NEW DELHI — Golf’s greatest challenge in India is no longer just accessibility—it is perception.
Determined to change the narrative, DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) President Kapil Dev has called for the sport to shed its long-standing image as an exclusive pastime of the wealthy and emerge as a game that offers opportunity to all.
During a recent interaction at the Delhi Golf Club, the 1983 World Cup-winning cricket captain outlined an inclusive vision for Indian golf. He argued that the sport has the potential to become a powerful vehicle for social mobility, personal growth, and professional networking, gradually breaking free from the stereotypes that have defined it for decades.
“Who wants to remain poor? Everybody wants to be on the top of the world," Kapil asserted. "If you get the opportunity to take one step forward, why not? Golf gives everyone an opportunity to make a difference in their lives. Why should we always say that it is a rich man’s sport? It is for everyone.”
Drawing comparisons to cricket’s own evolution, Kapil noted that cricket was once largely confined to royalty and the privileged class before transforming into India’s most popular sport by opening its doors to talent from every corner of the country. He believes golf is capable of undergoing a similar transformation.
Furthermore, the legendary sportsman stressed that golf’s value extends well beyond trophies and prize money. Unlike most sports, it creates a unique environment where aspiring youngsters can directly interact with industry leaders, corporate executives, and influential personalities.
“This is one game where an ordinary player can come out and play with the CEO of a company," Kapil said. "All the top people play golf. I initially thought it’s the other way round... If you’re just a kid and learning golf, you’re meeting the top people and learning from them. That’s also why it’s very important to play; you become a better human being at the end of the day.”
According to Kapil, these interactions often become life-changing experiences for young golfers, breaking down social barriers, fostering meaningful connections, and broadening perspectives.
As the DP World PGTI intensifies efforts to expand the sport’s reach, Kapil remains convinced that the future of Indian golf depends entirely on dismantling outdated perceptions. If cricket’s remarkable rise from an elite pastime to a mass movement offers any lesson, he said, it is that barriers can be broken and opportunities can be democratized.
