History


Lucknow Golf Club is a part of living colonial history. Situated between “Martinpurva” - a village named after the French adventurist Major General Claude Martin (the founder of La Martiniere College at Lucknow, Kolkata and Lyons in France) on one side and 'Kalidas Marg' (the official residence of the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh) on the other side.

The residence ofMajor General Claude Martin, Constantia can be seen from each corner of the golf course. This Course is the only civilian golf course east of greater Delhi and west of Metropolitan Calcutta worth its fairways and greens.

There is no documented proof of the precise date when the Lucknow Golf Course was laid out. Most probably golf came to Lucknow at the turn of the 19th century sometime after it was introduced in Calcutta and definitely before it was played in Delhi.

During pre-independence days, the golf course was a part of the United Services Club that was housed at `Chhatar Manzil' (the state headquarters of the Nawab Wazirs till 1856 which now houses the Central Drug Research Institute.) Old timers recall the course having 9 to 12 greens with ropes thrown around to ward off stray cattle.

At that time river `Dhenumati' (now known as Gomti) was a vibrant clean flowing river noted for fish, fowl and pearls. In such idyllic surroundings the white sahibs wielded Brassie (fairway woods) and Niblicks (wedges) while their `Madam Sahibs' trotted up and down in riding breeches on what has since become Kalidas Marg. The present club house did not exist then.

The first tee was laid out some where near the present Ghaiyusdin Haider Canal (which is adjoining the present VIP road to Gomti Nagar). The course was open to the members of the United Services Club and a select few `brown sahibs' and ‘Talukdars'.

Lucknow as the last seat of Oriental Indo-Islamic Culture was devastated during the 1857 upheaval. The mutiny in Lucknow was fought truly as the first war of independence in each street and in every house. The graves on and off the present course bears testimony to this fact of history.

Reprisal by the British came ruthlessly in the years that followed and the city degenerated into a ghost town. William Russell (Times Correspondent) in 1876 noted that where fine arts had been cultivated earlier was now used for growing cabbages.

He great divide between the ruler and the ruled resulted in Allahabad being made as the capital of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh, while Kanpur came up as the industrial capital of northern India – all in all Lucknow was grossly neglected – and the Golf Course ceased to exist.

Sometime in the Nineteen Twenties the fortunes of Lucknow were revived again, with the shift of the Capital back to Lucknow from Allahabad by Sir Hardcort Butler, the then Lt. Governor of United Provinces. The vibrant Anglo-Indian community provided soldiers and musicians and also gave the city some great golfers.

Golf's fortune was however short lived. The establishment of the provincial government in 1937 and the looming clouds of World War II took its toll. Golf gave way to harsh realities with the British and the Eurasians going away to fight the Germans and Italians. The Indian elite on its part brooded about the uncertain future of the Nation, oscillating between nationalism and loyalty to the Raj.

Golf went into hibernation as the Union Jack was being lowered giving way to the Tricolour. After independence the United Services Club transformed into the Central Drug Research Institute and its staff were sent packing.

Sometime in 1948 eight old time golfers came together and collected a princely sum of Rs. Five each as membership fee to revive the game of Golf. This symbolic act laid the foundation of the beginning of the modern Golf Course. With Sir Homi Mody becoming the Governor of Uttar Pradesh in 1949, the 'Raj Bhawan' extended its benign patronage to the game.

It is for this reason that for some time the Lucknow Golf Club was then known as the Raj Bhawan Golf Course. Laat Sahab’s involvement led to renewed interest in golf amongst the bureaucrats and police officers. The summer sojourn at Raj Bhawan Nanital offered fabulous golf at the height of 7000 feet.

This led to the creation of an Officers Club and the Golf Course too came under its wings. Soon after the aristocratic Sir Homi Mody relinquished his office, the fortunes of the Officers Club dwindled and later the clubs building was put to house the present Awadh Girls Degree College.

Sometime in the mid- fifties some local businessmen, zamindars and officers got together to give the Golf Course a renewed vigour. To name a few Mr Ram Advani, Mr Sodhi, Late Beni Pd Halwasia, Mr Jawahar Lal Rastogi, Mr P.K. Rastogi, Mr Rizvi and some officers namely I.G. Late Mr. T.P. Bhalla, Mr. Allan and Mr Shanti Prasad all put in their services to keep the golfing flag flyng high.

Golf became a mission under Keith M. McKenzie's Captainship in 1954-56 whose wife also had a love for the game. McKenzie went on to become Secretary of Royal and. Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews from 1956 to 1980. Among the Indians Mrs. Sodhi was probably the first woman in Lucknow to have played golf. Despite limited resources national level tournaments were organised and played on the`Browns'.

Today the Club has a membership strength of 1500 with the Lucknow Golf Club being placed on a high mantle in Lucknow’s social and economic life.

he last decade has seen the addition of a Billiards Room courtesy M/s Pashupati Acrylon.

A new swimming pool with all modern amenities, a pond-side airconditioned banquet and renovation and construction of two modern restaurants in the Club House besides the renovation of the Club Bar and the construction of a new Golfers Hut.

The fairways and Greens are at par with the best with introduction of sprinklers and addition of many deep borewells. The last few years the Club has hosted PGA tournaments besides dozens of local annual tournaments. The Club is also known for the other cultural and social events it hosts.