Cochin Golf Club has always been an enigma for tourists from all parts of the world both in the past and even to this day. Those interested are especially seasoned golfers from the United Kingdom and from some parts of Europe. This is due to the history and the association of this location with many Viceroys, Governors and Residents that were part of the colonial dispensation in the India of that time.
After independence, many leading personalities like late President Fakhrudin Ali Ahmed have played at the course.
Until recently, the Course was listed as the only Golf Course in the world not accessible by road as the island in which it is located could be reached only by boat - row boats at first and mechanised boats and regular passenger service boats later. This uniqueness has now been lost as the island is now connected to the mainland by the recently constructed “Goshree” bridge in 2003.
However, for curious visitors intending to live a part of the history, what used to be the Bolghatty Island and the century old golf course can still be reached by all modes of traditional boat services from the city side including manual row-boats.
The course as it exists now is a challenge to even the most seasoned and articulate golfer. The tightly laid out nine hole course finds its fairways weaving through century old trees. Please view the “LOCATION VIEW” page on this web-site for a bird’s-eye-view of the course layout. The strategically placed greens are nine points of contention for a golfer of any standard - especially for the golfers who are new to the course at the Cochin Golf Club.
After independence the Bolghatty palace grounds were thrown open to the public. The Club House remained and so did the Club. Since then, it has been the cradle of Golf in Kerala.
The Dutch built Palace has now been converted into a four-star category resort- The Bolghatty Palace Resort Hotel. This resort is managed by the Kerala State Tourism Department through KTDC.
The Golf Course continues to be operated independently through The Cochin Golf Club, now a Society registered under the State Act.
The club has a very compact and unique nine-hole course, hardly 1800 yards at par 30. However this course at Bolghatty remains an original that has truly tested every club in the bag. It is not just lovely and scenic or the smallest course in the State, it is perhaps the most challenging of all. With the greens guarded with tall trees and water bodies all around even a slight error can magnify itself into a two-stroke loss.
This remains a boutique golf course that has to be on the bucket list of every golfer.