Tarun Sardesai, former Indian pro and Director of Instruction at the Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy - who outlined routine, discipline, and environment as key factors to the success - was in Kathmandu on a special invitation from Nepal Golf Association for the ninth Nepal Amateur Open. Currently, two Nepali golfers, Subash Tamang and Sadbhav Acharya are undergoing two-year training at the Academy and Sukra Bahadur Rai went there for a week last year. Mahesh Acharya from The Himalayan Times caught up with Sardesai at the Gokarna Forest Golf Resort. Excerpts:
Why is academy training important?
I think what young players today really need, if you ask me, is routine, discipline, and environment. We have many golf clubs, we have many teachers, and they're doing a great job. But for me, because I was in a disciplined environment from a young age in boarding school, it basically taught me everything I know about life today.
Those six years I spent in boarding school were absolutely amazing. I learned discipline then I learned how much discipline can make a difference to one's life. So when I set up the academy, I wanted to recreate something like that.
We also have an environment of excellence so that everybody is waking up at the same time, everybody is chasing the same dream, which basically motivates the next person.
So, if someone is a little down, he watches the next best player, and he, again, gets lifted up. So that was one reason behind establishing the academy. The second thing today in India, I'm not sure if it's the same in Nepal, is that a lot of time is wasted for young kids in to and fro home and school.
We can save a lot of time in the academy. At the academy, everything is a couple of minutes cycle ride away, such as gym, driving range, sports science centre. That environment makes it much easier for the students. They don't have to worry about the travel aspect. And we are attached to a golf course, which I think is very, very important.
The kids can actually step on the golf course whenever they want to. It's similar to what you have here. But the environment of excellence is what, for me, was the main idea for this academy.
It's been a year since Subash and Sadbhav joined the academy. How are they shaping up?
Technically Sadbhav's swing was definitely not in the best shape. He's a very natural player. But being a natural player can only take you to a certain height. He's very talented, very hard working. But in many cases, when it comes to fitness or when it comes to the golf technique, he was not working in the right direction. We put him in the right direction.
We made some technical changes, which I think made a big difference to his ball striking. He began to hit the ball better and straighter. He began to have a consistent ball flight. And once a player has a consistent ball flight, his confidence level goes up.
Secondly, we taught him how to practice. You can come and hit balls all full day but you won't become a better player like that. It depends on how you structure your practice. It is what we call smart practice where you practice not only the technique, but you also practice performance.
So performance practice is very, very critical for him to get better in competition, because that's the whole goal.
Subash, on the other hand, has a wonderful and natural technique.
So we didn't change too much of his technique. But there were minor changes we had to make just to get him a little more consistent.
With Subash, we worked a lot on the short game because the understanding of the short game while he had an idea of it, we wanted to basically make it even better.
So we worked a lot on the short game with him and we worked a lot on, again, structuring his practice.
So when he went to the range, he should know what he's doing and why he's doing it. For Subash, giving him confidence was the other challenge because he's from a lower income background. We tried to get him to interact with as many players as possible, live in the same dorms, eat the same food, sit on the same tables, and basically interact with other like-minded golfers.
It helped quite a bit because I think Subash, before he joined the academy, was really in a shell. He started to learn how to send messages. He learned how to interact with people.
And, he's very hard working. Subash would go on working till he collapses. He didn't even know how to rest. He would always burn out after one week training. The team would call me and say, Subash needs a three days break. So, we taught him how to rest also, which is very, very important. I think he's learned it now.
Naturally, he's gifted. I feel we've got a lot of work to do with him on his physical aspect. I think physically, he needs to get up there, get the ball, maybe 30 yards longer. In the next one, two years, that will be our primary focus because Subash is good enough to beat pretty much anybody.
He's got the skill. When he becomes physically bigger, he'll become more confident. If he goes today to, let's say, Europe and plays a tournament, he will be the smallest guy in the field. We have to take care of it first.
What are the key areas you'll be focusing on these two players from this point?
Subash has improved a lot in fitness because as he's started hitting the ball much longer, he's gained distance. The main idea is injury prevention.
And we need to make sure in the next one year or so that Subash has all the protocols sorted out.
In the last couple of months, the team has not been in touch with him. He has been just happy, going to school, and he's been busy with his education also. My goal is to make him a true professional. We have to make sure that he follows the routine throughout so that we start to see visible differences - in his body, his attitude and his outlook.
Both of these kids can be great. I want Sadbhav and Subash to behave like they're already world number one. Then only they will get there. Both of these kids are going to be great stories in the future.
What is the difference between golf in India or in Bangalore and Kathmandu?
I see passion is the same. Honestly, I don't see any difference. I was so impressed this week, I can't describe it in words. NGA President Tashi Ghale and Deepak (Acharya), I wish they were in India because that passion is so amazing. That's what's actually driving this place. All Nepal needs at the moment is one good training facility. That's all. You guys will produce champions. Almost every second, third year, you'll have guys getting on the Asian tour. I've been actually talking to Deepak and Tashi quite a bit. I don't see any difference because if I look at the members also over here, they really enjoy the game and it's exactly the same in India.
The advantage you have in Nepal, the big advantage, I feel is the attitude. The golf course was given for the [Nepal Amateur Open] tournament.
The owner of the golf course (Capt Norbu Sherpa) is very passionate about golf. Already he's talking about the new training facility at Gokarna. I don't see any disadvantages here apart from the infrastructure.
Nepal needs to find a way to raise the money to build that training centre. And if I were to look at Indian currency, that's a good 40-50 million investment.
If they can crack that, this will be a hub for producing champions. I'm very impressed with the Nepalese people, especially how they play. Unfortunately, they don't travel much outside. They should come to India and play the amateur tour also. They'll really enjoy it.
I am really impressed with the NGA. The body is driven by passion and nothing else. That is such a big advantage and I want to work with them for the rest of my life. The pleasure I get working with the NGA is indescribable. Whether it's the next Asian Games or the development programme they run, I know the NGA will do a great job. The passion of Tashi and Deepak together is contagious. And I am going to work very hard in hassling them. I am already in talks with NGA to bring my team here to run a coaching programme every 2-3 months. I believe, with a NGA body like this, great things are going to happen. It's just a matter of time. NGA has a bright future and together we can do something great.
Do you really think that these two boys and Sukra Bahadur Rai can create their own space in world golf? If yes, how long will it take?
Yes, 100 per cent. We are looking for about a five-year journey. I think Subash and Sadbhav are at a similar level, but they will take about five years to break into, I would say, the European Tour or maybe the USPGA. Because, for Sadhbav, it's a different journey right now. I want him to remain amateur for three more years because he has not played too much outside of his comfort zone.
He's very comfortable on this golf course (Gokarna). I want him to play three years outside his comfort zone. It's not easy. But I want him to face such discomforts on a weekly basis. Then only he will become stronger.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 21, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
