India’s most UNIQUE Golf League tees off at Qutab; Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Son Aryan is proud owner of the team MIGHTY PATHAANS

• The Qutab Golf League 2025 will comprise 10 teams
• The league in its inaugural year will comprise of 3 playing days, 2 knowledge sharing masterclasses and several entertaining social evenings
• The opening round will be on 4^th of January, the other playing dates will be the 1^st of February and 1^st of March 2025

         Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi: India’s most UNIQUE Golf League, christened the Qutab Golf League (QGL), will tee off at India’s first ever public golf course on January 4, 2025.  The Qutab Golf Course will play host to the unique event in its inaugural edition.

A brainchild of Game of Life Sports (GOLS) promoted by Amit Kharbanda and Samant Sikka, the QGL aims to create one of the most exciting and enjoyable Golf Leagues in India. To deliver on this objective, they have entered into a partnership with Digraj Golf Inc. (DGI) who have successfully curated and delivered other quality leagues in India. The league in its inaugural year will comprise of 3 playing days, 2 knowledge sharing masterclasses and several entertaining social evenings.

The League will be played in a Team Championship Format with 8 – 10 teams contesting.  Each team will comprise of 16 players, 12 of whom will be picked by the Owner and the remaining four procured through the Auction which is being held later today. Thus a total of 160 players will contest in the QGL. Besides the opening round on the 4^th of January, the other playing dates will be the 1^st of February and 1^st of March 2025.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s Son Aryan Khan is the proud owner of the team MIGHTY PATHAANS. It is not confirmed that whether Aryan will attend the event or not.

The League will provide every category of golfer with an opportunity to compete.  The 12 owner picks will include:

1. a)     2 Ladies
2. b)    1 Junior (under 18 years of age)
3. c)     1 Senior (above 65 years ofage)
4. d)    1 Government Official (IAS, IFS, IPS, Government Employees both serving and retired)
5. e)    1 Armed Officer (from the Army, Navy, Air Force, CRPF, other Military Services – both serving and retired)

Each day, every competing team will be represented by 12 players playing on an Individual Stableford Format on 75 % of their original handicaps.  For the first two rounds, 9 best stableford scores, from amongst the 12 players representing the team will be counted to determine the Team Score for the day. On the final day, all 12 scores will be counted. The cumulative total of the team’s score for the three rounds will be counted towards the team’s score for the League. The team with the highest cumulative points will be the Winner of the Qutab Golf League.

“It gives us great pleasure to present the ‘Qutab Golf League’ – India’s most Unique League which for the first year will be hosted on India’s first ever Public Golf Course. The QGL has been conceptualised with an objective of being ‘Inclusive’. The teams have been structured in a manner which ensures that each team mandatorily enrols Juniors, Ladies, Seniors, Government Employees and representatives of the Armed forces among others. We are confident this new format will provide everyone with an equal platform to  showcase their skills” said Samant Sikka from GOLS while addressing the media.

“Golf has long been shackled in the stereotype of being an old man’s past time and a rich man’s game, a narrative which has impeded its popularity and potential. The time has come to take this sport more accessible, popular and entertaining to the broader world and the Qutab Golf League is a step in that very direction. In a short time, it has received tremendous support from all its stakeholders and we are thankful to the 10 team owners who have come forward to support it” said Amit Kharbanda from GOLS.

“We share Amit and Samant’s vision about the league which is to grow it into a huge Multi Venue inclusive project which becomes the singular point for all golfers in NCR to come together and compete and also benefit from the several educative fun and entertaining value adds which are being woven into the project” said Digraj Singh from DGI while speaking at the conference.

The Two organisers GOLS and DGI are ably guided in their vision and structuring by Apex Council members D Sarkar, former commissioner of sports for DDA and Wg Cdr Arun Singh (Retd), who is the President of the Golf Course Superintendents and Managers Association of India and also the Ex DG of the Indian Golf Union.

There is Rs 20 lacs in prize money being given to the top 2 teams with the First team getting Rs 12 lacs. All team members will also get attractive prizes. There will also be a lot of exciting Individual prizes each day and also for overall scores for the event.

The teams which have come forth to be associated with the League are appended below.

A unique project has been launched and it is expected that this league will also serve as a catalyst for golf development in NCR through its inclusive nature, the mentorship programme and also the opportunity for Juniors to compete and learn from their seniors across the NCR.

Team Owners of the QGL:

MIGHTY PATHAANS : Team Owner: ARYAN KHAN

NUTS FOR US : Team Owner: ARJUN NIJHAWAN

CASUAL GURU: Team Owner: SANJAY BAWEJA

PPGA FALCONS: Team Owners: SANJAY SAPRA, JASKARAN SINGH, ASHISH GOEL, SHARAD MOHAN,KARAN SANDHU, KARHUN NANDA, RAVI KOHLI, ROHIT GUPTA, RAMNEEK CHOPRA, TARUN SETH

VICTORIOUS CHOICE: Team Owner: RAHUL MEHTA, KAMAL PODDAR

SKULLCANDY ICONS : Team Owner: AMLAN BHATTACHARJYA

ISHUM EAGLES: Team Owner: KARAN KAPOOR

GOLF SPARTANS : Team Owners: ARVINDER S PASRICHA, GOONMEET SINGH, SANJAY GUPTA, APOORVA GUPTA.

Journalist Indraneel Basu won Oakley Sunglass in Lucky Draw.