Bangalore golfing enthusiasts set up foundation to promote golf and assist the needy

The Bangolfers logo

To say that the event at Champion Reef was a grand success would be an understatement. Not only did it attract a slew of big-shot sponsors – there were names like iGate, Epson, Kotak, Puma, Evergreen Golf, Mantri and Golf Studios among others who happily associated themselves with the event – but the response received from golfing enthusiasts in the city was overwhelming. Raman recounts how he kept getting calls from interested acquaintances well after the registration limit was reached, and how the whole initiative received applause from friends and strangers alike.

The events of the foundation are marketed mainly through word-of-mouth, although the members have also set up a Facebook page to promote them (which can be found here).

The members of the Bangalore Golfers Foundation, who call themselves the ‘Bangolfers’, plan to hold at least four tournaments every year on different courses of the city (the next one is tentatively planned for the 1st of December), and maybe one even outside Bangalore. When talking about courses outside Bangalore, Raman and Illavarasan can’t stop themselves from gushing dreamily about the possibility of organizing tournaments on exotic courses like that at the Oxford Club in Pune, or the ones in Srinagar and Dharamsala. You know you’re talking to really passionate golfers when they wax eloquent about golf courses like a kid would talk about an ice cream sandwich.

Organizing tournaments and providing assistance to caddies is just the start, though. The long-term vision of the Bangolfers includes promoting golfing talent at the grassroots level. “If you look at the handicaps of some of the caddies and other less-privileged amateur players around the city, you’d be amazed. If these people are given the right kind of facilities and opportunities, they can do wonders and maybe even join the professional circuit. Hopefully in the future, our foundation will be able to help these talented individuals in some capacity,” Illavarasan says.

The proceeds from the Champion Reef event being donated towards children’s education

Then there’s also the desire to see golf get rid of its niche status and become more accessible to the common public. Raman feels that if more people are given the opportunity to try their hand at golf, there’s no reason why the sport can’t join the list of the most popular sports in the country. “We plan to one day set up public golfing ranges where anyone can come, borrow a club, and play to his or her heart’s content”, says Raman.

All the founders of the Bangalore Golfers Foundation have busy corporate careers. Raman is the Chariman of Nanobi Analytics, while Illavarasan is a directer at Om Sai Intex. How do they find the time to do justice to the foundation and the trust? Both Raman and Illavarasan break into wide smiles at that question.

“There are late night calls, emails, Whatsapp messages. Weekends are used to the maximum. The bottom line is that we really enjoy all of this, so we find a way to balance our different priorities in life”, Raman chimes. Illavarasan nods fervently in agreement.

“The other members of the founding group, namely Saravanan, Rajiv, Jibin and Agastya, have also made tremendous contributions and perhaps given more personal time and efforts to get the Bangolfers initiatives off the ground and make the inaugural tournament a grand success,” adds Raman.

Organizing competitions, providing financial assistance to the needy, encouraging talented golfers, promoting the sport in the country, and all the while balancing their corporate careers and families – it seems like the Bangolfers have a LOT on their plate. But who says you can’t do it all?

The Bangalore Golfers Foundation has got off to a terrific start – there’s no doubt about that. But as Raman and Illavarasan assert, this is just that: the start. Bigger and better things are in store for the Bangolfers, so don’t be surprised if you see this initiative receiving countrywide acclaim in the years to come.