R&A plans to bring Rules of Golf School to India

New Delhi: After the success of Golf Rules Schools in Vietnam, Cambodia and China, the Royal and Ancient, which governs the sport through the world except United States and Mexico, is planning to bring the programme to India.

That will happen as early as the second half of 2011, followed by more Rules Schools in January and February next year.The R&A, which always partners the local amateur body, will be doing so with the Indian Golf Union, and it sees India as one of the countries where the sport is expected to grow in a big way in the next few years. Among those conducting the Rules Schools in Vietnam, were Alan Holmes, Chairman Rules of Committee, Kevin Barker, Assistant Director, Rules and Dominic Wall, Director Asia-Pacific. Officials at a similar would visit India to extend the programme. The idea behind these schools is to create awareness about the sport, which is now growing very fast in India. The programme is one of the highlights of the new three-tier Rules Education Programme launched by the world body this year and has been taken to Asia for the first time. In the first leg, the Rules School was held in Vietnam at Twin Doves Club, Cambodia and China. Alan Holmes, Chairman of the Rules of Golf Committee, said, "We have been delighted with the turnout for each of the Rules schools so far. To have about 50 people at different levels in Vietnam, Cambodia and in China has been very pleasing indeed. Se hope to have bigger numbers in India." "This is our first Tournament Administrators and Referees course in Asia under our new structure and the calibre of the attendees is extremely high," he added. PTI