For the little boy down the lane aspiring to be Tiger Woods (no sniggers, please) but without access to the fairways, there’s finally a fun way to start playing golf.

SNAG, a unique improvised format of golf with no holes that can be played almost anywhere and designed specifically for the entry-level player, is coming to Calcutta.

Created by former USPGA pros Terry Anton and Wally Armstrong, the format falls somewhere between miniature and regulation golf, and is the World Golf Foundation’s primary teaching tool.

“We are launching this easy-to-teach and easy-to-learn version in the city in April, and our primary focus will be schools. We also plan to take it to residential complexes and corporate campuses,” says Indrajit Bhalotia, whose golf-coaching unit Protouch has brought the US-bred model to town in collaboration with the India master franchisee Evolution Golf.

SNAG has already hit clubs and schools in Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Chennai. In Calcutta, Protouch is teeing off at RCGC and Tollygunge Club, with others like CC&FC lined up. Schools like La Martiniere, The Heritage School, CIS and Pailan World School are on the radar.

“We are offering one-hour classes twice a week supervised by our expert coaches. The coach-student ratio would ideally be 1:8 and we will fine-tune the group and duration based on response and logistics. We will provide all the equipment from our side,” adds Bhalotia, a former national champion.

SNAG has all the elements of golf, but in a modified form with simplified rules and terminology.

The soft ball, slightly smaller than a tennis ball, traverses a limited distance, with the average player launching it a maximum of 50 yards. There are only two clubs — the Launcher to launch, pitch, and chip the ball like a putter and the Roller to roll the ball towards the target. All shots other than rolling (putting) are played off a mat and tee called the Launch Pad. The target, a Flagsticky, is a weighted cylinder covered with a hook material.

“It’s a training programme for beginners to have fun. The key is in simplifying the instruction so that it can be an effective transition into the real game of golf,” elaborates Neelu Singh of Evolution Golf.

The coaching system, which allows the beginner to incorporate the playing side of the game and is “an excellent programme for juniors that integrates the rules of golf and personal life skills”, has been approved by the Indian Golf Union (IGU).

“We are ready to support any programme that helps initiate more youngsters into the game, and the flexible format of SNAG golf should bring in more numbers. It can teach you the basics of the game and make the transition easy and effortless,” feels Ashit Luthra, the president of IGU.