The gameplan

While cricket hit a six, golf is still reading the rulebook

- Rahil Gangjee

GOLF AND CRICKET. Two sports played with sticks. But in India, one draws stadiums full of roaring fans, billion-dollar sponsorships, and political memes... while the other gets a polite nod and a quiet clap — if someone remembers it exists at all.

Let me clear something up: I love golf. I have made a career out of it. But if I had a rupee for every time someone asked me, "Why isn't golf big in India?", I'd be able to buy prime land in Delhi. For a putting green, of course! This isn't a rant. It's a long putt aimed straight at the truth: golf in India has an image, access, and visibility problem. And cricket? Well, cricket nailed its marketing brief, wore flashy sunglasses, and casually walked away with the nation's heart. Let's unpack this with some honesty (and a healthy dose of humour — because, we golfers know how to laugh at a triple bogey when no one else does).

The image trap: Golf's colonial hangover To most people in India, golf still feels like an elite, English-speaking club activity, somewhere between bridge and lawn bowling. We have done a poor job shaking off that perception. When you say "golf" in a chai shop conversation, someone will either assume you are retired or rich. Or both. That's because the game is still largely tucked inside cantonment zones and gated communities. With around 300 golf courses in the country — almost half managed by the armed forces — public access is minimal. If you are not from a certain background, you may not even know where the nearest course is, let alone be allowed to walk in with your Decathlon starter set. Meanwhile, cricket is as grassroots as it gets. One bat, one ball, one borrowed slipper for a stump — and you've got a Test match happening in your gully. That's how a sport builds culture. That's how it earns a billion fans.