Always wanted to learn how to swing it like Tiger Woods but still awaiting membership at a golf club in south Calcutta? Or have you got membership but can’t travel all the way for regular tee-offs? Eco Tourism Park has opened a golf driving range to help you nurture the hobby. 

The range was launched on June 18 with a drive by golfer Lakshman Singh, who had won gold at the 1982 Asian Games. Thereafter, enthusiasts young and old, took over the 12 driving bays, practising their swings. The bays are divided into those meant for long, medium and short range hits. 

“This is my first time at Eco Park and I’m very impressed. I’m also delighted that people, particularly youngsters, will now have a chance to learn golf here. Otherwise Calcutta has a big problem of club membership. Waiting lists at RCGC (Royal Calcutta Golf Club) and Tolly (Tollygunge Club) are anything between 10 and 20 years,” said Singh. 

The new range has been built by Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco), that is in charge of Eco Park. “The golfing facilities can be used for free by members of New Town Business Club, those with Eco Park’s morning walker cards and residents at Ekante cottages inside the park,” said chairman cum managing director of Hidco Debashis Sen. “We will also tie up with hotels like the soon-to-open Westin whereby their guests can come down and practise in the mornings before heading to work. There will also be a cafe, locker room and showering facilities next to the range.”

Others may pay Rs 600 for a monthly pass, an additional Rs 100 for a bucket of 50 balls and Rs 100 to hire clubs. “Trainers would cost Rs 1,000 a month but for school and college students we would waive the Rs 600 monthly fee if they opt to pay for trainers,” said Neil Law, technical partner for the project. Law is CEO of Himalayan Footprints that runs the adventure sports section in Eco Park. 

Neil would be the main trainer at the range although they would have sessions with noted golfers like Indrajit Bhalotia, Laxman Singh’s son Ranjit and Vandana Agarwal. “Some women prefer lady trainers and Vandana would do the needful. Even S.S.P. Chowrasia might conduct advanced golf clinics at times,” said Neil, who Chowrasia acknowledges to have gifted him his first golf set when he was a caddie at RCGC. “Chowrasia has a foundation for underprivileged players and we would help youths here for that too.”

Timings for the range are from 6am to 9am and 4 to 6.30pm but a special student’s window will be allowed from 2.30 to 4pm. Sen also said they have plans to extend the practise range to an executive course, that is a nine hole par three course. 

“A full round of the course at RCGC or Tolly would take five to six hours but no one has that kind of time these days. A round of an executive course can be completed in an hour and half. It’s perfect for corporates who like to chalk out business deals on the golf course,” said Neil. 

Sen urged everyone to spread word about the range and help popularise the facility so it would attract corporate sponsorship and make the venture commercially viable. And if the crowd at the inauguration was anything to go by, the range has a bright future. “I would play golf when I lived in the US but here there was no course nearby,” said Chinmay Bhatta, a resident of New Town’s East Enclave complex, who now plans to enrol himself and his two primary school-going children for the facility.  

Avishek Auddy, who plays tennis at New Town Business Club, said their entire tennis gang had come to enquire about golf.