Pokhara, November 30:

American professional golfer Bijesh Bikram Shahi is keen to help uplift the Nepali golf.

The visiting American pro Shahi told The Himalayan Times that he was interested in supporting the Nepali golf and take it to the new heights. Shahi, who played golf at the Royal Nepal Golf Club since he was 11, said that he would be more than happy to conduct a camp here to help the officials and pros.

“The key to the development of golf in any part of the world is the proper management system and I would like to share my knowledge with the officials and pros here,” said Shahi, who is a Teaching Pro and Director of Instructions at the Jefferson Park in Washington.

“Professional tournaments only help the golfers get exposure. But the management system helps golfers and officials attract the people into the sport which is more important for the development of the sport,” he said.

Born on May 24, 1974, Shahi became the member of RNGC at the age of 11 and went to the US for further studies in 1993. During his college days there, he used to visit the Jefferson Park, a golf club, where he won the club championship in 2001. A professional golfer from the club was impressed with Shahi and asked him to join the club as the teaching

pro. He went through the PGA Programme there and passed the player’s test before becoming the teaching pro at the club the same year.

Since then he has never looked back and settled down there. His average income at the club is $80 per hour. “I have a pretty good earning there and I don’t need to think about alternatives as I am enjoying my job,” said Shahi, who claims to have been coaching 400 kids during summer and 130 ladies per month.

A passionate golfer while in Nepal Shahi, however, does not get time to play himself in the US. “Basically I do a lot of teaching there and play golf just twice a year,” said Shahi, who is the elder brother of Nepali pro playing in the Indian Tour, Toran Bikram Shahi.

The childhood golfing partner of Deepak Acharya and Radhe Shyam Thapa, Shahi now wants to promote golf in Nepal. “I have already talked with some officials here. They are positive and I will be doing anything that I can do to raise fund for conducting camps in Nepal,” he added.

Shahi also pointed out possibilities of the exchanging programmes between the two countries. “I am serious about promoting golf in Nepal and once I return to the US, I will definitely work on that direction,” said Shahi, who have coached the US stars such as Seattle Seahawks stars Randall Morris, Alango Nits and Eric Metcalf and NBA legend Bill Russel.

Asked about the Nepali golf, Shahi said the sport had developed in recent years. “It has come a long way and has grown up a bit. If you give proper coaching, some of the guys can do a lot better,” said Shahi, who is here in Pokhara to participate in the Surya Nepal Western Open during his vacation. “Players like Shiva Ram Shrestha and my brother Toran (Bikram Shahi) can do a lot better if they get opportunities,” he said. “I played with Shiva Ram and he has got a lot of potential in him,” he added.