The pitch is short and sweet. The location is easily accessible. Time efficiency has been achieved impeccably. Everything you don’t associate with golf traditionally has been turned around by golfer and coach Amandeep Johl, in his new express golf format launched in Gurugram. The purpose is to take the sport back to the common man and dismiss the notion that it is a bourgeois sport meant for a few. The pitch is circumferenced by high rises on all four sides forming an unusual visual to what one expects from a golf course that otherwise sprawl to the horizon. If a standard golf course is 150 acres, in express golf the ball traverses a third of the distance to approximately 25 acres. Also, it comes with nine holes as opposed to the typical 18-hole course.
A round of golf takes anywhere between three and four hours on an average (could take longer) in a regular set up but here you can complete a game in an hour or less. “Express golf is cost-effective and keeps families happy,” says Johl, beaming while adding, “Besides the time it takes to play a traditional golf set, you also need to consider the long travelling hours it takes to reach a golf course as they’re mostly located far. That means half a day exhausted. With people working hectic lives today, time is luxury. They want to spend it with their family and on personal commitments, so with this format, you can be back home in a couple of hours.”
Because every game needs to evolve with the times, it’s golf’s turn now, believes the coach. From a sport that was first played by the shepherds of Scotland who would hit rocks into rabbit holes, to a game that has become bourgeois over time, Johl thinks there is a wide disconnect between the game and the public today. “It’s largely regarded as an expensive game too which has prevented people from exploring it. But with express golf, you can play a game without digging a hole in your pocket. It costs `120 for an hour at Siri Fort’s short course, while it’s free for residents of M3M,” says Johl.
With express golf, he has introduced innovation too. The golf ball is called ‘almost golf’ manufactured by an American company. It’s lighter than a traditional ball that weighs 45.93 gm, with this one being 13.5 gm, travelling lesser distance making it appropriate for the smaller courses. “It’s entirely safe. A regular golf ball can cause grave injuries given the velocity at which it is struck. The one we are using for express golf can be used to play in societies and parks with no impact to the human body,” he says.
The turf has been specially developed. It’s an all-weather one allowing for the game to be played even during rain. Every day it sees golf sessions being undertaken by Johl, also the founder of Amandeep Johl Golf Academy.
This course has a Par-3 nine-hole course with Par-3s with yardages from 50-105 yards. With everything shortened it can be best understood as the T-20 of golf, making the sport more approachable. “It’s like gully cricket. Now, golf can be played in backyards which was unthinkable before,” says Johl who is waiting to introduce it to other parts of Delhi and NCR. “Welcome to the future of golf,” he ends.