Omar Abdullah Drives Golf Into Kashmir’s Tourism Calendar, Seeks Continuity, Academy, and Stronger Sports Infrastructure

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday inaugurated the J-K Open PGTI golf tournament at Royal Springs Golf Course, pitching golf as a growing pillar of tourism promotion.

Abdullah noted that golf tourism is rising naturally, with visitors increasingly flying into Srinagar for weekend getaways.

“Arriving on Friday, playing Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday the whole day, and either going back Sunday evening or Monday morning,” he said.

The Chief Minister called the tournament a milestone in reviving Kashmir’s place on India’s golfing map. With more than 100 professional golfers, including over 10 overseas entries, he said the government’s aim is to make the event an annual fixture.

“From here we hope to scale up both the prize money as well as the participation, and ensure that it is a regular feature of the calendar for at least the next five years,” he added.

Meanwhile, Abdullah announced plans for a golf academy in J-K to nurture young talent and provide pathways for children to represent India at national levels.

“Such tournaments also help in promoting local golfers,” he said.

He pointed to recent sporting successes, including cricketer Abid Nabi’s selection in the Indian Test squad against Sri Lanka and Owais Yaqoob’s victory in mixed martial arts.

“Our boys and girls have talent, but there is a lack of exposure. If such tournaments happen more, exposure will increase, and with increased exposure, more people will start paying attention,” he said.

However, when asked if Article 370’s abrogation boosted golf activity, Abdullah said that large-scale tournaments were held even before 2014.

He recalled Kashmir’s golfing legacy; “Before terrorism started in the 80s, the country’s biggest golf tournaments were organised in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in Kashmir. No golf season was considered complete in summers without playing in Gulmarg.”

He added that J-K’s unique climate allows summer golf when much of India cannot.

“During summers, golf cannot be played for almost five months in the rest of the country, and J-K is the only place that can organise coaching and training camps, and tournaments,” he said.

Abdullah further added that golf courses may not be profit centres but insisted their tourism value is unmatched.

“They don’t just play golf, they go on shikara rides, have a meal in a houseboat, their families come, they take handicrafts from here, they use taxis. So, ultimately, there is a benefit, there is no loss,” he said.

Meanwhile, lamenting the lack of international-standard cricket infrastructure in J-K, Abdullah pointed to BCCI’s proposal to build stadiums in Jammu and the Valley.

“We want these two international-quality stadiums to come up, so that we can host IPL matches and international cricket matches,” he said.

He informed that tournaments like PGTI enhance visibility for J&K, “Idea is that you have continuity so that people build it into their calendar and make it a part of their visit,” he said.