NAGPUR’S Group Captain (Retd) Ravi Bhate has become the first person from Vidarbha region to have qualified as a Class A Golf Rules Official (Referee) for Indian and international golf tournaments. He was nominated to attend the Level 3 Tournament Administrator and Rules Seminar (TARS) at St Andrews, Scotland by Indian Golf Union (IGU) in February. Now, he is also a qualified Tournament Administrator. The TAR Seminar at St Andrews Scotland was attended by 75 participants from 40 countries from all over the world that included USA, UK, China, Pakistan, France, Italy among others.

Qualification for attending the Level 3 TAR Seminar is through a two-step selection process by the IGU which consists of written and practical exams. The top qualifier is sent by IGU (which is under Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs), to St Andrews, Scotland for the Level 3 TAR Seminar. Only one such Seminar is held every year in the month of February. St Andrews is known worldwide to be the Home of Golf.

Bhate has been playing golf for the last twenty years and took the decision to become a Rules Official and referee in 2021 during COVID. He will begin his refereeing career with the IGU for tournaments in South Zone and West Zone as and when nominated. He has already been assigned by Golf Canada to Officiate in nine tournaments in British Columbia from May 23-September 23.