(From left) Justice Ajay Kumar Tripathi of Patna High Court, Chief Justice Rekha M Doshit, Justice Samarendra Pratap Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad at Patna Golf Club on Saturday. Picture by Ranjeet Kumar Dey

Patna, Aug. 25: Golf enthusiasts can now head straight to Patna Golf Club for some professional training.

Patna Golf Club today formally inaugurated an academy in the capital to attract talents and train them.

Patna High Court Chief Justice Rekha M. Doshit inaugurated the academy at the presence of Supreme Court judges Justice Aftab Alam and Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad. Several high court judges, including Justice Samarendra Pratap Singh — who is also the president of the golf club — senior advocates, politicians such as Ravi Shankar Prasad and education minister P.K. Shahi were among other dignitaries present.

“It is a welcome step of Patna Golf Club to start the academy. It will make it (the game of golf) affordable to the masses. The fees are affordable. I hope the youths will come forward and reap benefits of the academy,” Justice Doshit said.

Justice Singh, while welcoming the guests and golf aspirants, appealed the youths to take full advantage of the academy.

“The purpose of the golf academy is to make the game open to all and also to dispel the impression that it is meant only for the select people. Anyone can join the academy,” Singh said.

Supreme Court judge Justice Chandramauli Kumar Prasad told The Telegraph: “It is a nice thing to have a golf academy for any city. Students and youths can take the opportunity and seek the academy’s guidance to hone their skills.”

Arvind Singh, the captain of the golf club who moderated the programme, said both the apex court judges, who arrived the venue a little late as they were playing golf right from 7am today.

Manik Vedsen, the honorary secretary of the club, said: “The idea behind opening the academy is to make the game popular among the people.”