IGU signs Golf Promotion Agreement with OAAG

New Delhi, Aug 19 (UNI) In a major boost to golf in the country, the Indian Golf Union (IGU) here today announced a Golf Promotion Agreement with OAAG - which currently runs the Singapore National Golf Tour - to provide a platform to budding players and popularise the game in India.

Launching the OAAG Global Golf Program which is also first of its kind in India, CEO of OAAG Nicklaus D'Cruz said, ''This program will provide a unique and unmatched opportunity for experienced and aspiring golfers in slightly affordable terms.'' ''We are trying our best to help and support the beginners as they don't get a platform initially. They don't get good Golf lessons or don't have the knowledge of good equipments, so we provide them all these starting with a golf coach, driving range, equipments with 15-30 per cent discount and finally access to the golf courses,'' Nicklaus quipped.

Welcoming OAAG's unique program, General Chandele, Council mamber, IGU, asserted, ''Golf is improving and increasing in India and this new program of OAAG will help and promote golf in India.'' On India's future in golf, OAAG CEO told UNI, ''People here are crazy for cricket and more people are into the game, which delivers number of stars to the game. Unlike cricket, the pool is very small for golf here. Out of a few people enrolled with golf, the country gets one or two star.'' However, Nicklaus was optimistic that the sport was growing in India. He said, ''Many youngsters are picking up the game at an early age, and very soon the country will witness another rising star like Jeev Milkha Singh.'' He further lamented that as the game is expensive, many newcomers are not able to grow the game within themselves. ''We are trying to lower the cost of the game at least from 100 dollar to 50 dollar.

We have come up with various golf schemes through VISA based credit cards, through which our members across Asia Pacific region are funded by various banks like HDFC to play the game at a very affordable price.'' Nicklaus added that they already have an agreement with 11 golf clubs in India, and by the end of this year they will merge up with 29 more clubs across the country.

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