Historical colonial Mercara Downs golf club

MB's Stamps of India

The Mercara Downs golf course, a suburban golf club located in Madikeri, Coorg  is a 18 hole, 5584 yard, Par 70 layout set on a hill at an altitude of about 3600 feet from the MSL. It is just outside the Coorg town in a secluded part and has a fine layout with parkland setting. It is among India's old colonial golf courses established in the late 1800s.  Actually, it is the oldest colonial golf course in the British Empire  and as the record are lost for ever, it's date of inception, etc has no proof.

Mercara Downs Golf Club - Golfgaga

The golf course is  about 6 kms from “Madikeri” or “Mercara”, the capital of Kodagu (Coorg) District, in the middle of serene rolling hills and greenery. The setting is such that it is tagged as  a natural “parkland” golf course.  It is a nice place to relax far away from the madding crowd. Centuries ago during the colonial days, this area was occupied by the British planters of tea and coffee. Numerous families owned plantation lands and the then East India company encouraged them to carry on their plantation activities for their export business. The plantation owners   developed the the golf course here as the place was ideally suited to play the game. As there was no recreation available to them, golf events offered them a chance to relax  on holidays teeing on the rolling hills. It was  a change from mechanical,  mundane life  to self-rejuvenation. It is one of  the few natural golf courses in India. Weather-wise and the amiable surroundings with smooth rolling landscape are close to those of  “Sussex Downs”. No doubt the British were impressed by the congenial weather varying from temperate and pleasant to sometimes chilly, clean, fresh air, vast expanse of lush vegetation,  quick downpours and the pale bluish gray mist. Besides at this elevation, one could notice the commanding view of the adjacent areas.

Coorg.com

On December 12th,- 13th 2014, Mercara Downs Golf Club, one of the  prestigious Golf clubs in the country celebrated its 100th anniversary. Mercara Downs Golf Club has a new  identity  in the form of a new classic logo and to match it, there will be marked improvements in the facilities available to the patrons.along with a plethora of new facilities and features at the club.

 MDGC is also planning to make the club a world-class destination course that will play host to professional as well as International tournaments. To begin with, the club has  an exciting plan to  build 18 premium golf villas, which will provide exclusive, luxury living for eternal golf lovers  thus preserving the rationale and ethos  of this old golf club founded by the British.

Ref:
http://mercaradownsgolfclub.golfgaga.com/