IGU Partners Golf New Zealand To Strengthen India's High-Performance Golf Pathway With 2036 Olympics In Mind

New Delhi, Aug 20: The Indian Golf Union (IGU) has joined hands with Golf New Zealand to strengthen India's golf development and high-performance pathway, with the potential 2036 Olympics serving as a long-term target for the sport.

As part of the initiative, Gregg Thorpe, General Manager - High-Performance and Talent Development at Golf New Zealand, visited India from August 12 to 17. The six-day visit included meetings with coaches, players, sports professionals and club managers, besides visits to leading golf facilities in the National Capital Region and the National Golf Academy of India (NGAI) in Chandigarh.

Thorpe visited the DLF Golf & Country Club, DLF Golf Academy, Jaypee Greens, Delhi Golf Club and several facilities in Chandigarh and Panchkula. Discussions focused on junior development programmes, elite player pathways, coaching, sports science and creating greater coordination between the IGU, state associations, clubs and academies.

"This trip has been really important to understand more about the culture and how things work here in India, so I can help the IGU to establish their high-performance programmes," Thorpe said.

He also highlighted the quality of India's existing infrastructure and coaching ecosystem. "What I've found is some really, really good people and some facilities that are absolutely outstanding," he added.

Thorpe said the collaboration could help establish a structured pathway for the next generation of Indian golfers, while also preparing for the possibility of India hosting the 2036 Olympics.

"It's about putting a strategy and a structure in place that will inspire the next generation of young Indians, but more importantly, build towards a really successful Olympics if India is successful in hosting the Olympics here in 2036," he said.

The IGU has already undertaken several initiatives to strengthen its development structure, including reviving national squad camps, adding more than 120 coaches, conducting TrackMan and Smart2Move seminars and supporting state associations with equipment.

Indian junior golf has also produced encouraging results, with Harjai Milkha Singh and Krish Chawla winning the 2026 APGC Junior Boys Golf Championship.

Thorpe stressed that coach development would remain a key component of any high-performance strategy, while pointing to the legacy of Indian golfers such as Aditi Ashok.

The collaboration aims to create a more integrated pathway connecting clubs, academies, coaches, state associations and players, ultimately helping India develop golfers capable of competing consistently at the highest international level.