The 'guru' of clubs

THE PHENOMENAL success of Tiger Woods has made many yuppie parents also hope that their child too could become a `king of clubs'. Golf courses around the country now witness youngsters including tiny toddlers being imparted golfing lessons and special coaching camps are becoming increasingly popular.

One person who has decided to become a golf guru is Vijay Divecha who is regularly seen at the Karnataka Golf Association and the Bangalore Golf Club. Vijay Divecha has opened a golf coaching camp at the Maharaja Jayachamrajendra Wadiyar Sports Complex Golf Driving range as well as the Bangalore Golf Club. His counterpart Sujay Ghorpade conducts golf classes at the Karnataka Golf Association Club on Airport Road.

Vijay Divecha has been a businessman and a senior manager in a FMCG Company. He started playing golf at seven and has been hooked on the game for the past 39 years.

Being totally enamoured by golf, Vijay quit his business and profession and decided to spend his life completely associated with the game. Thus from being just a player, he went on to become a referee and also a certified teacher.

Ask Vijay why he gave up everything for golf and pat comes the answer ``I wanted to do something I love. Golf has provided me with friends, playing pleasure, chances to travel and on another plane helped build character, integrity and honesty. It is the only game where the players are self-regulated and a referee is only called in to decide on a ruling when the players are in doubt.''

Being a regular on the golf course Vijay volunteered to be an observer in one tournament at the KGA. He was spurred on by senior members and began to read up the rules of golf. This led to more tournaments and finally he decided to take the official test for referees. Vijay soon headed off to attend the Referee School at Royal & St. Andrews, the Mecca of golf.

``When I landed at St. Andrews I just couldn't believe I was at this hallowed place. It was a great experience interacting with other referees from all over the world and meeting the big names (referees) was an unforgettable experience,'' Vijay said. ``I remember getting into a conversation with one person and he quizzed me about an incident involving Mark O'Meara during the British Open.

When he asked me what I thought of the ruling of the referee at the British open, I offered what my ruling would be and when told that was what the ruling had been, controversial as it had been, I totally supported the ruling. Only after the person introduced himself did I realise that it was the same David Rickman, Rules Secretary of the Royal & St. Andrews that I had been talking to,'' narrated Vijay Divecha.

Vijay is currently involved in teaching golf to people at all levels. He strongly believes that a good player need not be a good teacher. Top teachers today including David Leadbetter and Butch Harmon were not very well known players but have made an impression as teachers. ``A good teacher needs not only to have the knowledge of golf swings but needs to have good communicating and teaching skills,'' Vijay opined.Vijay is currently working with a youngster aged six and another aged 60 among his present crop of students. Doctors, Businessmen, IT Professionals, marketing people and retired people are among Vijay's batch of golf students.

D. RAVI SHANKAR

Bangalore

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