Signs that golf is getting more popular in Chennai include Aavisa, a 700-acre golf-centric township in Sriperumbudur promoted by IVRCL Assets & Holdings.
The 18-hole championship-level golf course accounts for 160 acres of the project area.
The golf course will form the central strip with villas and high-end apartments built alongside; from most of these dwellings, the action at the course could be watched. "Golf-centric townships are not new in the West. But in India, this is a very novel idea,” says Nagarajan, vice-president of IVRCL A&H.
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As IVRCL wants a golf course that is suitable for championships, it has tied up with Golfplan, which has been designing golf courses in more than 60 countries since 1972.
With 24 years of experience in the field, Russell Sheehan will oversee the designing of the 18-hole golf course at Aavisa.
Russell has worked extensively across south-east Asia, designing and installing golf courses. He's happy with the location for Aavisa. He says the area's natural wealth has helped the design team considerably. Over 10 lakes and reservoirs on or close to the project area is bound to add richness to the design.
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“We are starting with an advantage. Theneri (500 acres), Perieri (120 acres), Karnaieri, Kosavanar and many other lakes have made our job easier,” says Nagarajan. In addition, the design team is scooping out earth to create artificial lakes.
While the golf course definitely offers a lot for the serious and avid golfer, it has something for the neophyte too. There are multiple tees. For the newly initiated, there are wider landing zones. Nine holes are expected to be ready by July, 2011.
Nagarjan expects the 18-hole golf course to be an attraction for top-notch professionals working in industrial units at Oragadam and Sriperumbudur.
“Expatriates working in these areas who love the game will be spared the trouble of travelling to far off places to play golf. A significant number of them do not spend the weekend in the city. They pack their golf equipment and fly to Bangalore. In the future, they need not do that!” he says.