Golf Course in Tea Plantation Has Potential as Sports Tourism Destination

India's Assam state is exploring new ways to blend Sports and Tourism through a unique Golf Course amidst tea plantations. These tea garden golf courses, known as "tea-tees," have the potential to become specialized tourist attractions if development proceeds as planned.

The idea emerged after Indian professional Golfer Arjun Atwal, along with Gaurav Ghosh from tea trading company J Thomas & Co, met with Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota.

The meeting discussed the potential for developing golf courses in tea plantations into combined tourism and sports circuits.

Assam has around 23 such golf courses. Many are natural nine-hole courses set amidst rolling green tea garden landscapes.

Several estates even feature historic bungalows, allowing tourists a unique experience. Staying amidst vast tea plantations while playing golf and exploring India's famous tea-growing region.

According to Ravi Kota, the combination of tea plantation heritage, beautiful natural landscapes, and sporting tradition makes Assam's "tea-tees" a rare attraction for tourists and golf enthusiasts from various countries.

"The golf courses in Assam's tea gardens are a rare blend of tea heritage, natural landscape, and sporting tradition. Their historical legacy and unique location have the potential to attract golf enthusiasts and tourists from across the country and abroad," Kota stated after the meeting.

Atwal, the only Indian golfer to win a PGA Tour event, assessed that Assam's golf courses have immense Tourism Potential, though some are not yet optimally managed.

"I will discuss further with my team in the United States to develop a roadmap. As a first step, we might select one Golf Course as a pilot project and develop it into a modern facility. Ultimately, all stakeholders are expected to join," said Atwal.

He even called Assam's tea plantation golf courses a "gold mine" due to their incredible natural design. 

Atwal also proposed establishing the Assam Golf Trail, an interconnected network of golf courses, similar to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in America, to put Assam on the world Golf Tourism map.

"This will be excellent for tourism and also beneficial for investors, especially foreign investors coming to the state, as many of them also play golf," he said, adding that the project's revenue model has sustainable potential if the concept develops.

Atwal also discussed the possibility of establishing a golf academy around these courses. 

This academy is expected to nurture young talent while elevating the standards of Golf Sports in the region.

As a next step, the Assam government has asked stakeholders to prepare a detailed proposal outlining the concept and development roadmap for transforming tea estate golf courses into a tourism and sports initiative.

The government will then consult with tea estate managers and other relevant parties to further explore the proposal.

If realized, this plan will not only showcase Assam's tea garden landscapes to the world but also open new opportunities for tourism and sports development in the region.(assamtribune)