APGS 2019 talks women’s empowerment, lessons from the game

By Rahul Banerji

Day two of Asia Pacific Golf Summit (APGS) 2019 saw participants from across the world, and from diverse fields, share experiences, talk development, problems, and possible solutions over nine hours of intensive, often intense, discussions at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Tuesday.

Elisa Gaudet, founder of International Women’s Golf Day took the stage to speak about how the movement began and subsequently spread to become a worldwide movement by engaging women from all walks to be part of the occasion and to support and empower them on what is for many, a first step.

India too has been part of the inclusive drive for the past three years, she revealed and added that the occasion would next be observed on June 2, 2020 across 900 venues and more in 52 countries.

Elisa was subsequently joined by Women’s Golf Association of India secretary general Champika Sayal, their discussion revolving mainly around the history, development and growth of the game here.

Sharing experiences

Champika, who has been a stalwart of women’s golf in the country, also recounted experiences that had helped women’s golf reach where it has. “It is really delightful to see how far we have come, there are young girls joining from different parts of India, states like Assam and Gujarat,” she noted.

“These girls are learning golf at the best of facilities like the DLF Golf Academy and others across India. I am quite hopeful about their growth and I am confident that in times to come they will leave quite an impression as avid women golfers.”

Junior golf sometimes fails to get the sort of attention it deserves but APGS 2019 gave it due importance with PacificPine Sports Group director of golf Kevin Smeltz, a vastly experienced teaching professional, speaking at length about the various paths and pitfalls associated with this aspect of the game.

“Physical, emotional and mental development, all need to go hand in hand at the junior level. Developing one aspect or the other ultimately does not help a player grow,” Kevin noted during the course of a talk that brought out all his vast coaching experience.

APGS 2020

Thereafter, Simon Yang of the Mission Hills Group of China took over to share the success story of Hainan island, which has become a standout destination for the game with an enormous number of courses, two international airports, visa-free entries for selected countries and a palette of culture, food and leisure activities to go with all the golf.

Simon also took the occasion to announce APGS 2020 would be hosted by Mission Hills, beating Asia Pacific Golf Group chief Mike Sebastian to the punch somewhat in doing so. Sebastian is the driving force behind APGS and conducted the 2019 session over both days with great aplomb and familiarity.

A wide-ranging discussion on “golf tourism – is it being handled well” helped round off proceedings, well moderated by industry veteran Rudy Anderson, the president/chief executive of Pacific Links.

Participants included Mark Chapleski, President, Troon International of the UAE; Mohamed Juma Buamaim, founder/CEO of aggregator website Golf Citizen, UAE; Brandon De Souza, chairman and managing director of Tiger Sports Marketing, India; Ben Styles, vice-president of Golf, Hoiana Shores Golf Club of Vietnam and Rajan Sabherwal, another industry veteran all of whom had contributions to make on the subject, some good, some not.

APGS 2019 ends with the 20^th Asian Golf Awards late on Wednesday with Dr Pawan Munjal of Hero MotoCorp being inducted into the Asia-Pacific Golf Hall of Fame, and Arjun Atwal and Champika Sayal receiving lifetime achievement recognition, besides the 47 categories to be honoured.

Diksha. Ridhima in early lead

Making a rare appearance on the WGAI professional tour, Ladies European Tour card-holder Diksha Dagar and Ridhima Dilawari shared the lead on 3-under 69 with Tvesa Malik and Gaurika Bishnoi on 71s after the first round of the 14^th leg of the Hero Tour at Noida Golf Course on Wednesday.

With four players bringing in sub-par rounds, the final two rounds should see a strong tussle as the season comes to its closing stages with the final event at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.

Also read: Hall of Fame honour for Hero MotoCorp’s Munjal