Chilled beer, some confusion & much mirth at golf club polls

CHANDIGARH: The sun was scorching on Sunday but members of the Chandigarh Golf Club came out, beat the heat with chilled beer and juice and voted for the candidate of their choice.

Politicians, serving and retired high court judges, golfers, players, advocates and bureaucrats, all members of one of the city’s most elite institutions, were there to vote in a new managing committee.

There was a strong rumour that the newly elected Punjab chief minister,

Capt Amarinder Singh

, would also be present, but by the afternoon the air was cleared: the CM would not be coming due to a health issue. But his wife, former minister of state for external affairs Preneet Kaur, did come and vote.

Voting began at 11 am and, despite the rapidly rising mercury, the turnout was strong.

There was some confusion and much mirth over two men named Ravi — Ravinder Singh Virk and Ravibir Singh (Grewal) — running for club president. Many were seen confirming which Ravi was the correct Ravi for their vote.

One member was seen sharing his perplexion: “I got so confused that I was about to vote for the other Ravi. Then I saw the whole panel, all the names, and then voted for the Ravi of my choice.” A great deal of laughter followed.

Members of both panels were seen pitching for votes for their own panel through the day.

Each member voting had one overriding concern: the golf course needs to be upgraded.

The athlete Milkha Singh was there; he, too, voted and asked for a good golf course. “The golf club has produced many players and, to keep this trend going, the new managing committee has to focus especially on a good golf course. That, I feel, is missing now.” He wanted the new team to also put better facilities and food at the top of their agenda.

Arjuna Award-winning golfer Harmeet Kahlon was also spotted. He shared his experience and expecations. “The golf club should conduct professional tournaments. Its been more than five years and no professional golf tournaments have been conducted,” Kahlon said, adding that the new body must promote the sport.

“Though tournaments for amateurs are held, the new committee should strive for sponsorship from big brands and start professional tournaments,” Kahlon said. He said he was also concerned that much more was required for the golf academy. There is no space for an office from where the academy can operate, he said, and asked, “How can coaching be given without a proper place or academy?.”

Harman Kahlon also expressed dissatisfaction with the election rules at the club.

Kochar said the golf course needed an upgrade. When the golf course is good in Chandigarh, it is due to the seasons.

The effort to make it a better golf course is missing he said.

Many members raised concerns about transparency. Col Iqbal Singh (Retd) said, “There should be transparency in the functioning of the club. It also comes under the RTI Act but hardly any information is shared via this tool. Because of time constraints, the matter dies here. Going town an appellate authority sounds like a big task. The new committee should work in a transparent manner .”

Punjab MLA and former state finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, who was at the club to vote, said, “The present committee has done a good job. Facilities have improved, though the golf course needs to be upgraded.”

He added, “Transparency is always required. The present committee has performed fairly well, they were transparent enough. I wish the new committee keeps doing good work and contributing to the growth of the club.”

Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) president Simranjit Singh Mann, too, said the new committee should upgrade the golf course.“I want a good golf course and I wish the new committee also provides some good space for a library.”