BENGALURU: For a good part of the season, unlike most pros on the tour, Om Prakash Chouhan — the new winner on the Challenge Tour at the KGA here on Sunday — usually gets only a short window to test his skill set.
For, back home in Mhow, the 36-year-old has access only to the golf range (a maidan actually), where he hits countless balls like his mentor Mukesh Kumar. It is only a week or two before the season or an event begins, that Chouhan actually gets to play on a course, check his shortcomings and then work on them.
Thanks to his well-wishers at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad, which is a six-hour drive from his hometown, Chouhan has been able to play competitively in recent years and fine-tune his game. Despite lack of playing time, the pro has been able to stay in the top five in career earnings on the domestic tour.
In sport in general, it is crucial to get enough playing time, more so in golf which is all about direction and is target-oriented.
Chouhan, who picked up his biggest pay cheque of $48,000 after winning the Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge on Sunday, has been given unlimited access to the course by the promoters of Kalhaar.
“I would like to thank Devang Shah for allowing me to play regularly at Kalhaar. Playing there has made a huge difference to my game,” Chouhan said after his win. He also thanked a few members for their support, encouragement and advice.
Despite various hurdles, Chouhan has been performing consistently on the Indian tour, winning seven titles before Sunday’s triumph.
“I’ve worked a lot on the mental aspect of my game lately. That has brought a lot of improvement in my game. In the past, if I dropped shots or made mistakes early in the round, I would generally start playing more aggressively. But now, I don’t let the errors affect my game too much,” Chouhan said.
The seasoned pro would be hoping to be the last one standing in The Challenge presented by KGA, another $300,000 event on the Challenge Tour that begins on Tuesday.
