Chandigarh, Sept. 21 -- The grass is green on either side of the Chandigarh Golf Association's (CGA) range. Once considered a game of the elite, golf is undergoing an egalitarian transformation at the CGA academy, spread over eight acres adjoining Sukhna Lake in Sector 6. At present, 15 budding golfers in the age group of 10 to 19 years from economically weaker sections (EWS) are being sponsored and coached for national and international tournaments at the academy. "Why should golf be restricted to the privileged? Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Khelo India policy calls for tapping sporting talent at the grassroots. It is the mission of the CGA's executive committee to train EWS golfers since the opportunity and ability to excel must reach all citizens," says Ranjit Kumar Pachnanda, a retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the West Bengal cadre at the helm of the CGA. A weekend golfer and full-time golf enthusiast, Pachnanda is the man behind the academy's EWS push this year. "We are scouting for talent in schools of Chandigarh. We offer financial support for training if we spot that spark and desire to excel," he says. As a result, the golf academy's EWS trainees include sons of a waiter, a caddie-turned-coach, a peon and a gardener. With India aspiring to host the summer Olympics in 2036 and Chandigarh emerging as a golf powerhouse, Pachnanda has his sights set clear. "There's always room at the top and no substitute to hard work," he says, gazing out of his office window as the next generation of golfers practise hitting the long drive on the greens. Keeping a close eye on the young golfers, the unassuming, hands-on academy head coach Jesse Grewal, a Dronacharya awardee, says: "The ABC of a good golfer is agility, balance and coordination with the speed of decision-making. Talent is hyped, it's actually consistent practice and smart decision-making that counts." On facilities for budding players, Grewal says the CGA range with a nine-hole pitch and putt course is complete in all aspects of the game: The full swing, the short game that includes chipping and pitching around the green, and putting. These three areas cover the entire process of playing golf and mastering each is crucial to up one's game. He recommends the junior and sub junior training camps held regularly for aspirants to take a shot. Grewal looked on closely as his 13-year-old mentee Danish Verma, a +4 handicap, practised in the distance. Danish broke into a grin when asked what he likes about golf. "Being in the present. It's taught me to focus. I'm here from 3pm to 7pm daily and enjoy every moment," says the son of a Ludhiana-based businessman, Ajay Kumar, who shifted base to Chandigarh eight months ago for his son's sporting career. Danish, who was barely five when he'd accompany his father to the golf course, is today India's number 1 golfer in the junior boys B category. He is the IMG Academy Junior World Championship, USA, 2024 winner. Another promising protege, Aarushi Sharma, 11, who is a Category C top ranker, discovered her love for golf after attending a summer training camp at the academy two years ago. "Golf keeps me close to nature and grounded," she said with a disarming smile that fetched her a compliment from the head coach. Her proud mother, Aarti, a homemaker and the wife of a Sector 28-based real estate developer, who accompanies Aarushi to the range, admitted: "No one in our family has ever played golf." Children as young as three to five years practised hitting on one side of the academy's 21 bays under the watchful eyes of coaches Sarvar Hussain, Vijay Kumar Yadav and Rajinder Kumar. "The classes are held on alternate days. Over the past six months, my four-year-old son, Ekas, has become more disciplined and his posture has also improved," says Agrim Grover, who runs a pharma business in Sector 8, Chandigarh. Gurkirandeep Singh Antal, a merchant navy officer, says there's no bigger joy than watching his five-year-old son, Gurtaj, hitting with poise. "It's too early to say how far he goes, but he looks forward to golf lessons," he says. While caddie-turned-coach Yadav trains the children, his 10-year-old son, Saurav, plays a long game a few bays away under the guidance of Mahesh Kumar, a Class A teaching professional. The Class 5 student is one of the promising EWS trainees at the academy, having participated in the Indian Golf Union (IGU) tournament. Ayush, 15, the son of a gardener, counts putting as his strength in golf. "Arjuna awardee and CGA's pride Shubhankar Sharma is my role model," says the teenager from Manimajra. His senior buddy, Saurav Das, 19, has been playing at the range for the past five years. "I used to accompany my father who works as a waiter at the golf club and would watch golfers. I would practice hitting a smiley ball with an improvised club at home till my father brought me to the academy," says the youngster who now plays in national tournaments. Harry Singh, 14, a top ranker in the Junior 2 category, chips in to introduce himself. "I'm good at chipping and play for four hours daily," says the son of Gurdev Singh, a caddie at the golf course for three decades. "Golf has given us everything. It's transformed our life," says Hari Bhushan Shukla, 50, who works at the UT secretariat as a peon. His son, Vikas, 25, has played twice in the Professional Golf Tour of India "all thanks to the academy"....