‘Golf is Fast Becoming an Aspirational Sport’: BMW India CEO on Rise of Amateur Golf Beyond Metros

Golf in India is no longer confined to a handful of traditional clubs and metropolitan cities. The sport is finding new players and audiences in emerging golfing centres such as Jaipur, Vadodara, Patna and Coimbatore, while growing interest among young professionals and the development of new infrastructure are further expanding its reach.

The evolution of the BMW Golf Cup reflects this changing landscape. Since its arrival in India in 2008, the amateur tournament has expanded from nine cities to 13 and now attracts more than 2,200 golfers every season. Alongside providing amateur players with a pathway to compete on the global stage, the tournament has also helped build a wider community around the sport.

BMW Group India President and CEO Hardeep Singh Brar in an exclusive email interaction with myKhel, threw light on the rise of amateur golf in the country, the emergence of new golfing hubs beyond the traditional metros, the importance of structured tournaments and grassroots initiatives, and BMW India's long-term vision for the sport. Here are the excerpts:

Q: Over the years, golf in India has expanded beyond traditional metropolitan centres. From BMW India's perspective, what are the most significant changes you have witnessed in the amateur golf ecosystem?

Ans: BMW Group brought its premier amateur sporting event - BMW Golf Cup to India in 2008. As Golf sport was highly niche it was mostly confined to a handful of legacy clubs in the key metros. The audience was small, and the geographic footprint was limited. Our goal was simply to use the sport to build a genuine connection with people who value precision and excellence in all aspects of life.

Nearly two decades later, the shift is incredible. The biggest change is not just that more people are playing golf but also where they are playing. We are witnessing massive enthusiasm and popularity in cities like Jaipur, Vadodara, Patna and Coimbatore. These places were not popular golfing destinations golfing nearly a decade ago. New courses are coming up, aspirations are shifting, and the tournament has evolved into a massive network of like-minded people. What started as an international amateur series connecting players from over 40 countries into a World Final has truly become the anchor for amateur golf's growth in India.

Q. The BMW Golf Cup has become one of India's most prominent amateur golf tournaments. How has the tournament contributed to increasing participation and engagement among amateur golfers across the country?

Ans: In terms of scale, the growth is right there in the numbers. We started in nine cities and today, we are in 13. We have gone from a few hundred enthusiasts to over 2,200 amateur golfers competing every single season. Every player gets a shot at a legitimate path from a national qualifier straight to the World Final.

But what really drives engagement is how much this sport resonates with our audience. Golf is an incredibly personal game. It rewards discipline, intense focus, and a refusal to rush, qualities that can't be faked. It is a lot like driving a BMW, as the machine is engineered to respond exactly to your inputs, just as a golfer's game is tailored entirely to their own mindset and temperament. As more professionals and leaders in India look for ways to unwind and connect, golf has become a major part of their identity. The tournament taps right into that, turning a shared love for great cars into a vibrant lifestyle community.

Q: One of the keys talking points around Indian golf today is the emergence of players from non-traditional golfing regions. How important is it to create platforms that identify and encourage talent beyond established golfing hubs?

Ans: Golf is fast transitioning from just a leisure activity into a highly aspirational sport. New infrastructure and the rising number of golf courses across the country are completely changing the game. It is exciting to watch cities like Vadodara, Jaipur, Patna, and Coimbatore step up and challenge the traditional metros. Even schools are beginning to introduce golf to young students, which is creating a pipeline of young talent we have never seen before.

We realised early on that if we want the sport to grow, we have to help build the foundation. Taking a step further in that direction BMW launched a nationwide initiative to make golf accessible to kids who might otherwise never get a chance to hold a club via BMW India Foundation. Between our grassroots work and the competitive platform of the BMW Golf Cup, our goal is to build a clear pathway that can take a young talent from their first game all the way to the top tier of the sport.

Q. What role do structure amateur tournaments play in keeping golfers engaged with the sport and helping them develop a competitive mindset?

Ans: Golf is ultimately a game played with resilience. What makes it unique is that you are not reacting to what an opponent does but playing against the course, the weather, and honestly, your own mind. While the physical endurance matters, the real test is how you manage your emotions, stay patient, and maintain focus through four or five hours of the game.

A structured tournament forces you to confront that. Winning is great, but the real value for an amateur golfer is learning to handle pressure, make tough decisions, and recover from a bad shot without letting it ruin the round.

That mindset is exactly why this partnership works so well for BMW. We build cars with an equal obsession over details and a refusal to cut corners. The driver who appreciates that level of engineering is often the same person who demands that same discipline from themselves on the course. The BMW Golf Cup is not just about handing out trophies but about bringing together people who share that passion and standard of excellence.

Q. Beyond competition, golf is often viewed as a sport that builds relationships and communities. How has the BMW Golf Cup helped foster a stronger golfing community in India?

Ans: For us, this has never been just about marketing or sponsoring a sport but about building a community. Over 16 editions of the BMW Golf Cup, we have watched a real network of friendships form and deepen year after year. These relationships do not end when the final putt drops and carry over into business partnerships and lifelong friendships among people who value the same things.

We also make the tournament experience immersive by bringing the renowned BMW hospitality, our latest vehicles, lifestyle collections, and accessories directly to the courses. We give our guests a chance to experience the world of BMW in a relaxed, natural environment.

Q. India is witnessing growing interest in golf among young professionals and business leaders. How do you see this trend shaping the future of the sport in the country?

Ans: We are seeing a noticeable shift in who is picking up the sport. Young executives and entrepreneurs are gravitating toward golf because it offers something rare, a chance to build relationships at a completely different pace while tackling a game that rewards patience and hard work.

Additionally, we are actively making the sport accessible to underprivileged kids. It ensures the growth of golf in India is not only elite or exclusive but genuinely for everyone who has a passion for the game.

Q. What differentiates the BMW Golf Cup from other amateur golf events, and why has it remained relevant to Indian golfers over the years?

Ans: The biggest differentiator is the global stage that BMW Golf Cup offers. For amateur golfers, that is an unforgettable, bucket-list experience.

Beyond the tournament structure, it is about consistency and quality. Every single touchpoint, from the hospitality to the organization on the course, is designed to match the premium standards people expect from BMW. We have stayed committed to this sport and to our players over years, and that consistency builds trust and relevance that you can't just manufacture overnight.

Q. Looking ahead, what is BMW India's long-term vision for supporting the growth of amateur golf, and what opportunities do you see for the sport in the next decade?

Ans: Our vision is to do two things at once, namely, open the sport up to more people while continuing to push the envelope on how premium an amateur event experience can be. By scaling up and expanding our footprint into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, we want to make golf a core part of India's broader sporting culture.

At the same time, we will keep raising the bar for the BMW Golf Cup. We want to ensure that our players, patrons, and community always experience a world-class competitive stage and exceptional hospitality. A wider grassroots base brings new energy and talent into the game, while our premium tournament gives those golfers a truly elite standard. We want to keep expanding these experiences and making golf a much bigger part of our community's lifestyle over the coming years.