Cover Feature
Story
M y main goal is
to focus on m y
health more than
anything else.
India but there is a clear reason behind it.
Golf is more popular in US. If we look at
cricket in India- There is no other country
in the world which has better cricketing
facilities than India. I believe there is a
direct correlation between the facilities
available and how popular that sport is.
Saying that, we still have some top class
golf courses in India and popularity of
Golf has been on the rise thanks to amazing
performances by our home grown players.
GPJ: How are you travelling on the
road to professional golf?
SJ: I’m just ¿ rstly focusing on proper
recovery and then take small steps from
there on. I do want to be a professional
golfer but I like to set smaller goals which
(L-R) Amit Luthra, Shubham Jaglan
could build up to my ¿ nal destination-
professional golf. I’m looking to improve
on my amateur ranking. My main goal is
to focus on my health more than anything
else.
GPJ: Tell us about your comeback in
2018?
SJ: I had a back injury in July 2017 due to
which I couldn’t play for a better part of
the year. Thanks to Mr. Amit Luthra and
the Golf Foundation, I had a great team of
physiotherapists and doctors behind me
Mr. Amit Luthra and Shubham along with Gary Player
to help me recover. My coach Nonita Lall
Qureshi had a huge part in my comeback.
During this time, I had some time to focus
on studies and my school, LPS (Laxman
Public School) helped me get my grades up
but most importantly it kept me occupied
which I believe is very important during
such a time. After recovery, I stepped up
a notch and started participating on the
Indian Amateur Circuit and managed to
bag a win in Chandigarh at the Samarvir
Sahi Amateur Championship.
I
t was this journey that brought Shubham in contact with AMIT LUTHRA, Founder, Golf Foundation
his mentor and the founder of The Golf Foundation, Amit
Luthra. Delhi-based organisation that helps underprivileged a lot of talent with a lot of ¿ ghting spirit that other kids may not
golfers with equipment, training and funding. Several Indian have. So if we could pick up some good talent from there and are
golfers have been beneſ ciaries of the foundation’s support. able to broadbase Golf then sky is the limit.
Ashok Kumar, Rashid Khan and Shubham Jaglan are some GPJ: How do you compare today’s challenges from those of
yesteryears?
examples.
GPJ: Tell us about your journey in Golf Foundation?
AL: It really has been a long journey and it happened by chance.
It all started at a time when I used to play for India and was
practicing for 5-6 hours a day. One of the Aagewala living next to
the course was just a 10 years old boy. I used to give him Rs.5 an
hour for picking up the balls. He used to goad me into a putting
match every time he accompanied me. The fact that the kid had
the spirit to challenge India’s no.1 at the age of 10 prompted me
to admit him in a junior training program. I bought him a brand
new Callaway set to give him the best equipment. He from being
a top junior went on to be a top amateur and at the age of 20 the
boy had a Mercedes which even I did not possess at that time.
There are kids who have the talent but don’t have the opportunity
to showcase their skills. I initiated the “Golf Foundation” a
society for sponsoring talented but underprivileged kids.
AL: In the yesteryears the main problem was money. We recently
got the highest award from the president ‘The Khel Puraskar’
besides other awards. The kids are winning not only in India but
also internationally. We are also getting support from people like
Gary Player with a great cash record, Shubhankar Sharma being
our brand ambassador. So everybody is contributing to the cause
and appreciating the good work that we are doing. In the initial
stages all this was not there.
GPJ: In your opinion what do you feel is a major inspiration for
the youngsters?
AL: One should ¿ rst involve yourself in any sport you are
playing. You cannot put a cart in front of a horse. You should
¿ rst enjoy the sport. One part is to make money but the whole
objective is not to just make money. If you say you are enjoying
it and hopefully feel that you might make money then you can go
GPJ: What are your current challenges at The Golf Foundation? full out. Be in the present and go through. Don’t let the situation
AL: Most of the golf courses are under a lot of pressure from overrule you or be in a situation where you are not performing
the playing facility themselves and are not able to encourage the to your best potential.
kids of the caddies to play. So the underprivileged golfers are GPJ: What is your message for the aspiring young golfers?
actually a dying breed in spite of them having a lot of talent. On AL: Never give-up. Work hard, Practice hard. Practice
our part, we at the foundation are going to the grassroots level intelligently. Practice doesn’t make perfect, correct practice does
to the villages through collaboration with ‘Magic bus’ who has makes perfect. The moment you give up you are out but if you
initiated education through sports. We have a tie-up with them to carry-on and keep knocking on the door, it will de¿ nitely open
promote an elite sport like golf to the masses. The villagers have for you sooner or later.
GolfPlus Junior August-September 2018
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