Tee offs by 14 foreign golfers come as a shot in the arm for high-end sports tourism in Kashmir

Mesmerised by the scenic beauty, 14 foreign players from nine different countries teed off on the Royal Spring Golf Course (RSGC) at the foothills of sub-mountain Zabarwan Range in Srinagar on Monday (August 3, 2026) and has come as a shot in the arm of high-end sports tourism in Kashmir.

As the 2025 Pahalgam attack shooed off foreign tourists, the fifth edition of the J&K Open of the DP World Professional Golf Tour of India is featuring 14 foreign players, out of 130 players, from nine different countries— United States, Japan, Czech Republic, Bangladesh, Canada, Malaysia etc— “to instill a sense of security”. The tournament will culminate on August 7.

As players tee off, parallels are being drawn between the greens, fairways and roughs of Kashmir with the courses of the U..S, which has the world’s highest number of golf courses at 16.752.

“As I walked in and started seeing the mountains in the golf course, it made me think about the courses of Salt Lake City, Utah (in the U.S). It’s right up against the mountains, and looked very similar. In fact, one of the prettiest places that I’ve ever gotten to play golf. It’s really, really pretty,” Dominic Piccirillo, a pro golfer from the U..S, told The Hindu. The only stark contrast for Mr. Piccirillo is “the presence of security persons” on the streets.   

For Joshua Seale, a golfer from Uganda, the RSGC offered “a good test” of skills. “The course is very picturesque. With the rough being pretty high, it’s very challenging. I think even with hitting some bad shots, one is still able to enjoy the view. The views are second to none,” said Mr. Seale.

Rains in Kashmir have already added to the golfing challenge, with fairways slower than normal and ball not rolling nicely. “The beauty of the game is that one wants to play in different weather conditions. I am impressed by the design of course. But if the rough was high, the course could play tighter and squaring would be tight. It is pleasing to play on this beautiful course,” said Jamal Hossain, a golfer from Bangladesh . 

The total prize purse for the event has been raised from ₹50 lakh to ₹1 crore. “The Robert Trent Jones II designed RSGC provides a championship venue that is admired by players for both its outstanding playing conditions and breathtaking surroundings. The tournament is part of J&K Tourism’s great initiative of promoting golf tourism in the region,” said Amandeep Johl, Chief Executive Officer, DP World PGT.

Besides the RSGC, J&K is home to the Jammu Tawi Golf Course, Pahalgam Golf Course and Gulmarg Golf Club. “These courses provide a mesmerizing experience to golfers,” said Mr. Johl.

The tournament came at a time when Kashmir battles to woo foreign tourists. In the wake of militancy, there was a significant drop in foreign travellers’ footfall, from a high of 37,166 in 2012 to less than 15,000 in 2016. In 2024, it again picked up and touched 43,654 only to see a dip in 2025 after the Pahalgam attack. A fresh impetus is in place to win back foreign tourists. 

“We are projecting Kashmir as a premier golf tourism destination. With world-class courses and participation from 16 foreign professionals, we aim to attract global golfers, promote local talent, and boost high-end sports tourism,” said Syed Qamar Sajad, director of the Kashmir tourism department.