Hyderabad, August 29: Telangana is planning to develop world-class golf courses to promote golf tourism and attract professional and amateur golfers from across the globe, Tourism, Culture and Archaeology Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said on Saturday.

The government is planning a 130-acre golf course at Jawahar Nagar near Shamirpet and another international-standard golf course at Somasila along the Krishna River.

The Somasila project is expected to offer a unique combination of golf, nature and tourism, with the proposed course surrounded by the Nallamala forests and located near the Amrabad Tiger Reserve. The project is likely to be developed with private participation under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.

Speaking at a press conference linked to the 12th Telangana Golconda Masters at Hyderabad Golf Club, Jupally said the tournament would help showcase Telangana’s sporting and tourism potential to an international audience.

He said Telangana’s tourism attractions extend beyond Hyderabad and include its lakes, forests, rivers, palaces and forts. The Minister also expressed the government’s interest in utilising former India captain Kapil Dev’s experience to promote tourism and sports in the state.

The Telangana Golconda Masters will be held from September 1 to 4, with 132 golfers competing for a ₹1 crore prize purse. The tournament carries Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points and is part of the Race to DP World India Championship.