Hyderabad: To position itself as a global destination for golf tourism, Telangana is set to develop world-class golf infrastructure, Tourism, Culture and Archaeology Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said here on Saturday, August 29.
He was speaking at a press conference held in connection with the 12th Telangana Golconda Masters at the Hyderabad Golf Club, Golconda. The Telangana Golconda Masters will be held from September 1 to 4, with 132 golfers competing for a total prize purse of Rs 1 crore.
The tournament is being organised by the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI) in association with the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA), with Telangana Tourism as an event partner.
Meanwhile, the minister said that a 130-acre golf course at Jawahar Nagar near Shamirpet and another world-class golf course is planned at Somasila, along the Krishna River, surrounded by the Nallamala forests and in the vicinity of the Amrabad Tiger Reserve.
The natural setting offers an opportunity to create a golf-tourism destination that combines sport, nature, and tourism. It would be developed on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with the government focusing on creating facilities of international standards.
Golf, heritage to come together
The Telangana Golconda Masters was not merely a sporting event but an opportunity to bring together international golf, Telangana’s heritage, and its tourism potential, said the minister.
The Golconda Fort, which provides the backdrop to the tournament, was a symbol of the state’s historical and cultural heritage, he said.
The minister said the Hyderabad Golf Association offered a distinctive blend of sport and heritage. At the same time, the participation of international golfers provided Telangana with an opportunity to showcase its tourism and sporting potential to a global audience.
Kapil Dev for sports promotion
Jupally said the Telangana government was keen to utilise the services and experience of Kapil Dev for promoting tourism and sports in the state. His association with Telangana’s tourism and sporting initiatives would help take the state’s tourism attractions and sporting potential to a wider national and international audience, he said.
Appreciating the department’s support for the Telangana Golconda Masters, Kapil Dev said the tournament would help promote Telangana and Hyderabad as important golf-tourism destinations.
He thanked the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) for providing the venue and expressed confidence that the tournament would offer an excellent platform for competitive professional golf.
The tournament offers Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and is part of the Race to the DP World India Championship. Results from the event will count towards determining the DP World PGTI No. 1 player and the top 24 golfers who qualify for the season-ending DP World India Championship.
