Without a doubt, Subramani Madaiah was one of the brightest golfing stars to emerge from the South in recent times. The last couple of years had seen him mature into an all-round golfer. A regular top-10 finisher on the Indian Tour, Madaiah was keen to take on the best in Asia in the coming year.
Sadly, fate dealt a cruel blow to the unassuming 27-year-old from Somballi village in Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu. On that fateful Saturday (July 7), Madaiah died in a horrific bike accident near Hosur. Both Madaiah and his friend Manikandan, who too met the same fate, were on their way to their hometown. The golfing fraternity was in a state of shock at the sudden demise of the rising star. A pall of gloom had descended on the Karnataka Golf Association.
Madaiah, along with C Muniyappa, both caddie-turned-pros, have been the two jewels in the KGA crown. For the other caddies at the KGA in particular and Bangalore in general, Madaiah was like a messiah. For, his was a near rags-to-riches story. With no formal coaching, and riding purely on his sheer grit and loads of talent, Madaiah moved up the ranks.
Hours spent watching others play, and the even longer hours at the practice range, were the secrets behind his success. Nicknamed '300 Madaiah' for his long-hitting abilities, the affable pro possessed a good short-game and was an aggressive putter. After grossing nearly Rs four lakh the two previous seasons, Madaiah had crossed the Rs six-lakh mark this year on the PGTI Tour in only 10 starts.
Muniyappa, who has been rooming with Madaiah on the Tour and who hails from Madaiah's neighbouring village, was still to come to grips with his friend's death. “He was like a brother to me, I'm missing him very much," murmured Muniyappa. "I haven't slept in the last couple of days. He was a very jovial and fun-loving person. His banter used to keep us in good humour, especially on off-days on the course. I miss him so much…"
C Puttaraj, who literally grew up with Madaiah at the KGA, too was at a loss for words. "We'll miss a great player," he said. "He was a livewire in the group, and was hard-working."
His hard work was what nearly won him a title. But the country's leading pro, Ashok Kumar, dashed Madaiah's hopes in the final of the SRF Matchplay last year. "He is a great player. He was friendly with everybody, we'll miss him on the Tour," Ashok said. "I'll try and help his family in whatever way I can," he added.
It was the generous help from S N Agarwal of Bhoruka Steel which was instrumental in Madaiah playing on the Indian Tour. The KGA too played a huge role in helping Madaiah and other promising caddies pursue their dreams.
A career in golf was the last thing Madaiah's parents would have had in mind for their son — just five then — when they moved out from the drought-hit Somballi seeking employment. KGA became their final destination. The rest is history.
Growing up watching the members play, Madaiah started out as a fore-caddie and then became a caddie. It was on those fairways that he began to dream of being a golfer one day. Hours and hours of practice fine-tuned his golfing skills. Turning pro was the next natural step. After a few years of struggle, Madaiah began to make a mark. The golfing community began to sit up and take notice. However, just when everything seemed to be going his way, Madaiah met a tragic end. His demise has left the golfing community poorer, while the KGA has lost one of its precious jewels.
