On the edge of the expansive, verdant fairway of the historic Cochin Golf Club stands a board that reads ‘Golfers love Bolghatty because it is a paradise.’ Put up by a European tourist who was fascinated by the beautiful fairway with its stunning views of the backwaters and the sprawling city beyond , this is the only remaining one of the many she put up across the golf course that runs around the Bolghatty Palace estate.
Bolghatty Island on the north-west of Ernakulam was for long the seat of the British Resident whose palace is now a hotel owned and managed by Kerala Tourism Development Corporation. The palace was built by the Dutch in 1744 and later leased to the British by the Cochin State, along with surrounding area, for an annual rent of Rs. 6,000. The well-laid golf course was in use from the time of the British.
The Cochin Golf Club functions out of a small three-roomed building built like a typical estate bungalow that harmoniously blends with the greens and the adjoining historic palace. A verandah opens to a small hall that functions as the ‘pavilion’ and also serves to seat guests. An office room and another one that is used as a dressing room to store golf kits make up the club. The walls, made of wood and the roof are painted green.
The club came into existence in 1922 but the club house was built a year later. A marble plaque outside the club reads that the club house was inaugurated on January 2, 1923 by H.H. Jones, ESQ, the then president of the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“When the British were here Bolghatty was out of bounds for commoners. The golf course and the club must have come up during the time of Charles William Egerton Cotton, who was Resident or the powerful political agent of Madras State. The Resident used to stay at Bolghatty for two or three months in a year. He used to be ferried in his private boat Valerie from Ernakulam. At Bolghatty the resident used to meet the Diwan and various officers,” informs V.N. Venugopal, local historian.
In the early days golf here was an exclusive sport played only by the European officials stationed at the various business houses in Cochin and Alleppey, planters from Munnar and Peermedu. “Even after the British left, for long, the club and golf were largely the preserve of the sahibs who manned the British-owned companies in Cochin. This is one of the oldest golf clubs in India. In course of time the club and its facilities were used by local golf enthusiasts, retired army and naval officers, retired officials and those who had played the game earlier in other cities,” informs Joseph Thomas, president of the club.
The club has a very compact nine-hole course, hardly 3576 yards and a par 60 when played as a 18 hole course. But it remains an original that has truly tested every club in the bag. “It is not just lovely or the smallest course in the State but perhaps the most challenging of all. With the greens guarded with tall trees and water bodies all around even a slight error can magnify itself into a two stroke loss. It was once featured as the only golf course in the world that could not be reached by road. Golfers came by boat from Ernakulam, Fort Kochi and Willingdon Island till the Goshree Bridge came up in 2003,” says Joe Abraham, secretary of the club.
Regular expansion of the hotel has resulted in shrinkage of the golf course. Ironically, though the hotel advertises the golf course as an important activity, a facility that very few hotels can boast of, there appears to be an official apathy to the sport. It is said that the Resident used to sit inside the club after a good game of golf and watch the sun set on the glowing backwaters. Today, this magnificent view is obstructed by two obtrusive constructions. Also cutting through the lush green course is a tiled pathway leading from the hotel to the newly built convention centre.
“It was in 1983-84, when the late K. Kaurnakaran was Chief Minister that the club was allowed to use this clubhouse and the course on lease. What went in our favour was the history of the club, which one cannot take away. Any further reduction in area could sound the death knell for the course. We feel that the hotel has not really looked into this asset, which it can utilise to attract more tourists. A little help from them would go a long way to keep the course green and even. During the time of K.V. Thomas as minister, the State government granted an amount of Rs. 25 lakh. This was used to renovate the club house. The wood had decayed and we had it removed, built it with bricks and put wood on top to give it that original look. The course was also improved. We regularly tinker with the course mainly to keep it fit for play,” says Joseph Thomas.
The club organises around 12 tournaments regularly that include those for the Richardson Cup and Cotton Tankard that date back to 1925. “The members play here from say 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. on all days except Mondays. We have around 200 members but all of them do not come here regularly. Occasionally we have guests. Former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed has played here. The players have their own kits, which are kept in the club house and we also have two or three spare kits that can be hired by guests who want to play here,” adds Suresh Shenoy, treasurer of the club.
It was on the fairways of the Cochin Golf Club that Joseph Chakola, among the finest golfers from the South and member of the silver medal winning Indian team at the Asian Games at Doha (2006) cut his teeth in the sport.
People golf for a variety of reasons. Some like to clear their minds, others enjoy the leisurely recreation. It provides sport, exercise and a great way to enjoy the outdoors. Cochin Golf Club, for 93 years, has despite challenges, been providing a majestic golf experience.
