PUNE

Poona Club Golf Course is one of the oldest golf courses in India, situated within half an hour's drive from major industrial areas of Pune and very close to the airport and the rail way station. Though the course is within 5 minutes drive from the city, it is in a quiet area. The course is a 6,198 yards par 71, 18 hole golf  course spread over 90 acres of land, which is the largest in the Western Region. The exact date of establishment is not known, but based on available records, tournaments were being played since 1920, the first being the RWITC CUP (Royal Western India Turf Club Cup). 

Originally the course was spread over nearly 135 acres of land, part of which was later taken over by the Government for housing development.

When the British left India, Poona Club was thinking of giving up the golf grounds, but thanks to a handful of golfing enthusiasts, the course still exists and over 30,000 trees have been planted since the course was relayed between 1980-85 during the captainship of the late Mr. C.S.Kirloskar.

Competitive golf is played throughout the year and over 30 tournaments are held, the most prestigious being the Maharashtra Amateur Open Golf being played since 1957, in which leading amateur golfers from all over India participate. 

There are four golf courses in Pune, but the Poona Club Golf Course is the only course available to all golfers, including foreign visitors. The weather being cool and pleasant, golf is enjoyed throughout the year, unlike at many other places. Pune being a major industrial town and close to Bombay, the flow of visitors is continuing all the time.

The present Golf Committee has embarked upon a major task of renewing the golf course. It is planned to relay the course and raise it to international standards. Plans include converting all the browns into greens and construction of proper turfed fairways with modern irrigation systems and beautiful landscaping with more ornamental trees.-