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Golf seems to be the new tee-off for India, resulting in more resorts coming up in the country, while hotels too benefit from the surge in occupancies, says Bindu Gopal Rao.
Holidays today are about being niche and custom made, and golf resorts are one such concept that seem to be making their presence felt strongly. In India, there are currently nearly 200 golf courses with almost another 40 in the pipeline.
Golf has been in the country for a long time - the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkatta was the first golf club to be set up outside the British Isles.
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India is still considered as one of the favorite destinations by international golfers because of the fact that world-class golfing facilities are available at an affordable price, when compared to South-East Asian countries.
“Most Indian courses combine a sense of history, scenic surroundings, and a variety of other leisure activities with great game possibilities. Although we are not yet in a position to promote India as a pure golf destination, such as some of the European countries and the UK, I’d say we will do well by thoughtfully blending elements of culture and golf in a balanced holiday manner into our country, that explicitly also caters to the needs of the accompanying non-golfers,” says Puneet Sachdev, managing director, The Indian Golf Company.
More than 20 private golf resorts are expected to come up in India this year including DLF, Jaypee, Oxford Golf and Country Club, Clover Greens, and Champion Reef from Confident Group.
Dax Properties is setting up a 18-hole golf course-centric luxury retreat and township at Shadnagar in Hyderabad, at an investment of Rs500 crore. The golf course will be spread over 130-acres on a 300-acre site earmarked for the golf retreat project.
The company’s intention is to set up a golf tourism circuit towards which it is planning similar golf, villa, and resort townships in Vishakhapatnam, and at a hill station close to Bangalore. “Golf is catching up in a big way in India; we chose Hyderabad as there is no 18-hole golf course in the city,” says Masood, managing director, Dax Properties.
In spite of the fact that many Indians are keen golfers, India is not considered an attractive proposition for golf resort developers. Investing in this sector can be a challenge as there is limited land available for development in proximity to the cities, and land costs in India have sky rocketed.
Rainer Stoll, managing director, Seasons Hotels (which manages Tarudhan Valley Golf Resort), says: “Because of the cost of land as well as maintenance, golf expertise, and all the requirements for a golf resort, hotel chains are not looking into an investment in this area, but they are interested into management contracts.”
Marriott Golf, which manages golf courses in 13 countries, is one of the world’s premier golf operators. Catherine Leitner, senior manager, international public relations, Marriott International, says: “With more than 57 golf courses in 41 locations around the world, we believe strongly in the value that the golf element provides for our guests; it is an attractive component of the overall resort experience.”
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