A clash between two army veterans at the Chandigarh Golf Club this year

Excerpts from interview with Major Lalli Virk (retd)

I am a soldier first, then a farmer and now I am an entrepreneur. I did my education from St. John’s, YPS, and GCM-11. I am a golfer at heart, who is deeply in love with the game.

I started playing golf in the year 2000 and I am happy to say that now I have a single handicap.

The key issues in these elections:

I strongly feel the club should be managed by an active playing member. Another significant issue is the generation and utilisation of the revenue generated from the League. I feel we should appoint an independent organising committee with the sole aim of generating maximum revenue. We should also ensure that more members play and we use that money for providing better facilities on the fairways.

Then there are issues of propriety which were raised even during the golf league. We feel that golf is a gentleman’s game and these issues of impropriety need to stop. The Committee members should not play the League as it is a conflict of interest. Golfers also wants improvement in the quality and variety of food and beverage served at the club while reducing the pricing for members. There is also a need to slash the undue expenditure and spend more to improve golfing conditions and services for members, be it golf carts for senior citizens or better warm up equipment for playing members.

Agenda for the club

We will improve golfing conditions, menu, and pricing of the restaurant and bar. We will also chart a better schedule for golf league and tournaments in order to facilitate more playing time for regular members. We would ensure that both, the members who play in the league and other members should be able to enjoy the game by creating well lit (solar lit) holes and with sensible scheduling.

The USP of my team

Members of my team have a stellar track record, be it as professionals or as golfers. They have tremendous experience in terms of years and professional service and golfing prowess.

On byelaws related to renomination of a captain for the second term.

We support selection based on merit and democracy and oppose misuse of power or circumventing of elections. Also, it boils down to propriety at one level.

Excerpts from interview with sitting president  Col. Bobby Chahal (retd)

I completed my schooling from Delhi Public School, Delhi and graduated from Delhi University. I joined the Indian Military Academy in 1973 and was commissioned in the 70 Armoured Regiment in June 1975. In 1997, after 22 years of service, I took pre-mature retirement and settled down in Chandigarh. I then set up a manpower and security services business in 1999. I have been on the Managing Committee on four occasions. I was the Chairman of House Committee from 2017 to 2018, Honorary Secretary in 2018-19 and President of Chandigarh Golf Club in 2022-23.

The key poll issues this time

We will aim for an improved golf league after implementing the lessons learnt from the first experience. We will not have any tournaments from November to February since the days are short, and there is less playing time. Once the building plans are approved by the administration, we will also undertake renovation of the dining hall and the starter hut complex.

We will also focus on solving the old problem of the swimming pool, which has been leaking for many years and make it an all-weather pool.

We will also follow up with the administration for permission to build a multilevel car parking. Addition of some more golf carts for hire by the members is also on the cards. In the Club House, the focus will be on health and hygiene in the kitchen. The staff welfare is critical to all organizations and special attention will be given to their welfare. We will ensure complete transparency in all facets of the club management and special focus will be on good management practices of club finances. We will seek resolution of the property tax demand facing the club and pending income tax issues.

The USP of my team

My team is a well-balanced mix of youth, senior members, professionals, and officers. The club will greatly benefit from their vast and varied experience. Some of my team members have served the club at various points of time and have been instrumental in the development of our club, while others will infuse fresh ideas and will be like a breath of fresh air in the management.

Views on byelaws related to renomination of a captain for the second term

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