The appeal of the course lies in its verdant, panoramic beauty, one that is a far cry from the routine trappings of an urbane existence. It is also a bird sanctuary of some sort as the rabbits and the ducks have beautiful white homing pigeons for company. The course as Col. Srivastava asserts, has been designed in such a manner that the existing ecology would not be tampered with. He explains, "We did not want to disturb the inhabitants of the forests like the mongoose or the snakes. So certain pockets have been given to them and no animals were killed. All the greens and the tees are located in a manner that the trees were not unnecessarily felled. To level the ground we needed earth and this is how the ponds were created (from the earth that was dug)." These ponds that function as formidable hazards have five thousand fishes in them that constitute the marine ecology. Also pesticides are not used to preserve all life forms and the grass had to be deweeded physically.

A guided tour around the course by the Colonel reveals a wide gamut of trees that have been planted on the course. Silver Oaks, Kaner, Gulmohar and Casunium are some of the 1,500 trees planted by the sappers that add to the salubrious environment. On the fifth hole, Havaldar R.C.Nair is busy coaching a golfer. Nair is the pride of BEG and for good reasons too. His superlative golf, a culmination of years of sedulous hard work, qualified him for the Malaysian Open Championship where he stood sixth. His golden tip for golfer's is `an avid interest in the game and regular practice'. The champion leads us to the sixth hole that he considers the most difficult. It is par 3 and had 3 ponds that pose as a serious threat for any ball to land safely onto the green.

It is a contest calling for skill, planning, control and courage. It is a test for temper, a revealer of character and a great leveler. Golf is often termed as a humbling game. It underscores the irksome fact that humans are not infallible and often the finest players have their agonizing moments on account of frustrating shots. The sixth hole of the Seven Lakes has done just that as many a ball which may pinch the wallet if shots like these are seldom repeated! Who said golf was easy anyway? Col. Srivastava reveals that the complete slopes of the course are towards the river (that flows at the back) and thus even after two hours of rain, the course is playable after an hour! The course is open to the civilians for a small golf fee. What are the future plans for the course? The Colonel smiles and says, "We want to make it one of the best courses in Pune city." Since the course is still new, it has yet to develop completely and work remains to be done on the fairways.

But the proverbial army discipline is sure to ensure that the task will be completed expeditiously and professionally. As you make your way back home... you see the rabbits scurrying back to their enclosures. The ducks too, wobble back to their homes. A quiet reminder that a well deserved rest is called for, after a hard day of play.... golf or otherwise