{"id":27134,"date":"2026-08-04T20:58:31","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T20:58:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/?p=27134"},"modified":"2026-08-04T20:58:31","modified_gmt":"2026-08-04T20:58:31","slug":"kashmir-must-reclaim-its-place-on-indias-golf-map-cm-omar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/2026\/08\/04\/kashmir-must-reclaim-its-place-on-indias-golf-map-cm-omar\/","title":{"rendered":"Kashmir must reclaim its place on India\u2019s Golf map: CM Omar"},"content":{"rendered":"

Says J&K to make PGTI event annual, set up golf academy, push cricket infrastructure<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srinagar, Aug 04: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir must reclaim its position as one of India\u2019s premier golf destinations.<\/p>\n

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the four-day J&K Open 2026 DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) at the Royal Springs Golf Course here in Srinagar, CM Omar, according to the news agency\u2014Kashmir News Observer (KNO) , shared a series of initiatives to revive the sector, including making the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) tournament an annual event, establishing a golf academy and strengthening sports infrastructure across the Union Territory.<\/p>\n

He said golf tourism forms an integral part of the government’s broader strategy to promote high-value tourism in Jammu and Kashmir. \u201cOur tourism strategy includes the three major golf courses in Kashmir, Srinagar, Pahalgam and Gulmarg as well as the golf course at Sidra in Jammu. We are also planning to upgrade another golf course in the Jammu region,\u201d the Chief Minister said.<\/p>\n

He said the Valley has already started witnessing the kind of tourism the government wants to encourage.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven without actively promoting golf tourism, people are flying into Srinagar for long weekends, arriving on Friday, playing through Saturday and Sunday and returning on Sunday evening or Monday morning. This tournament is an important milestone in putting Kashmir, particularly the Royal Springs Golf Course, back on India’s golf map,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

CM Omar said the championship has attracted over 100 professional golfers, including more than 10 overseas participants, reflecting Kashmir\u2019s growing appeal as a sporting destination.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur endeavour is that this should become an annual tournament and not a one-off. There has been a long gap since the previous such effort. This is only the beginning. We hope to increase both the prize money and participation and ensure it becomes a regular feature on the national golf calendar for at least the next five years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

GOLF ACADEMY ON CARDS<\/p>\n

Responding to a question about opportunities for local golfers, Omar said the government plans to establish a golf academy to identify and groom young talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou won\u2019t see me playing golf beyond ceremonial tee-offs. But local golfers must be promoted. These tournaments are important because Pro-Am events allow our amateur golfers to compete alongside professionals from India and abroad. We also organise local tournaments, and our endeavour is to establish a golf academy so children can be trained from a young age and eventually represent the country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister said Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s youth possess immense sporting talent but need greater exposure.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the last week alone, one of our boys has been selected to represent India against Sri Lanka, while another created headlines in Mixed Martial Arts by defeating a highly fancied opponent. Our boys and girls have talent. What they need is exposure. More tournaments will create greater opportunities and inspire more youngsters to take up sports,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

KASHMIR\u2019S GOLFING LEGACY<\/p>\n

CM Omar said Kashmir was among India\u2019s leading golf destinations long before the onset of militancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe organised such tournaments before 2014 as well and on a much larger scale. Before militancy began in the 1980s, some of the biggest golf tournaments in the country were held in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in Kashmir. During summers, no golfer considered the season complete without playing in Gulmarg,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Highlighting Kashmir\u2019s climatic advantage, Omar said the region remains one of the few places in India where golf can comfortably be played during the summer months.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor nearly five months every year, golf cannot be comfortably played in much of the country because of the heat. Kashmir is the only place where coaching camps, training camps and tournaments can be organised during those months. Our effort is to expand that advantage,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

GOLF COURSES ARE TOURISM ASSETS, NOT \u2018WHITE ELEPHANTS\u2019<\/p>\n

Replying to criticism over the maintenance cost of golf courses, CM Omar said such infrastructure should not be viewed solely through the lens of profit and loss.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome things are not built as profit centres. The question is whether they strengthen our image, improve our visibility and attract visitors to Jammu and Kashmir. Golf courses may not directly generate profits, but in terms of tourism promotion they are unmatched,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Recalling the history of the Royal Springs Golf Course, CM Omar said former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had initially opposed the project but later recognised its tourism potential after assuming office.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe later realised what a valuable tourism asset it was, and some of the biggest tourism promotion efforts through the Royal Springs Golf Course were undertaken during that period. These assets should not be judged merely through profit and loss,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister said golfers contribute significantly to the local economy.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople who come here to play golf don\u2019t just play golf. They stay in hotels and houseboats, hire taxis, travel with their families, purchase handicrafts and spend across the local economy. Ultimately, it is an economic gain for Jammu and Kashmir,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

CRICKET INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS MAJOR PUSH<\/p>\n

Speaking on cricket, CM Omar said Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s impressive Ranji Trophy performances had changed perceptions about the Union Territory\u2019s sporting potential.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe success of our cricketers in the Ranji Trophy laid the foundation for renewed interest. Thereafter, several of our players were picked up by IPL franchises. For the first time, there was genuine bidding for our players. They were not charity selections or recommendation cases; they earned their place through performance,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Referring to the recent selection of Auqib Nabi for India\u2019s Test squad against Sri Lanka, Omar said it reflected the growing sporting talent emerging from Jammu and Kashmir.<\/p>\n

He, said the absence of international-standard cricket infrastructure continues to be a major hurdle.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is holding us back is the lack of international-quality cricket infrastructure. There is a proposal by the BCCI to build two international-standard stadiums, including one in the Valley, but unfortunately it has not moved forward for various reasons. We want these stadiums to be completed so that Jammu and Kashmir can host IPL matches as well as international cricket in the future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

SPORTS TOURISM TO BE INSTITUTIONALISED<\/p>\n

The Chief Minister said international sporting events significantly enhance Jammu and Kashmir\u2019s visibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen more than 100 professional golfers come here, they don\u2019t stay for just one day. They spend four days competing, arrive earlier to acclimatise and often stay back after the tournament. Add to that national media coverage, social media visibility and high-profile sponsors and people once again remember that Kashmir is a golf destination,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He said the government\u2019s focus is to institutionalise sporting events instead of organising one-off competitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it is the Kashmir Marathon, the Jammu Half Marathon, the PGTI Golf Tournament or similar sporting events, the idea is continuity so that people include these events in their annual calendar and plan their visits to Jammu and Kashmir accordingly,\u201d Omar said.<\/p>\n

CONDEMNS CIVILIAN KILLINGS<\/p>\n

Responding to a question on the recent killing of civilians in south Kashmir, the Chief Minister described the incident as \u201cdeeply tragic.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt should never have happened. No religion permits the killing of innocent people. No amount of condemnation is enough. Those responsible for maintaining security are expected to ensure that such attacks do not take place,\u201d Omar said. (KNO)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Says J&K to make PGTI event annual, set up golf academy, push cricket infrastructure Srinagar, Aug 04: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said Jammu and Kashmir must reclaim its position as one of India\u2019s premier golf destinations. Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the four-day J&K Open 2026 DP World Professional Golf Tour of India […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":27135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-news","category-kt-front"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27134"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27136,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27134\/revisions\/27136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/27135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kashmirthunder.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}