With golf set to return to the Olympics, experts today underlined the need to build new golf courses to make the sport accessible to a wider population.
Speaking at the curtain raiser of fourth Annual India Golf Expo, Director General of Indian Golf Union (IGU) Wg. Cdr. Arun Singh, said IGU was all for development of new golf courses and attract new players.
"As golf gains popularity as a recreational sport, the sport excellence edge also gets sharpened. Quality will emerge out of quantity," he said.
According to IGIA estimates, around 20 smaller golf projects are already underway in India with total investments between Rs 600-1000 crore.
Another 20 large projects which are likely to be created in the next five years which would mean investments of Rs 5000-10000 crore into golf projects as a standard 200 to 300 acre golf course entails an investment ranging between Rs 200-500 crore depending on the location and size.
Aakash Ohri, Director DLF and President of Indian Golf Industry Body (IGIA), the organiser of India Golf Expo said, "Besides sport, golf industry has multifarious advantages of real estate development, tourism promotion and employment generation and can be a major catalyst of investment generation.
"Mega investments in Golf real estate are underway or are lined up which will provide a springboard for several sectors of economy," Ohri said.
