At 23 he already has built up a reputation for being the longest hitter in Indian golf. For Gurbaaz Maan, hitting 300 yards on an average on the course is mundane, and has a personal best of 375.However, on the eve of the Aamby Valley Masters, Gurbaaz hopes that it’s not his ability to hit the ball long, as much as hit it straight that will hold him in good stead.“It’s basic science. You can’t hit it long without hitting it straight. And the accuracy and consistency is what I’m looking for,” says Gurbaaz who, while qualifying for a spot with the Arizona State University, hit all 18 greens. And though one does not win simply by sending the ball off flying as far as possible, it’s an ability golfers would like to have on their repertiore of skills.The field includes masters like Harmeet Kahlon, Gaurav Ghei, Vijay Kumar and Feroz Ali besides Ali Sher, who won the 1991 and 1993 Indian Open.-sanasikelkar@expressindia.com
