Kalhaar Blues & Greens

Developed by the Navratna Group within a sizeable real estate project, the 18-hole layout at Kalhaar Blues & Greens was only the second Nicklaus Design course to open in India when it debuted in 2012. With water in play at many of the holes, it’s also rated one of the toughest tracks in the country.

Constructed to USGA specification on a 175-acre site, it’s one of the longest golf courses in India with an overall length of 7,425 yards. The shortest par four extends to almost 400 yards at the 13th whilst the longest par four at the 6th – measuring 525 yards from the back tees – is the longest two-shot hole in the country.

Sand capped fairways are laid out on a largely flat landscape where contours were created from spoil taken from the fourteen man-made lakes that cover an area of more than 30 acres. MiniVerde is used for tees and greens and Bermuda 419 for fairways, with these grass varieties imported from the US, nurtured and propagated then transplanted onto the course.

The signature hole is the 174-yard 7th, playing to an island green and it’s a potential scorecard spoiler when the wind is up. Interestingly, the putting surface at the 399-yard 13th hole also forms a different kind of island green – it’s a “beach green” that’s ringed completely by sand instead of water!

Kalhaar Blues & Greens hosted the inaugural Ahmedebad Masters tournament on the Professional Golf Tour of India in 2015, an event won by Khalin H Joshni with a total score of 17 under par, two ahead of his nearest rival. Joshni returned to defend his title the following year but had to be content with the runner position when Rashid Khan beat him by one shot with an aggregate score of 276, twelve under par.