 GULMARG
Gulmarg's legendary beauty, prime location
and proximity to Srinagar naturally make it
one of the premier hill resorts in the country.
Gulmarg, a mountain resort of exceptional beauty-
has the highest green golf course in the world,
at an altitude of 2,650 m, and is the country's
premier ski resort in the winter. On way to
Gulmarg travellers generally stop their vehicles
for a few minutes and look out a spectacle of
snow-covered mountains, almost within touching
distance. |
Gulmarg
Golf Club |
| Year
of foundation |
1891 |
| Altitude |
8,799 m |
| No. of
Holes |
18 |
| Distance |
6,760
yards |
| Par |
72 |
| Additional
Facilities |
Bar,
Library, Lounge, Table tennis, lawn
tennis, Restaurant, Card room |
| Accommodation |
In the
City |
|
 Established
in the early days of the British rule by Sir
Neville Chamberlain, K.C.B., the Gulmarg Golf
Club has attracted golfers for almost a century.
A lush green bowl covered with a variety of
alpine flowers and criss crossed by snow fed
streams and rivulets; gently undulating slopes
carpetted with a natural mossy turf, and a crisply
cool bracing weather!
Redesigned by the famous golf architect, Peter
Thompson, Gulmarg now has a 6,760 yards, par
72, 18 hole golf course. The highest course
in the world, it also boasts of India's longest
hole, a par five, 610 yards. Unlike most of
the other par-fives on the Gulmarg course, the
eighth plays much longer than its 610 yards
because of the uphill factor. The green course
includes not only the pre-defined rivulets,
streams and ponds, but also herds of sheep which
eliminate the need for lawn mowers and keep
the fairways in top condition.
A golfer at Gulmarg also has to beware of the
local crow which does not hesitate before taking
off with a ball from the fairway, presumably
mistaking it for an egg. The most interesting
and trying hole on the Gulmarg course is undoubtedly
the 17th. Although not very long, it calls for
some precise hitting to land on the green which
is precariously placed on the edge of a cliff.
The 18th hole, a par five, is an exhilarating
experience. It's downhill travel from St. Mary's
Church to the club house, a drop of 300 feet.
The Gulmarg Golf Club is well equipped to handle
the holiday golfer and arrange for the services
of caddies and coaches; golf sets can also be
hired at very reasonable rates.
Amenities at the club include a bar, library,
lounge, table tennis, lawn tennis and a putting
green. The Gulmarg course is usually open between
April and November, as it is covered by snow
for the rest of the year and its gentle slopes
are transformed into mini ski runs for beginners. |
