Swing Legends clinch Kashmir Golf League title

Srinagar, Oct 19: The first edition of the Kashmir Golf League concluded on Sunday at the Royal Springs Golf Course. The week-long tournament, organised by golf enthusiast and promoter Danish Aman, brought together seven teams and over 60 golfers in a competitive league format that witnessed a total of 64 matches.

The event, which began on October 11 and culminated on October 19, featured daily league matches, with two top teams, Kashmir Swing, owned by Abdul Qayoom Tramboo, and Majlis Riders, owned by Zubair Zargar, qualifying for the final.

After a closely contested finish, Kashmir Swing emerged as champions, securing victory.

Speaking to Greater Kashmir, organiser Danish Aman said the tournament was designed to instil a sense of discipline and seriousness among local golfers.

“For the first time in Kashmir, golf was played in a proper competitive format with full adherence to rules,” Aman said. “We even brought in a qualified referee trained in England to ensure the game was conducted professionally. Players showed remarkable seriousness and intensity throughout.”

Aman said the experience of seasoned golfers made a difference in the end.

“Players like Shabir Butt, Ghalib Shah, and Dr Suhail Khanday performed exceptionally well. It was their experience that guided their teams to victory,” he said, adding that many young and emerging golfers also used the opportunity to learn and improve.

Highlighting his broader vision, Aman said the event was not just about competition but about reviving Kashmir’s golfing potential and creating pathways for young talent.

“Despite having some of the best golf courses in the country and a 150-year-old history with the sport, Kashmir has not produced a national champion yet,” he said.

“My dream is to see a golfer from Kashmir rise to become a national and then an international champion.”

Aman also revealed that under the Indian Golf Union’s new programme, a project will start in Kashmir from November 1, aimed at identifying and training 100 children from non-income tax families to take up golf seriously.

“Out of these, ten will be selected for advanced training, and all expenses will be taken care of by us,” he said. “The idea is to reach children aged between 7 and 14; that is when golfing talent truly develops.”

He added he intends to involve schools and the education department.

Meanwhile, advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani was the chief guest of the closing ceremony, who distributed trophies to the winning team, runners-up, and all participating teams, marking a celebratory end to the first edition of the tournament.

Meanwhile, Shabir Ahmed, one of the standout performers and a member of the winning team Kashmir Swing, expressed pride in the team’s achievement.

“This was the first time such a serious tournament was held here, and it created a lot of excitement,” Shabir said. “Our team didn’t lose a single game. Some matches were easy, some challenging, but overall, it was a great experience. We played as a team, and that is what made us champions.”