Fairways and Greens: As a new chapter begins for Indian golf, all eyes should be on Kartik Singh

This hebdomad, Chandigarh golf game bludgeon hosts the number one tourney of the new Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). Let’s give them a couple of years to determine if they're beneficial or detrimental to Indian golf, but they have certainly managed to spark some interest in the sport.

Just like the PGA Tour vs LIV Golf battle, it has opened a chasm in Indian professional golf. So much so that there were reports of heated exchanges and near physical altercations between players from the two sides when the domestic PGTI Tour restarted last month. A few players turned up in IGPL-branded clothing, arguing that the organisation was their sponsor after they signed contracts, while players who have stayed with the PGTI did not take kindly to the blatant show of support.

Is Uttam Singh Mundy, the man who was at the helm of the Professional Golfers Tour of India (PGTI) for 16 years, really trying to break the house he built?

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There is no event on the PGTI schedule this week, but next week, IGPL’s tournament at Jaypee Greens clashes with their Chennai Open. That really would be the first major flash point as the PGTI has threatened heavy sanctions, including suspensions, on players who play competing events without obtaining proper release.

So, let’s just focus this week on what kind of show the IGPL puts up in Chandigarh.

For me, if there is one thing I am most eager to follow, it is the transition of Kartik Singh to the paid ranks at the tender age of 15.

Is it the right decision? When you know your future is in professional golf, and when you are as good as Kartik, why not? Having witnessed two of his most heroic efforts as an amateur – the performance at the 14th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in 2023, and the cut made at the International Series India presented by DLF earlier this year – I am convinced this move was inevitable and imminent, but I would have loved for him to spend at least one more year as an amateur.

Looking at his physique, and if you focus on Kartik’s stats and numbers, you’d back the decision. Also, he is not getting challenged in his age category, nor is he getting tested in higher age categories.

But there are two reasons why I’d have liked him to wait for at least one more year. One… there is a logic behind why most professional sports have an age limitation for turning pro. Physicality and skills are just one part of it, but playing for money requires a different mindset. And second…Kartik may have achieved a lot from an Indian standpoint, but another year as an amateur would have given him a chance to compete at some of the finest amateur events. There are competitions, golf courses and conditions at elite amateur level that could have tested him and improved him further as a player.

We saw it happen recently with the PGA Tour and LIV Golf — it’s a feud that has caused considerable anxiety and acrimony in the world of golf. It’s hitting a lot closer now, and the entire scenario is being repeat…

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The good thing is, the IGPL is a soft start for Kartik. Limited fields, no cuts, being part of a close group of players, interacting with experienced stars like Gaganjeet Bhullar and others, and a higher level of challenge than he would usually face as an amateur. He will also be earning guaranteed money, which can be banked for his future plans.

Another point of interest will be how the ladies stack up against their male counterparts in a mixed gender event. I have written it before, and let me say it again, the women’s game is going to benefit the most from IGPL. They are competing for the prize purse of INR1.5 crore, but money is not the most important part. Even if playing from a forward tee, they are going to face an intense challenge from the men, and that can only make them better.

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