Of golf and glamour

For the first time in history, two Indian golfers — Anirban Lahiri and Jeev Milkha Singh — made it to the weekend rounds at the same major.

 As the golfers took on the challenge on day three of the prestigious British Open, the City’s glitterati and golf enthusiasts turned up at a screening of the game in big numbers to cheer the duo.

The screening of the British Open, hosted by ING Vysya and Taj West End, saw the crème de la crème of Bangalore bond over wine and golf.

The guests had a fun time at the event, trying their hand at miniature golf and other contests based on the sport.

The putting contest for beginners and ladies attracted many. They could learn putting within minutes from a helpful instructor and then play a fun indoor course.
The guests were given three chances to play their best shot for exclusive prizes.

The next best thing to competing at the Open championship was playing the
contests at the game im­prove­­ment simulator that was showcased at the dinner.
The simulator gave the guests, who were equipped with real club and golf balls, an electronic golfing experience with vivid graphics.

“I play golf once in a while with my husband, mostly during the weekends, but this is a lot of fun and I’m having a blast playing these games,” exclaims Shubha Sarda, who was waiting for her turn to play.

Celebrities spotted at the screening included sports commentator, Charu Sharma; dancer, Madhu Nataraj and ex-cricketer, Sunil Joshi.

“Golf teaches everyone gentlemanly conduct. The best thing about playing golf is the fact that you play against yourself and the course,” says Charu Sharma.
Others at the event included Sanjay Sood, the general manager of Taj West End; Uday Sareen, the country head of retail banking at ING Vysya and Srivalsan Ponnachath, the senior vice president of Cisco Services India & SAARC. Also spotted having a good time at the screening was Vishal Dhupar, the managing director of South Asia at NVIDIA.

“Cricket and golf have a lot in common — the bat (club) and ball being the most obvious. Cricketers love playing golf and at the end of the day, it’s all about sportsmanship no matter which game you choose to play,” expressed Sunil Joshi.
While some women were having a blast trying their hand at golf, others enjoyed the cheerful and noisy atmosphere which reminded them of the experience of watching a live game.

“The whole idea of screening this was to bring together golf lovers and friends to watch the game on a big screen, instead of sitting alone at home and watching it on the television. It’s always fun when people who share the same interests come together and have a good time,” explains Rishi Narain, the managing director of Rishi Narain Golf Management.

The evening ended on a high note with Indian golfers giving everyone a reason to cheer.