Once I asked my writer daughter, Vandini, to define golf. With her typical flourish, she handed me over this definition:
“A magical phenomenon for a spark to blaze into a glorious flame, when a ‘Golfing Wand’ is handed over to a child who truly cherishes it”.
It is a one of a kind voyage – across oceans of green fairways, countless sunsets of practice, nerve wracking matches, lunches with golf buddies and conversations with trusted caddies.
When an inner voice beckons the dreamers to push the limits of what was thought possible, it’s golf.
Shubhankar, probably exemplifies all of the above for her.
If you ask Shubhankar Sharma about his first memorable moments in golf, it may well be outside the ropes. That is when, as an 11-year-old mesmerized Shubhankar watched Ernie Ells doing his thing at a golf clinic, in Delhi Golf Club. The day got even better when Shubhankar was invited by Ernie to hit a few balls with his clubs. So impressed was Ernie with his temperament and poise that he gave him his personal card and ‘offered’ to be his agent, when Shubhankar made it big. That one gesture changed Subhankar’s perspective about himself forever, in an indescribable way.
That small black card still rests safely in the family’s care today, although it has grown faded and papery with time.
This simple reflection sheds light on the power that one meaningful interaction with a role model can have. A dream in a child’s mind no longer remains a dream if he gets the right validation from the right person. It suddenly looks achievable. When this meeting point emerges, a broader vision is born in a young mind.
A broader vision is precisely what Shubhankar has set out to unfold; trying to marry junior golfers with some worthwhile memories, now that he has reached the position to do so.
Looking at the scope of Shubhankar’s dream, I took it upon myself to take it forward. And ‘Shubhankar Sharma Invitational’ was born.
We started it at a time when Corona was threatening to disrupt everything, including golf. We decided to rekindle hope through golf. We decided to give the golf stick back in the hands of young hands and take them away from the gloom. Shubhankar Sharma Invitational, thus, became a catalyst to hope and happiness.
We started the event in December 2020, and it has since completed successive stages, across the nation. City Qualifiers were held at different golf courses and we have come down to the final event of the series. The journey has been more than encouraging. Not only did the children zealously come and participate every time the event was announced, the parents also showed a great keenness to know about the finer points of the game and their child’s grooming, both, as a player and as a person. Shubhankar and our team have been more than happy to interact and help. It’s our responsibility; a heartfelt thanksgiving to the environment which groomed us.
The Shubhankar Sharma Invitational has taken care to set itself apart from other junior golf events in more ways than one. Our vision is to provide young kids with a comprehensive exposure to the game, not just the tournament play. A child has to grow into a complete package. A player, a gentleman, and a role model.
We also brought in partnerships from Nike and Titleist so that a few sporting goodies could be gifted to all the participants. That brings a smile on young faces. We also got DP World on board to support our endeavors by extending an invitation to the winners for the Desert Classic, Dubai and giving them a unique golfing experience at the highest level. We will give the winners a return ticket to the event and a hotel room. It will be a dream trip for them.
Throughout the series, we have had open discussions with parents to answer all possible queries about a child’s journey from being a junior to a professional. It all resonated well. Important golf industry insiders are being invited to the Invitational Events so that parents can have access to them. Shubhankar himself took time off practice and held golf clinics for junior participants to teach them about the finer points of the game. A beautiful spirit was seen emerging on these occasions with his friendly, gentle demeanor and the enthusiasm of the kids.
Over a period of time Junior Golf has got heavily commercialized. So all are not able to access quality courses and events. We kept the entry fees to an absolute minimum for the participants; far less than what IGU charges. The idea here is to impart foresight and exposure to golf inclined families, as we see it. It’s for them to take it. I am essentially striving to give them more of what we required in the early days of our son’s journey. That is my driving force.
The long awaited conclusion to this series is slated on December 26 and 27, at Chandigarh Golf Course.
This can well shape their future; their worldview of the game they play! Who knows? Shubhankar experienced a similar shift after participating in the Evian Masters in France as a young, junior golfer. It solidified his resolve to make such experiences his very own, which soon manifested.
Everyone who enjoys golf or is simply curious about what it holds is encouraged to come and support these young stars. A lovely day of golf awaits you.
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