Golf's new kids are City's pride

Time of India

2 days ago

Bengaluru: At Pinehurst, the cradle of American golf, two young girls from Bengaluru covered themselves in the spotlight.
Nine-year-old Vedika Bhansali rolled in her final putt to seal a one-shot win in the Girls 9 category, becoming the first Indian to lift a trophy at the US Kids World Championship.
Vedika shot a final round four-under 32 to clinch a thrilling one-shot victory — a dream she first envisioned after watching The Short Game, a documentary film on the very event she has now conquered.
A few fairways away, 11-year-old Aida Thimmaiah was scripting a gritty comeback. After a shaky opening round left her in 27th place, she charged back with a four-under on Day 2, climbing to sixth place. She then produced the best score of the final round to finish third in the Girls 11 category.
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That the two train together under former India player Rahul Ganapathy at the Karnataka Golf Association is no coincidence. Both started swinging junior clubs during the Covid-19 lockdown, when closed classrooms left them with time enough to explore a sport that would soon take over their young lives.
For Vedika, golf was love at first swing. Encouraged by her family, she spent her lockdown days on the field behind her house, hitting balls.
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For Aida, coming from a family steeped in sport, golf was a more calculated choice. Now their days are a blend of dawn-to-dusk practice at the KGA, fitness training, and of course studies! Vedika's weapon is her composure; Aida's is her power off the tee.
At Pinehurst, they made a point: Indian junior golf is looking at podiums.
Vedika
Bubbly by nature and calm and composed on the course - golf wasn't always the obvious path for Vedika.
Her parents believed in exposing their child to everything — music, martial arts, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, horse riding, tennis and golf. Over time, she gravitated towards two individual sports — tennis and golf. During the pandemic, fate tipped the scales: living near an empty cricket field, she spent hours hitting balls.
With KGA offering her a student membership, golf became her focus.
Her first tournament in 2021, aged five, saw her finish second.
The youngster slowly made her mark, winning several IGU South Zone and local tournaments. At Pinehurst, she finished in the top five twice before finally breaking through in her third attempt. "I couldn't believe it, but I didn't show any emotion," she said with a wide grin. "It's like in the movie 83 — the thought that I could be the first to win something for my country is phenomenal," she said.
Vedika follows a disciplined routine: 5 am stretching and putting practice, school till noon, fitness training, and sessions at KGA, followed by reading in the evening.
An avid reader, her bookshelf ranges from Harry Potter to Sherlock Holmes, and she listens to audiobooks like Sapiens and The Mahabharata while stuck in Bengaluru's infamous traffic.
Self-described as an instinctive player, she thrives under pressure. She looks up to Nelly Korda and India's own Aditi Ashok, often practicing with the latter. "Aditi is very fond of me! She gives me a lot of tips and inspires me," said Vedika.
When the historic win came, her mother — Chandni's disbelief was telling: "No, you're lying," she said when Vedika called with the news. The celebration? A pack of 200 sketch pens!
As for the future, Vedika has goals. "I want to do amazing things," she said.
Aida
Aida's journey to Pinehurst began far from American fairways. She moved to Bengaluru from Mysuru three years ago to train at KGA. Golf was a strategic choice. Her father, Den Thimmaiah, is a national rally champion; her uncle, Len Aiyappa, an Olympian hockey player; and her mother Sanjana Thimmaiah a former state-level swimmer.
After much research, and even genetic testing, her parents decided golf was the long-term path.
She first picked up a club at two but only took to the sport seriously at seven—later than many peers. The lockdown proved to be the turning point. She trains six to seven hours daily and studies privately to accommodate a schedule packed with national and international tournaments.
Her game is built on power — helped by her height — though she admits her short game needs sharpening.
"I want to be world No. 1 and win the Olympic gold. It will happen. I'll do whatever it takes," said Aida, who has won several IGU South Zone and national (U-13 category) tournaments.
Off the course Aida is still very much an 11-year-old—into cooking and go-karting. She loves biryani, ramen, and ice cream. She counts Aditi as a mentor and idolizes Nelly and Tiger Woods.
Pressure, she adds, is part of the job. "Every day is different in golf. I've learnt to play fearlessly," she said. That mindset turned her Pinehurst campaign around.
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