India is going green. Putting, driving, slicing, swinging?golf, for long on the peripheries of the Indian sporting and social life, is suddenly, rapidly taking centrestage. Though there is no conclusive data, insiders claims that the game is ?growing? at a rate of about 25% per annum and will only pick up speed in the near future.

?We are at the point of inflexion,? says Vivek Mehta, country head and MD, Callaway, describing the situation of golf in India. The global golf equipment giant entered India in March and expects to grow at about 35% in the near future. Mehta lists four reasons for India?s undoubted growth?the economic growth of the country, improvement in golf infrastructure, Indian players succeeding at the global level and becoming a role model for youngsters and the choice of golf as an Olympic sport for its 2016 edition to be held in Rio.

Most agree. Andreas Gellner, MD, Adidas India, which brings TaylorMade to the country, points out the contradiction that makes the game a winner in India. ?Golf is still considered exclusive, which helps as the number of courses are limited, and membership to them is hard to get. The equipment for the game requires a certain investment that not everyone can afford all the time. It is aspirational yet within reach.?

Siddhartha Upadhyaya, CEO, Bunk House Collection, says a growing number of golfers and new brands in the market clearly demonstrate the game?s increasing popularity. ?The market for golf and related equipment is worth about Rs 100 crore and there are more than 5,00,000 golfers in India, with an increase of about 25% to 30% for the past several years. Till few years back, India had just 80 golf courses. Today, the country boasts of about 250 golf courses and another 50 are under various stages of development.?

To understand the increasing popularity of the game cutting across divides of gender, class, and sporting ability, one has to look beyond the game itself. ?Golf?s appeal cuts across all age groups, can be played by men, women and children, does not require great sporting ability, a round of golf is a great place to network, and is a global game,? says Rahul Singh, MD, Golfworx, which opened India?s largest golf retail store housing 32 brands earlier this year on the Delhi-Gurgaon border.

At 44,000 square feet, this is India?s largest, and does not stop at just selling golf merchandise. It also offers India?s largest Pro Shop,

six golf simulators for 24/7 indoor golf, a training academy, a cigar lounge, and a bar and grill. ?People usually end up spending about two to three hours here,? says Singh.

He also stresses that it isn?t expensive, as a round of golf and F&B per person comes to about Rs 1,000 per visit.

This accessibility is fuelling dreams as an increasing number from the upper middle classes take to the game. Besides Callaway and Taylormade, today golf brands such as Odyssey, Top Flite, Ping, Cleveland Golf, Cobra, Footjoy and Nike Golf and many others are present in India. ?While a Callaway set?consisting of a driver, 10-14 clubs and a bag?would cost about Rs 1.5 lakh, a similar set from Top-Flite costs about Rs 10,000,? says Mehta.

This year is going to see 24 pro tournaments in the country. Numbers like these are bringing in the sponsors?brands who are eager to partake of the expanding golf pie. Toyota just sponsored the first tournament for juniors in Gurgaon. Dewar?s is sponsoring a month-long indoor event in May for 300 top corporate golfers. ?It?s a great way of providing a pioneering experience, which is what Dewar?s is about,? explains Arvind Krishnan, marketing head, Bacardi India, as a reason for associating with golf.

Gellner mentions three categories of customers?serious, casual and lifestyle. Many see great opportunity in all. ?Golf apparel is a statement towards a peer group,? he cites as an example. As prices of playing golf in India are still well below the rates in Japan or south east Asia, golfers are coming to play, making golf tourism another major potential area

for growth. No wonder just about everybody is working to improve their handicap.