While watching a Bollywood movie trailer, a rough looking man with a very elaborate mustache yells at the other guy: “Golf is rich people’s game!…”. I cringe. Besides the point that it was a very bad acting with what seemed like a narrow characterization of a character, mostly my cringe was veered toward the dialogue itself. Golf is rich people’s game? Who said that? There is no game in the world made for only rich people. There is no such sport in the world, meant for a specific strata of the society. The foundation of sport stands on inclusiveness.
If you come from a south Asian region, you might have had noticed- it’s not just golf that’s out of your reach; practically every other sport is out of your reach; especially if you belong to lower or middle class background. I wanted to try out basketball once in Kathmandu; but my tall giant opponents were so aggressive, I easily made up my mind that basketball was not for me. Quite evidently, our school’s basketball court used to be dominated by tall girls and boys who probably were taking space just to show off. They never let someone like me join the team. It would have been different, had I been bad. In my case, I didn’t even get to try.
Coming back to golf – my only familiarity with golf had been the Nepal army club’s golf course next to the airport in Kathmandu. From afar it always seemed like an empty course but I knew nothing yet to make up anything on golf. Fast forward few years later, I was in America and tried golf for the first time. I loved it, instantly. Despite few hiatus here and there, I continue to golf. In the US there are all kinds of golf courses. You can find cheap courses in cheaper rate, or great courses for a more expensive rate. But the point is, everyone in America can golf. There is no discrimination in the golf course. CEO of a company could be a golfing partner of a painter, or carpenter or even a server. When they are golfing together – there are only golf rules that exist and nothing else.
In Nepal or anywhere else for that matter, if a person makes you feel that golf is only for a rich population. Please be known that s/he is afraid of you. This person is trying to make you feel like you are not worth this sport. Just so they could eliminate their competitors, they are reflecting their own insecurities, not yours.
Please do not limit your mindset by categorizing any kinds of sport based on your income. There is no sport in the world that discriminates. If you give your best shot, it will give you back. Also, in life in general – do not let anyone say who you are and who you are not, what you can play and what you cannot. They know nothing. You just follow your path.
Meanwhile, here’s a drive from one of my games:
Happy golfing!