Every year as we drove past the Ooty golf course on my way to Lawrence School, I fogged up the car window with my sighs longing to be on the green splendor covered in the early morning mist. As I speak that blurry-dream-like-vision of the course through my fogged up window is more than reality for me now. It defines me and my existence. And my father is the chief architect of my career. Realising my dream he allowed me to leave my boarding school in Ooty in class XI in '93 as it was not possible to play golf while I was still there. I returned to Bangalore to finish school and start golf.

Learning the sport was not exactly duck soup but who is complaining. The struggle to reach your destination has its own charms. There were neither any coaching -centres nor many credible coaches. It was during my tour as a junior to Delhi that I finally got some guidance and was introduced to some of the best coaches of those times like Rishi Narain and Brandon D'souza.My first coach was Rishi Narain, who is now the owner of the RNG group. He took me under his wings till '95.

Tarun Sardesai

In'96, right out of school I was shipped off to Florida Southern College to pursue bachelors in business administration but that did not disrupt my golf training. Once back in India my new coach Brandon D’souza took on. In 2002 IGU brought in the Italian coach Donaco Ponziano to train the professionals and the members of Delhi Golf Club. After his session with the members and professionals Donaco was conducting classes for all the interested juniors after his sessions with the members.

I took advantage of this opportunity and today I attribute all that I know to him. His contribution to improving my game has been commendable. Those brief sessions with him worked out to my advantage and polished me into what I am. Today, happy to be considered among the better known coaches, I have no regrets on quitting competitive golf. Apart from the fact that I love being around children, I wanted to take up the cause of the juniors.

I decided that grooming the future generation of golfers into world class players was my prospective course of action. I started coaching on a full time basis in 2004 and there has been no looking back. My company Hogwash has created software to help improve the game of the junior golfers. Aditi Ashok and Trishul Chinnappa are the better known names in the junior category who have improved their game drastically. I was working at KGA but the situational convenience of the course has made it extremely popular with golfers. This made me decide on conducting my Intensive Training Programme for junior golfers in South India in the far flung courses. Champion Reef, the upcoming course in Kolar, being on the outskirts will not be flooded on weekdays and starting mid July this year I will be taking my troop there. Of course! I need to fix up days for KGA greens as well as the children need to practice on one of the best courses in the country.

Academy is the software I will be using to train the future champions in my training programme. This software will trace the progress and help the kids manage their own games. The future of junior golf is very bright however, as of now there are many other problems we are combating. Though the numbers of children taking up golf are increasing with time most of them are being forced into this sport by their parents who live their ambitions through their progenies.

Golf has become a very viable profession. This has increased the parental pressure on the children. The increased pressure leads to frustration among children which then culminates into hatred for the sport. Most of them end up dropping out of golf by the time they are 18. I would say that only 20% of the children who pick up golf convert into competitive golfers. I have counseled parents to work on their sensitivity towards their offspring's needs. I also stress on the appropriateness of words and the need for positivity when they deal with their young golfers. It is very important for a good golfer to have a strong mind and that is possible only if they are surrounded by positive people.

I have even cited the example of Jeev Milkha Singh to parents. He has strong mind and to maintain it ensures that he only hangs out with people who have a positive attitude. The other glaring problem for the golfing fraternity is lack of quality coaches. The numbers have improved since 2004 when I started coaching but there are still not enough coaches to train the Indian talent for an international platform. Women golf is another issue that needs to be taken up seriously. Indian girls are physically weak as compared to their international counterparts and thus not internationally acclaimed. Girls need to concentrate on fitness and apex golf body and other golf organisations should set certain standards for them before they can qualify for any level. As a matter of fact that why only girls, fitness of a certain level should be the criterion for golfers at all levels. A tough training regime is very important to ensure that Indian golfers are firstly and foremostly fit enough to compete before we can pin any hopes on their victory.

Article from syndicated source