Special interest · Golf
Golf in Kashmir.
Four 18-hole courses in the valley, from Royal Springs above Dal Lake to Gulmarg’s meadow at 2,650 m, played from April to November, with a fifth course in Jammu.
Courses
Four in the valley, one in Jammu
Season
About April to November
Highest
Gulmarg, 2,650 m
Tee times
Confirmed with each club
The short answer
Four 18-hole courses in the valley, April to November.
Kashmir has four 18-hole golf courses: Royal Springs and the Kashmir Golf Club in Srinagar, the Gulmarg Golf Club at 2,650 m, and the Pahalgam Golf Course. Jammu has a fifth at Sidhra. The season runs roughly from April to November; Gulmarg lies under snow in winter and becomes a ski resort. Each club sets its own green fees and rules for visitors, so we confirm the tee time and the current fee for every round before you travel, and plan the drives and hotels around the courses.
By Shahid Parvez Khan (Local Operations Lead)·Published by Falcon Trails·Updated
The courses
| Course | Where | Holes | Know before you go |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Springs Golf Course | Srinagar, on the Zabarwan foothills above Dal Lake | 18, par 72 | Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., opened in 2001 and run by JKTDC, the state tourism corporation. |
| Kashmir Golf Club | Srinagar, Maulana Azad Road | 18, par 70 | In the city itself, on about 52 acres: the easiest round to fit into a Srinagar day. |
| Gulmarg Golf Club | Gulmarg, about 50 km from Srinagar | 18, par 72 | At 2,650 m, one of the highest green courses in the world, laid out in the meadow. The 8th is a 610-yard par 5. |
| Pahalgam Golf Course | Pahalgam, about 95 km from Srinagar | 18 | At about 2,400 m in the Lidder valley, upgraded from nine holes. Clubs and caddies can be hired at the clubhouse. |
| Golf Course Jammu Tawi | Sidhra, Jammu | 18 | Opened in 2011. A round for groups starting or ending in Jammu, or combining Kashmir with Vaishno Devi. |
When to play
JKTDC gives the golf season in Kashmir as April to November. Gulmarg is under snow from December, and snow can linger into April, so plan Gulmarg rounds from May. Our pick is late May to June and September to October: mild days, long light and, in autumn, chinars turning colour around the Srinagar courses.
Mountain weather turns quickly in Gulmarg and Pahalgam, even in summer. Carry a layer and a rain shell, and keep a spare morning in the plan in case a round is washed out.
Playing at altitude
- The ball carries noticeably further in the thinner air at Gulmarg and Pahalgam than at sea level. Most golfers club down.
- The sun is strong at 2,400 to 2,650 m: sunscreen, a cap and water on the course.
- Gulmarg and Pahalgam are cooler than Srinagar, especially in the early morning: dress in layers for an early tee time.
A sample plan: seven nights, four rounds
Day 1
Arrive in Srinagar
Airport pickup, a houseboat or lakeside hotel, and an evening shikara on Dal Lake.
Day 2
Royal Springs
Morning round above Dal Lake; afternoon in the Mughal gardens along the same foothills.
Day 3
Kashmir Golf Club
A round in the city, then the old city or a free afternoon.
Day 4
Srinagar to Gulmarg
About 50 km, 1.5 to 2 hours. Afternoon on the Gondola, or rest before the round.
Day 5
Gulmarg Golf Club
A morning round in the meadow at 2,650 m.
Day 6
Gulmarg to Pahalgam
About 145 km via Srinagar, 4.5 to 5 hours, past the saffron fields at Pampore.
Day 7
Pahalgam Golf Course
A round in the Lidder valley; afternoon at Betaab Valley or along the river.
Day 8
Back to Srinagar
About 95 km, 2.5 to 3 hours, for the flight home.
How we book the golf
- Tee times and green fees: we ask each club for your tee times and the current fee and put both in the quote. Nothing is assumed from an old price list.
- Clubs: bring your own (check your airline’s sports baggage rules), or hire a set at Gulmarg’s pro shops or the Pahalgam clubhouse. We check hire is available for your dates.
- Caddies: available at the clubs that offer them; we ask when we book the round.
- Non-golfers: a separate plan for partners and family each golf day, from gardens and a shikara to the Gondola.
When a golf trip to Kashmir is not for you
Kashmir is not a resort-golf destination. The courses are run by clubs and the state tourism corporation rather than by hotels, so you drive to each round, and course conditions vary through the season. Come for the setting: a course above Dal Lake, another among the pines of Pahalgam, and an 18-hole meadow at 2,650 m.
Editorial & Ground Verification
Verified by local ground planners
Published by Shahid Parvez Khan
Founder & Lead Planner, Falcon Trails · Operating Kashmir mountain routes since 2010 · shahid.co.in
Ground-checked from our operations desk in Barbarshah / Munawara Abad, Srinagar. Mountain pass access, union taxi rates, and hotel heating conditions are verified directly with local drivers and property managers before guest departures.
Ground Dispatch & Preferred Source
Bookmark Falcon Trails for real-time mountain pass advisories (Zojila, Razdan, Sinthan) and weather alerts directly from Srinagar.
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Questions
What people ask us.
Can visitors play golf in Kashmir?
Yes. Royal Springs and Gulmarg are public courses run by JKTDC, and visitors play at Pahalgam on payment of the club’s fees. Each club sets its own rules and green fees, so we confirm access, the tee time and the fee for every round before you travel.
When is the golf season in Kashmir?
About April to November. Gulmarg is under snow from December and sometimes into April, so plan Gulmarg rounds from May.
Do I need to bring my own clubs?
No. Golf sets can be hired at Gulmarg’s pro shops and at the Pahalgam clubhouse. Serious golfers usually bring their own; check your airline’s sports baggage allowance.
Is Gulmarg the highest golf course in the world?
Sources differ: JKTDC calls it the highest green golf course in the world, while others list it as the second highest. Either way it is at 2,650 m, and it is one of the longest courses in India.
Can you arrange a golf day for a company group?
Yes, as part of an incentive trip or offsite. See [incentive trips and dealer meets](/corporate/incentive-trips).
Plan your Kashmir trip
Tell us your city, dates and who is travelling. You get a day-by-day plan and an itemised quote, flights included if you want them, usually the same day.
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