34 rules should be easy to master, right? Or so many would think before reality dawns upon them. When the 34 rules give way to 34,000 interpretations, even the wisest are left scratching their heads. But Ishwar Achanta is not your common man. He could rattle off half the rules of golf before the quick brown fox can jump over the lazy dog. The Open in 2005 might have witnessed a special Tiger win and an emotional farewell for Jack Nicklaus, but it also wrote a new chapter in Indian golf. Achanta became the first Indian to officiate in a Major championship. With Gaganjeet Bhullar teeing off in less than two hours, we bounced a few questions off the man considered the encyclopedia of golf rules in India-:
Q. Tell us about your experience in 2005...
A. It was phenomenal. Most people didn't expect to see an Indian referee in a major golf tournament because India was not considered a part of the global golf map. The rookies got a chance to introduce themselves and it was a special moment when I introduced myself as a representative of the Indian Golf Union. To have got the chance in St Andrews, the home of golf, was even more special.
Q. Were you nervous when you started out?
A. I was assigned the group of Daniel Chopra and they teed off around four in the afternoon. It was a wet cold day and blustery throughout, just like you would expect it in Scotland. When they started off, there were a few Indian tourists and they were waving out to me and saying words of encouragement. I almost felt like I was a player!
Q. And the first ruling?
A. It didn't take much time coming. It was of the first shot hit. I think it was Bart Bryant, playing with Daniel, who waved out for a referee. There was a hint of trepidation as I went towards him. It was, after all, the first hole at St Andrews in front of a large number of people. The Indians cheered me on as I went towards him. Thankfully it was a simple enough ruling as the ball was resting next to the sprinkler head.
Q. Did the star players throw 'starry tantrums'?
A. It can happen at other events but in a Major, the referees and the players share a very warm relationship. I remember after the tournament, I went up to Tiger and shook his hands and he said, "Thank you for all your help." Even though I had no interaction with him during the course of the tournament, it was just the respect the players had for the referees that prompted him to say that.
Q. Did you always want to make it big as a referee?
A. It was never a question of wanting to make it big but I do remember, in 2001, a year before I became a qualified referee, there was a small incident in my home club which led to a lot of confusion. I guess that was when I decided that I will devote a lot of my time to understanding the rules of the game.
Q. Are you still active as a referee?
A. I don't do many tournaments, which is also a result of having achieved what I wanted to but there are a few that I do regularly, like the Australian Open and some of the other ones. I am now looking at a greater role in golf administration.
Q. And your views on Gaganjeet?
A. I have seen him in his earlier days on the tour and he is a very talented player. I have always maintained that it is a matter of time before an Indian does something big. To put it differently, it is just a matter of time before the Claret Jug comes home.
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We sure do wish that the 42-year-old plays a greater role in Indian golf and may great success bless the Golf Referees Association of India, which we hope, under his stewardship, is able to produce many qualified men who represent the country on the major tours.Wouldn't it be a pretty sight, to see Tiger Woods docked two strokes by one of our own?
Q. Tell us about your experience in 2005...
A. It was phenomenal. Most people didn't expect to see an Indian referee in a major golf tournament because India was not considered a part of the global golf map. The rookies got a chance to introduce themselves and it was a special moment when I introduced myself as a representative of the Indian Golf Union. To have got the chance in St Andrews, the home of golf, was even more special.
Q. Were you nervous when you started out?
A. I was assigned the group of Daniel Chopra and they teed off around four in the afternoon. It was a wet cold day and blustery throughout, just like you would expect it in Scotland. When they started off, there were a few Indian tourists and they were waving out to me and saying words of encouragement. I almost felt like I was a player!
Q. And the first ruling?
A. It didn't take much time coming. It was of the first shot hit. I think it was Bart Bryant, playing with Daniel, who waved out for a referee. There was a hint of trepidation as I went towards him. It was, after all, the first hole at St Andrews in front of a large number of people. The Indians cheered me on as I went towards him. Thankfully it was a simple enough ruling as the ball was resting next to the sprinkler head.
Q. Did the star players throw 'starry tantrums'?
A. It can happen at other events but in a Major, the referees and the players share a very warm relationship. I remember after the tournament, I went up to Tiger and shook his hands and he said, "Thank you for all your help." Even though I had no interaction with him during the course of the tournament, it was just the respect the players had for the referees that prompted him to say that.
Q. Did you always want to make it big as a referee?
A. It was never a question of wanting to make it big but I do remember, in 2001, a year before I became a qualified referee, there was a small incident in my home club which led to a lot of confusion. I guess that was when I decided that I will devote a lot of my time to understanding the rules of the game.
Q. Are you still active as a referee?
A. I don't do many tournaments, which is also a result of having achieved what I wanted to but there are a few that I do regularly, like the Australian Open and some of the other ones. I am now looking at a greater role in golf administration.
Q. And your views on Gaganjeet?
A. I have seen him in his earlier days on the tour and he is a very talented player. I have always maintained that it is a matter of time before an Indian does something big. To put it differently, it is just a matter of time before the Claret Jug comes home.
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We sure do wish that the 42-year-old plays a greater role in Indian golf and may great success bless the Golf Referees Association of India, which we hope, under his stewardship, is able to produce many qualified men who represent the country on the major tours.
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