kapur, who garnered 72 points to qualify for the India Finals.

Wide net

Now in its 29^th edition globally, the Audi quattro Cup saw over 750 golfers in seven cities vying to qualify for the India finals, which will be played for the 12^th time. The first leg was in Bhubaneswar followed by Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Jaipur and Mumbai.

The event was played on a Stableford format where pairs were drawn randomly after the round. Using the Single Peoria system, individual handicaps are determined and the top team with the best cumulative score from each leg qualified for the India finals that will be played later in the year.

The winners of the India finals qualify for the world finals where Audi India winners have been amongst the top teams in the last few years. “I wish all the participants the best of success and I’m hopeful that the winning team from India will have a realistic chance to get the global trophy in 2019,” Audi India head Rahil Ansari said.

“The Audi quattro Cup in India has become a great platform for young minded, successful entrepreneurs and professionals to not only enjoy competitive golf but to also network with each other. This year we are in the 12th year of celebrating the growing fascination for amateur golf events in India,” he added.

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