Kashmir offers a unique opportunity to play golf in invigorating surroundings, where the wind whispers through enormous trees of chinar and stately pine.
In the verdant golf courses at Srinagar and Gulmarg, you will be able to play for longer hours than you can in the plains because of the lower temperatures – Srinagar’s highest temperature seldom goes above 35°C. Srinagar offers an exclusive opportunity for golf enthusiasts to play almost through the entire year. During the summers, while the plains are boiling, Srinagar's temperate climate allows the golfer to play longer hours without getting tired. During winters, the courses in Srinagar are closed, only when snowbound.
The course at Gulmarg is like nothing you’ve ever seen or imagined before. Situated at an altitude of 2,650 m, it is the highest green golf course anywhere in the world. The layout of the course too is strikingly different from most golf courses – the land slopes and inclines along the complete area of the course, which has a par of 72. The historic Gulmarg Golf Club was started in 1911 by the British who used the place as a holiday resort. The origin of Gulmarg as the Golfing Mecca of India goes back to the late 19th century when a 6-hole course was made in 1890-91 by Colonel Neville Chamberlain - the greens were known as browns in those days. The first Golf championship was played at Gulmarg in 1922. The Nedou's Cup was introduced in 1929. In 1930, ‘The World’ beat Scotland.
The course remains covered under snow from December to April. One can hire Golf Sets and balls from pros who are registered with the Tourism Department. The Golf Course is under major renovation these days, with many greens and tees being relocated.
Jammu and Kashmir are often referred to with the acronym, J&K. Its location is in the Himalayan Mountains, and the state shares its borders with states such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. Jammu and Kashmir share an international border with China in the north-eastern frontier, and the Line Of Control separates it from Pakistan. Some of the best things to do in Jammu & Kashmir would definitely be to boat on the Dal Lake, take a biking tour to engage some marvellous treks across J&K. Above the elevation of the tree line, is found, meadows and northwestern alpine shrub of the Himalayas. The northeastern part of the state has a covering of the West Karakoram Plateau of Tibet's Alpine Steppe. Simply rock and ice, but no vegetation is found in the highest of the elevations. Amongst the best things to do in Jammu & Kashmir, we would definitely say the top one would be to nature-gaze at the valleys of Kashmir, for the amount of beauty it offers to the eye!