For Vani Kapoor, the European Tour was a step up in her first full season on the tour. Having played on the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) for six years, she found the going tough but a rally at the Indian Women’s Open late in the year helped her save her European Tour card.
With a packed field containing the likes of Michele Thomson, Carlota Ciganda and leading women’s golfer Aditi Ashok, Vani held her own, sitting second till the last day. Day three saw her card an even-par round and finish sixth.
“Last day didn’t go my way a bit. It was a bit of nerves. The first time I’ve seen so many people walking with me. I was playing under a bit of pressure. Pretty happy that it was a level-par round. It could have been much worse.
“More of relief. It was more about keeping my card. I was playing on the Asian and European Tour. I didn’t want to go to qualifying school and extend my season.”
The 23-year-old Kapoor is the only Indian to hold a Ladies European Tour (LET) card on the circuit this season but explained why golf courses outside posed a completely different challenge to those in India.
“It’s much more difficult to play in Europe. There, you have to prepare for the winds. It can get pretty cold over there too. The quality of the players is also higher and steeper. Here, you’re used to playing against 25 other people. There, you have to compete with 150 other women. The bar keeps getting raised over there,” Kapoor explains in the context of her first season where the going wasn’t necessarily smooth for the Gurgaon native.
Adapting to the winds proved a challenge for her, as she admits that “nothing in India can prepare you for the winds. You just have to keep playing on the tour and hope you get better.”
A lot of work has gone into her game in the off-season, says Kapoor to improve flagging stats such as making more ‘Greens in Regulation’ (GIR). She and coach Anitya Chand have focused on cutting down the errors in her game.
Kapoor, who won four of the six tournaments that she competed in India is happy with the direction that the women’s game is taking, “People are moving out, so that’s a good sign that they have the capability of playing on bigger tours – LET and LPGA. So there are golfers out there putting India on the golfing map.
“More women need to turn pro and pursue it as a career. It’s a catch-22 situation. We need more money coming. The sponsors coming in, need to show more players. The lot of us who go out need to win more, raise the profile,” she added.
Having started going to the course to accompany her father at the age of 9, Kapoor says the ‘father-daughter quality time’ soon turned into serious business.
“I originally hated golf because my first coach (at the Air Force Golf Club) was very negative, not very motivating. The classes were very irregular. By 12, I was sure that I wanted to pursue golf as a career,” reminisces Kapoor.
The DLF Golf Club and Country golfer is very vocal about the game spreading rather than remaining confined to certain sections of society. “We need more eyes on women’s golf. Players need to hold more clinics and engage more people. Some poeple are working and trying to handle two careers. The need to handle the two things at home and achieve a balance is important.”
There’s a concerted effort from both golfer and coach to balance her workload this season. Having played 25-30 tournaments across the Asian Tour, Australian Tour, WGAI and the LET, the number will reduce this season to prioritise world ranking points, confirms Kapoor.
Good friend Amandeep Drall hasn’t managed her European card this season. “We’re like sisters and we can irritate each other to the core. I hate her for making me travel alone this season,” laughs Kapoor.
A bachelor’s in psychology and sociology from the Jesus and Mary College, New Delhi, Vani says there’s no intent to pursue any further studies. “I am a certified coach now and I want to remain in golf after this. I don’t want to study any further. I always want to be associated with golf here on.”
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!