KARACHI: Once a year, at the curtain-raising news conference of the Sindh Golf Association (SGA) Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, the future of women’s golf in the country comes under discussion. It’s an annual ritual. By the time the women-only tournament gets over, the country’s women golfers lose the spotlight, relegated to playing the undercard at the men’s golf championships.

The SGA tournament, in its second year, is one of three events for the ladies held in the country, the others organised in Lahore by the Punjab Golf Association and in Islamabad by the Islamabad Golf Association. These tournaments are a result of the Pakistan Golf Federation (PGF) initiative to increase participation of women golfers in the country and eventually professionalise the game.

But will it happen?

SGA Ladies Amateur event tees off today with record entries

“It will take time for ladies golf to turn professional,” Humera Khalid, one of the leading female golfers in the country, told reporters at the Karachi Golf Club (KGC) on Thursday. “We have seminars and camps organised by the PGF for the promotion of the game and we’re trying our best to uplift the sport.”

In a country where a handful of male golfers have made it to the Asian Tour, it seems a tough ask for a female golfer to make it to that far. It’s a one in a million chance. Humera gave the example of the sister duo of Rimsha Ijaz and Parkha Ijaz — two rising golfers who are going to the US on a sports scholarship. But sports scholarships don’t necessarily result in players becoming professional.

Humera, however, is optimistic that there will be change.

“We have 54 entries from all over the country for the tournament and that shows the growing appeal of golf among women,” she said. “These are little steps that will eventually help us achieve our goal.”

In a bid to make women’s golf more competitive, the PGF has made it mandatory for women events at major golf championships to be played over 36 holes instead of the 18 holes previously. That, and other moves are aimed at increasing the profile of women’s golf.

“This is a ranking match and we are trying to prepare young ladies from school and colleges to play golf and eventually compete internationally,” said tournament director Fawzia Naqvi, also lady captain of KGC.

Fauzia informed that the organisers had included two new categories to increase participation.

“This year, we have included category E, which is for girls aged 13 and under,” she detailed. “This is where we will hunt the best players, groom and nurture the best talents and hopefully they will rise to the top level.”

There is also a category D for women golfers aged 60 and over. The other categories are A (handicap 0-13), category B (handicap 14-24) and category C (handicap 25-36).

“We conformed to international standards, with the categories,” said Fauzia. “Adding more tournaments is the aim for us. Through these initiatives, we are going towards that.”

SGA president Asad I.A. Khan backed the initiatives, adding that his organisation was looking towards forming a ‘ladies’ section in the SGC secretariat’. Those measures might help. But key is to get women playing at golf clubs all over the country.

That needs some inspiration too. What better than inviting international ladies golfers to the country?

“Plans are underway to hold the first PGF international ladies tournament in March next year,” said Humera. “Our plans are to have eight international teams take part in it. Golf played at that high a level will go a long way in inspiring our local women golfers to improve and be more competitive.”

And maybe keep alive that one in a million chance of producing a top level professional player from Pakistan.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2019