The solitary swallow

Spotlight : Aditi Ashok's rise is good news for Indian women's golf, struggling to find a line of solid performers

When Aditi Ashok scored a sensational victory in the Hero Women’s India Open last Sunday, it was a path-breaking moment for women’s golf in the country. For a sport bereft of a decent talent pool, let alone a champion, it was indeed a red-letter day.

Indian sport has seen many women turning in inspirational performances, showing they can compete at the highest level — P T Usha in athletics, Sania Mirza in tennis, Saina Nehwal in badminton, M C Mary Kom in boxing, the Phogat sisters in wrestling, Deepika Kumari in archery, Deepa Karmakar in gymnastics being a few. Apart from veteran Smriti Mehra to some extent, women’s golf has had no one to push the boundary. Sharmila Nicollet seemed like taking the sport to the next level 3-4 years ago but she struggled to raise her game when the competition was at a much higher plane.

Aditi, just 18 but almost a decade of competitive experience behind her, however opened a new chapter for aspiring women golfers. She scripted a stirring triumph, her victory a culmination of years of hard work and planning that hardly allowed her to enjoy her childhood like other kids.

“It’s indeed a red-letter day for us,” Women’s Golf Association of India Secretary General Champika Sayal told DH. “I’ve been associated with the sport for 45 years and this is the first time an Indian has triumphed in a European Tour event. Women’s golf in the country as such had very few names that someone can look up to. What Aditi has done is incredible. It’s just her first year as a professional and to win in her rookie year speaks volumes about her talent. She’s indeed a gifted child but one mustn’t forget her hard work and the guidance her parents have given her through her formative years. She's a very disciplined kid and I hope this win inspires the next generation.”

While Aditi’s win is indeed inspiring, much of her success is self-made and many could find it hard to replicate her success in a sport that is not easily accessible to the average middle-class. Thanks to her parents being members of a golf club, Aditi could start playing the game the moment she fell in love with it at the age of five. Being somewhat financially strong, she could afford to stay in the game that comes with a very strong price tag.

Sensing Aditi was a rare child but not willing to take chances considering there was no professional golf domestically — women started playing for money here only from October 2006 onwards — her parents were forced to blend studies and sport in equal measure. Even men's golf, which has witnessed quite a few rags-to-riches tales, it’s only the caddies who take up the game apart from the gentlemen. Unlike cricket, football, badminton, basketball etc, golf is mostly limited to the affluent.

“Golf is still an exclusive sport and not an inclusive one,” opined Smriti, the first woman player from the country to play in the LPGA. “What Aditi has accomplished is entirely hers. She’s an incredible kid whose focus and dedication is unwavering. Aditi has shown that despite limited support from the system, you can go ahead and achieve your goals. While it may sound arrogant, I don't think one person alone can change things around. Women have been playing golf in the country for a long time but success stories have been just a handful. It all starts at the amateur level and I think IGU (Indian Golf Union) needs to use this as a catalyst.

“IGU needs to take the initiative and open up more and more public driving ranges. It needs to conduct clinics and spread the game. Even today only the rich kids can play the game. Even if a young girl who has heard about Aditi and wants to take up the sport, will she be able to if she’s not a member of a club? The equipment is expensive, there are hardly any public courses where people can come and play at a nominal rate. Look at the US or say Spain, there are plenty of public ranges where people can just hire four clubs and a putter and play nine holes. In how many places can we do that in India?” questioned Smriti.

The veteran’s questions are indeed valid. While women's professional golf is indeed growing at a steady pace since its inception, the talent pool is very limited. An average of 15 players compete in tournaments with Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall and Neha Tripathi more or less sharing the honours amongst them. All of them are gunning for a place in Europe at the end of the year and even one graduating to that level could weaken the already thin pool. The level of competition at the amateur level is indeed quite poor compared to standards elsewhere.

Champika, however, chose to look at the bright side. “Three-four girls have gone to the US for college golf and once they return the tour could get stronger. I’ve seen young girls in Delhi showing special interest towards golf following Aditi’s win. Aditi has done what Saina has done to badminton and Mary Kom to boxing. She's an inspiration and being just 18, plenty more stories will follow.”

Aditi has shown the way with a single-minded determination but it’s now for WGAI and IGU to take the game forward. Unless they make the game accessible and engaging at the grassroots level, an Aditi will crop up only once in a generation. The sport has finally found a hero and it’s time to cash in strongly.