Madras Gymkhana Club

Welcome to the Madras Gymkhana Club Golf Annexe, which over the last 125 years has seen Chennai’s young and old play the game, carrying along with it the heritage of Chennai golf. The Gymkhana Golf Club, affectionately called “Guindy” is one of the oldest links style golf courses in the country, with its sprawling 6000 yards of 18 challenging holes, all within and around the periphery of a horse racing track.

The Madras Gymkhana Golf Annexe, found its beginnings in 1877 with Col. Ross Thompson, elected as the first captain of the club. It was not less than a year after taking over the captaincy, that Col. Thompson, initiated the first ever match between Madras and Bangalore. This match between MGC and BGC, carrier on till today, and is one of the two oldest surviving club matches, the other being between Oxford and Cambridge. Back then the game was played at the Island Grounds, just south of the main club. It was around about the turn of the 20th century, that the game moved to its current location at Guindy.

The Guindy Course originally had 9 holes, which was later extended to 14 and then 16, with browns instead of greens. Even back then, the Guindy rough was much feared and severe, a feature which challenges the golfers even today.

The popularity of the course however slowly evolved. Some of the first Indian members of the golf club were the Princes of Vizianagaram, Pithapuram and Orissa, in around about the 1930’s. It was only later in the 1960’s that the game really improved in popularity, with golfers like R.B Alaganan and V.S Dhanasekar carrying the mantle, not to mention a legacy of golfers in the following years.

Guindy, has come a long way since then. Today, it boasts of smooth fairways, from which the members approach some of the best greens in the country. Over the last decade, it has incorporated one of the best junior programs, which have produced juniors who have gone on to bring laurels to the country with some of them even turning professional. It is one of the few clubs, which has really promoted Women’s golf, and their patronization of it goes back to 1931, where they introduced the Hutton Cups, one of the first tournaments in the country for women.

Be it the smile of the friendly caddies, the faint sound of the almost noiseless yellow-wattled Lapwing bird, the sight of the two solitary palm trees on the 3rd hole or crossing the race track on the 11th, not to mention negotiating the strong wind which perennially engulfs the course. Playing at Guindy, is a timeless memorable experience, something which all the members would strongly endorse.

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Welcome to the Madras Gymkhana Club Golf Annexe, which over the last 125 years has seen Chennai’s young and old play the game, carrying along with it the heritage of Chennai golf. The Gymkhana Golf Club, affectionately called “Guindy” is one of the oldest links style golf courses in the country, with its sprawling 6000 yards of 18 challenging holes, all within and around the periphery of a horse racing track. The Madras Gymkhana Golf Annexe, found its beginnings in 1877 with Col. Ross Thompson, elected as the first captain of the club. It was not less than a year after taking over the captaincy, that Col. Thompson, initiated the first ever match between Madras and Bangalore. This match between MGC and BGC, carrier on till today, and is one of the two oldest surviving club matches, the other being between Oxford and Cambridge. Back then the game was played at the Island Grounds, just south of the main club. It was around about the turn of the 20th century, that the game moved to its current location at Guindy. The Guindy Course originally had 9 holes, which was later extended to 14 and then 16, with browns instead of greens. Even back then, the Guindy rough was much feared and severe, a feature which challenges the golfers even today. The popularity of the course however slowly evolved. Some of the first Indian members of the golf club were the Princes of Vizianagaram, Pithapuram and Orissa, in around about the 1930’s. It was only later in the 1960’s that the game really improved in popularity, with golfers like R.B Alaganan and V.S Dhanasekar carrying the mantle, not to mention a legacy of golfers in the following years. Guindy, has come a long way since then. Today, it boasts of smooth fairways, from which the members approach some of the best greens in the country. Over the last decade, it has incorporated one of the best junior programs, which have produced juniors who have gone on to bring laurels to the country with some of them even turning professional. It is one of the few clubs, which has really promoted Women’s golf, and their patronization of it goes back to 1931, where they introduced the Hutton Cups, one of the first tournaments in the country for women. Be it the smile of the friendly caddies, the faint sound of the almost noiseless yellow-wattled Lapwing bird, the sight of the two solitary palm trees on the 3rd hole or crossing the race track on the 11th, not to mention negotiating the strong wind which perennially engulfs the course. Playing at Guindy, is a timeless memorable experience, something which all the members would strongly endorse.