G.S. Hira loves golf more than his wife and has no hesitation in admitting it even to her.

“She doesn’t mind when I tell her,” said the financial adviser of the rail coach factory in Kapurthala. The 50-year-old is one among the many passionate amateur golfers taking part in the 57th All India Inter Railway Golf Championship in Patna. His wife has not accompanied him.

Like Hira, a number of railway employees who eat, sleep and breathe golf, took part in the two-day tourney hosted by the East Central Railway Sports Association. It was an opportunity for them to learn new techniques on the turf and socialise with other golfers. “We meet golfers from other states and exchange notes about techniques. This helps us improve our game,” said Hira, adding that most of his fellow enthusiasts were more passionate about the game than their spouses but were reluctant to admit it.

Besides passion for the game, golf enthusiasts found the championship, which began on Saturday, to be a perfect occasion for socialising. D.B. Singh, the deputy chief vigilance officer of Northeast Frontier Railway posted in Maligaon, Assam, said: “Such a championship gives us the opportunity to meet with railway officials from other parts of the country. We spend quality time with each other and play golf, which is our passion.”

For those in love with the game, the quirks of the golf course are also a challenge. Chandrabhan, a technician at Diesel-Loco Modernisation Works in Patiala, said: “I have played at 20 courses in Gurgaon, Bangalore, Kapurthala and Jamshedpur. I love exploring new golf courses. It is a challenge to learn about the obstacles like vegetation and water bodies at a new course.”

He added that Patna Golf Club — one of the oldest in the country — is particularly challenging because of the many trees in and around it. “A golfer has to be precise with his or her shots so that it does not hit a tree. It was fun to challenge myself at the course.”

The love for the game has no age bar. One of the youngest participants, Arshad Ali said: “You can’t help fall in love with the game.” The 22-year-old fitter at Diesel-Loco Modernisation Works, Varanasi, added: “When I play golf I forget everything else.”

Ali was so true. None of the participants cared about the hour-long drizzle that started at 8am on Sunday.