Tour Insider: Viraj Madappa on life after Amateur golf and the journey ahead

Q. Firstly, What’s your take on the course this week?

A. The course plays really well, one of my favourite courses.

Q. How are you finding it on the Professional circuit so far? how much of a transformation is it? You had a decnet outing last week, elaborate a little bit on that.

A. It’s a little different, a lot of new faces. On the amateur circuit, you’re used to seeing the same faces so it’s a new feeling these last couple of weeks. I made the cut last week and finishedvtied-36th. In Noida last week, I was just trying to get comfortabe to seeing new faces with a lot of people you’ve looked up to growing up like Himmat and Gaurav Ghei being around. First time I’ve played in an event with my coach, after a couple of days I got comfortable.

Q. Any difference in how you approach tournaments now that you’re on the biggest stage in India?

A. No difference in approach to the new and bigger stage as such. The courses are the same so I know most of them pretty well. I’ve finished third here in an event once so it’s all about building up a comfort level and continuing to play the way I know how to play.

Q. Summarise your amateur career and last couple of years leading up to now.

A. I was ranked No.1 in India in 2015. Last year, I went over to the United States and played university golf at Texas A & M. I studied business there and played in three events in the semester I was there. I missed the 4^th one because I was representing India at the Asia Pacific championship.

I am based out of Kolkatta and coached by Tarun Sardesai at Zion Hills, Bangalore. I was previously coached by Indrajit Bhalotia in Kolkatta but now I spend more time in Bangalore since I switched coaches. I spend about 2-3 weeks at Zion and the rest in Kolkatta every month.

I was ranked 45^th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and recorded my best finish at the Taiwan Open in 2015 where I won and also finished 3^rd in the Singapore Amateur, I finished 2^nd in the all India at the age of 15 and won the junior all India twice. I won six events on the amateur circle and have about 20 Junior titles to my name.

Q. Who’s your mentor and which golfers do you admire?

A. I’ve always admired the way Anirban has played and the progress he has made. Also, Shubhankar with the way he is playing right now. I actually lost to him in the All India and it’s great to have someone I can talk to of my age and get some guidance about small things. He’s playing some incredible golf right now and I can go back to him for some guidance.

I spoke to him just a couple of weeks ago about some logistical things, how much do you pay the caddie and how do you go about the professional way of things.

I have heard great things about Indrajit sir during his hay days and I looked up to him as well growing up.

Q. How did you start this journey of Golf? Talk about your development as a player and your strenghts as a player.

A. I grew up in Kolkatta and Coorg is my native place. I started at the age of 8 and it’s a really funny story.

I was a really fat kid and the doctor told my parents to get me into swimming if I wanted to lose weight. But that was the worst pastime ever and I hated it. I would finish swimming and go and eat pan cakes. I used to see a lot of members playing so I told my dad to get me into it. He got a club cut for me and that’s where it all started.

My cousin is CG Somiah, apart from that no one has played Golf in my family. This season will be a learning curve for me and I will try to use this season as a feedback year. I have changed quite a lot with Tarun sir so just want to use this season as a way of finiding out where we stand and what we need to do to get to where we want to be.

The transformation has been smooth so far and it’s good to have a caddie on my bag who has been with me for two years now. I keep to myself o the course but it’s good to have him to joke around with.

At 6’2”, I hit it long and that’s my strength. I also have a good short game and in my round of 64, I had both of them working. It’s nice to have that strength on courses like these where you can carry bunkers that are positioned at 280 and over-power the golf course.

It’s nice to have the length and to be able to hit it straight is good.

Q. Who are the names to look out for thi season besides you?

A. Lot of the young guys are playing well. Obviously, Arjun Prasad has started off hot and then there’s Karandeep Kochar with a win on the PGTI already.There’s guys like Samarth Dwivedi and Shubham Narain who had a pretty good year last year.

All these young guys are the ones to look out for apart from the usual seasoned professionals.

Q. Apart from the Indian players, who else did you look upto while growing up?

A. I looked upto Bubba Watson because of his creativity, he could pull off shots that you can’t even imagine; Phil Mickelson because of his incredible short game that he still possesses. Then obviously Tiger Woods because of the way he dominated everything in his days and Tiger is Tiger.

I don’t have a favourite player as such but I like to root for the underdog.

Q. Tell us a bit more about the team around you helping you to play better?

A. One of my goals is to have a full team this season. I have a coach, a physical trainer and a caddie but I’m missing a nutritionist and a psychologist. The main goal after this event if I don’t get into the Indian Open is to go see a psychologist and maybe do a meditation course after this.

Q. You seem quite calm and quietly confident about this year. What would like to achieve this season?

A. I wasn’t very calm as a a kid so I’ve been taught not to show too much emotion out on the course and I feel that’s helped me in the last couple of years. Especially last year, when I wasn’t playing well I still stayed calm and confident about things.