Deepika Gardner
A golfer. A lifelong sportsperson. A student of the game.
I started at 41. I'm 55 now, and I still have a lot of golf left in me.
- Age I started golf
- 41
- Age I started golf
- Still playing today
- 55
- Still playing today
- Tournament journey
- All India
- Tournament journey
The beginning
A golfer. A lifelong sportsperson. A student of the game.
I started at 41. I'm 55 now, and I still have a lot of golf left in me.
I took up golf at a point in life when most people might have thought their sporting days were behind them. What began as an unexpected introduction to the game has turned into a lifelong pursuit, taking me across golf courses in India, introducing me to wonderful people and giving me more reasons to look forward to every morning.
Today, I'm an amateur golfer competing in tournaments across the country. But more than the trophies or podium finishes, I cherish the opportunity to keep learning, keep improving and keep discovering what I'm capable of.
- Started playing golf at 41
- Amateur tournament competitor
- Courses across India
- Always a student of the game
A life that found its way back to sport
The game came at the right time.
I have always been a sportsperson. At school I played basketball, hockey, kho-kho and volleyball, eventually reaching the Junior National level in volleyball. After marriage, life as an Army wife brought new responsibilities and experiences, and sport gradually took a backseat.
After my husband, Colonel Alan Deepak Gardner, VrC SM, passed away prematurely in 2007 from medical complications arising from his service injuries, I moved to Pune. It was there that I found myself returning to something I had always loved: sport.
I picked up my husband's old golf set and began visiting the Army golf course. A coach who met me on a basketball court had once told me golf was a sport one could continue playing throughout one's life. He was right.
More than just a game
Still learning. Still playing. Still looking forward.
Once I started playing golf, there was no looking back. I found something I could spend hours doing without ever getting bored. There was always another shot to master, another course to explore and another aspect of the game to understand.
Every round is a new experience. Every course has its own personality, every game presents a different challenge, and every day gives me an opportunity to improve. Golf has taken me from Yol to Bangalore, Mumbai to Shillong, and introduced me to like-minded people from so many walks of life.
The results are rewarding, but I value the preparation, discipline and opportunity to test myself just as much. I look forward to many more competitions, new courses and, hopefully, a few more podium finishes.
Tournament highlights
From the driving range to the podium.
- 2026Agnibaaz Cup · Army Medical Corps Cup
- 2025Navy Golf League · 18th Army Open Championship, Delhi
- 2024Agnibaaz Cup · Army Medical Corps Cup
- 2023Army Medical Corps Cup · AOC Cup
Why more women should play
It is never too late to find your place in sport.
Golf offers women a way to rediscover themselves, build a community and keep challenging both body and mind for decades. You do not need to have played competitive sport before, and you certainly do not need to be in your twenties to begin.
Contact
Want to talk golf?
Say hello, share your favorite golf memory, or tell me what first brought you to the game. I'd love to hear from you.
Say helloLocation
Available at partner clubs & ranges