patna patnaites are fast developing a taste for golf but the budding golfers find it difficult to hone their skills because there is only one academy in the state that imparts coaching in golf earlier those who wanted to play golf in the state capital did not have options as only the patna golf club members were allowed to play at the 18hole course of the club and getting its membership was always an uphill task since the club rules do not allow to have more than 600 members at a time said manik vedasen secretary of patna golf club to help more people particularly the young play the game the states lone golf academy was set up in august last year he said the members of the academy include students professionals doctors lawyers and businessmen since august last the golf academy had two batches in the first batch 90 persons were enrolled while in the second batch that started in december over 130 were enrolled to learn golf from the academy patna golf club membership is not mandatory for students who are also the club member the course fee is rs 10000 both adult and kids while nonmember adults have to shell our rs 20000 and kids are charged rs 10000 this year the academy is organizing three batches each of threemonth duration the enrolment for the third batch of the academy scheduled to start in may is going on the enrolled students have to attend three classes each of two hours duration every week for three months those interested in coming on more than three days a week are also welcome said vedasen the trainees at the academy learn how to drive chip and putt they are taught bunker shots and how to hit a ball lying on slopes or on a rough patch they also attend a number of workshops that inform them about the rules of golf those unable to learn the game within three months are given an extension of another three months by spending half the amount of the fee the academy is also giving free training to poor children interested in learning golf in both the previous batches around 10 kids were trained free of cost and provided with golf clubs and balls like the regular trainees to promote the game the academy is organizing a twoweek long free summer camp for kids in the second week of may students at the club are trained by national level golfers rashik ali from kolkata and shashi raj from patna from 6am to 8am and 430 to 630 in the evening the coaches experience helps the budding golfers said amar sahu the club treasurer we have been organizing golf tournaments for the last 40 years to give exposure to local golfers he said not many getting enrolled at patna golf academy want to be tiger woods rory mcllroy or justin rose most of them are taking it as a hobby sahu said sana ahmad a