Sri Lanka golf courses rated highly
The Asian Golf Monthly Issue titled ‘Awards 2011’ for the best Golf Courses in the Sub-continent including Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka which has ‘Four’ Golf Courses in Sri Lanka ranked in the Top 10 with Victoria Golf & Country Resort retaining the Top spot and the RCGC in the Runner-up position and Nuwara Eliya Golf Club in sixth position.
What is intriguing is how spectacular the Rating Company is to Rank a Golf Course in Sri Lanka which is ‘Defunct’ for the last two years as the 9th best Golf Course! Waters Edge Golf Club undoubtedly earned its position when the Course was functioning but it has been inoperative for the better part of 28 months and has furthermore undergone environmental changes encompassing a beautified and landscaped waterway sporting ‘swans’ for couples (leisure rides), boats for passenger transport and a ‘practice range’ for Rowing! Indian Golf Courses are evidently ranked separately as is in Thailand boasting over 50 Golf Courses! The Ranking system is applauded but the basis and Ratings including a non-existent Golf Course raises more than an eye- brow regarding the credibility of such a Rating.
Lankan amateurs in Bangladeshthe Sri Lankan National Golf Team of N. Thangaraja and Vijitha Bandara finished in 3rd position in the International Team Event which was conducted in conjunction with the Bangladesh Amateur Championship 2012. The Indian team of Manav Das and Kahlin H Joshi were easy winners with a 2 round aggregate of 285 10 strokes clear of the runners up Bangladesh who were tied with Sri Lanka on 295 who were edged out with better scores on the 2nd day. A total of 8 National teams participated in the International Team Championship.
In the Bangladesh 2012 Amateur Championship over 4 rounds the Sri Lankan representatives were fairly down the field. Manav Das of India was the clear leader on 7 under par after the 1st 2 rounds from Abdus Sobahan who was on 1 under par 6 strokes behind. N Thangaraja was in 5th place 9 strokes behind the leader whilst his team mate Vijitha Ban- dara was in 13th position.
Know the Rules – A Golf “Coarse” Verse by the late Pam Fernando
And added to all this mumbo jumbo
Is a special problem at the Royal Colombo.
It’s been abused, misused and frowned upon;
Talked about, walked about and trod upon.
Fellow members I obviously refer to. Cow-dung- and balls that adhere
to. Cow-dung in your way. Cow
dung affecting your play, Cow-dung from last week, say; Cow-dung done today.
The above verses are extracted from the Royal Colombo Golf Club 125th Anniversary Year Publication released in 2004! Probably much has changed with modernization and the removal of cattle on the course!
The Seminar on the Rules of Golf conducted by representatives of R & A the head quarters of Golf in Scotland was followed by a ‘test’ on the rules of Golf and all 60 participants passed obtaining over 75 % which was the pass mark. There was one 100 percent and it is certain that all 60 ‘professors’ will flex their knowledge of rules in the days to come!