Chandigarh, July 8 (ANI): There's a mix of people training and teeing off at Chandigarh's national golf academy.
Middle-aged executives mingle with mothers, teenagers with tournament professionals - all perfecting their swing before taking a shot.
They're here united by their passion for golf, a game growing in popularity in India.
"Golf has moved from being a social status to a sport," the BBC quotes Jessie Grewal, India's top golfing coach, as saying.
Grewal added: "We have a whole different section of society coming into golf, people from non-golfing backgrounds."
The sport is opening up to those on lower incomes, claims Grewal, thanks to the availability of subsidised green rates and public golf courses.
He says further investment, including the leasing of government land for courses, could revolutionise the game in this country.
Golf has traditionally been a game played by the super-wealthy, mainly because of the expenses associated with joining private clubs - up to 90,000 dollars for life membership.
Some 90 percent of the people who attend the academy are from non-golfing backgrounds, Grewal says.
Since its inception six years ago, some 400 coaches have been trained in India. In 2008 the academy moved into its permanent home, next to Chandigarh golf club.
As well as training golf teachers, the academy offers coaching to all age groups.
It is estimated there are about 50,000 active golfers in India, and this figure is expected to rise. (ANI)
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