Golf tourism is one of the main attractions of the Kashmir valley in summers. The peak season for golf in Kashmir is from April to November. One advantage that the game of golf in Kashmir has over other golf courses that the weather here is quite refreshing and the shade of the bordering Chinar and Pine trees enables the play to go on longer. The main golf courses of Kashmir are:
Gulmarg
Gulmarg boasts of the highest golf course in the world. Situated at an altitude of 2,650 m, the golf course of Gulmarg is quite different from most of the other golf courses. Rather than being flat, most of the area of the golf course is full of land slopes and inclines and has a par of 72. The origin of the Gulmarg golf course dates back to 1911, when it was started by the British as a holiday resort.
Kashmir Golf Club
The Kashmir Golf Club is situated on the Maulana Azad Road. Spread over an area of 52 acres, it boasts of common fairways and a par of 70. It also has well laid out bunkers and hazards, interspersed between chinars and pine trees. This 18-hole course has served as the venue of a number of tournaments. Kashmir Golf Club prides itself for churning out the first golfing professional in India, Ghulam Mohammad in 1930.
Royal Spring Golf Course
The Royal Spring Golf course is situated near the famous Mughal Garden, Cheshmashahi. Spread over an area of 300 acres, it overlooks the picturesque Dal Lake and Zabarwan hills. Designed and laid out by the renowned Golf architect, Robert Trent Jones Jr. II, the golf course boasts of 118 holes and a par of 72.
Pahalgam Golf Course
The site is a God given one and it was important to use the existing features to the fullest. The terraced fields were redone to create smooth flowing fairways and 4 lakes were also created as part of the respective hole strategy and for water catchment. The lakes were lined with local round river stones and give an impression that these are natural and have around the property from the beginning. The greens are of different sizes and more of a traditional, classic style with gentle contours. The bunkers and other features also give the course an old alpine parkland style character set in a mountainous region. The new areas will be planted with the same variety as found in the existing pine forest so that in about 15 or 20 years the new course will blend seamlessly with the old pine forest.
The new 18 hole layout meant a new clubhouse location at the crest of the higher contours overlooking the course. The project had to be started from scratch. With the new course routing, you can get a virtually 360 degree uninterrupted view of the surrounding snow clad mountains and also a stunning view of 6 holes from the new clubhouse.
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