Madikeri Golf Course, Coorg, Karnataka India

Madikeri Golf Course or Mercara Downs Club is suburban golf course located in Coorg, ercara Downs golf club was established by British in the late 1800 making it a serious contender among the oldest golf course in Indian Sub-Continent.   Mercara Downs golf club is located about 06kms from the Medikeri or Mercara the capital of Coorg district.

This lovely 18 hole course – the front nine and the back nine are totally different in character.  Back nine is flatter, narrower and more challenging, to hit fairways on every tee shot.  One of the holes particularly is interesting par 3 over a Banana Plantation with is O straight onto the Green with an 8 Iron.

Located about 6 kms from “Madikeri” or “Mercara”, the capital of Kodagu (Coorg) District, amidst 70 or 80 odd acres of swelling, rolling landscape and beautiful scenery this is one of the lovely natural “parkland” golf courses in India, a living, breathing example of the setting in which the game was played by the home-sick planers of the early years. The course is clearly of “Mother Nature’s Design”, rather like the way the Royal & Ancient is said to be.

The Brits must have felt very much at home in these surroundings; The rolling “downs” are reminiscent of their own “Sussex Downs”, the weather varying from temperate and pleasant to sometimes chilly, clean, fresh air, lush vegetation, the quick build up of thunderclouds disgorging large drops of rain; all these must have added considerably to their impression, topped off by the pleasant distraction of the pale grey mist rolling down to the lush coffee and jungle clad slopes of the hills encircling the area.