Dhanushi Senadhira carries forward the family excellence in golf

A.C. De Silva

GOLF: Mention the two names Dhanushi Senadhira and they certainly ring a bell among golf players, netball players and even tennis players.

The name Senadhira has become a household name in recent times as the family unit has banded themselves together with their excellent performances on the sports field.

Dhanushi Senadhira in action

17-year old Danushi Senadhira is the girl in the news. She is a Grade 13 student of Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya who has kept the family tradition moving forward after the excellent start given by her grandmother - the Netball Queen of Ceylon in 1962 Derna Beling who was also the runner-up of Sports Queen of Ceylon in 1959.

With sports being part and parcel of this family unit from the good old days, it was no surprise that Danushi Senadhira would hit the top in a short period of time in golf.

She is the daughter of Anusha (De Silva) and Lalin Senadhira who along with his brother Sriyan, were well-known tennis players. Anusha represented Sri Lanka at the World Netball Tournament in Singapore in 1983. Both Anusha and husband Lalin are seen on the Ridgeways regularly. Dhanushi has an elder sister - Heshaya who is a law student.

So, with such a widespread sporting background, it was no surprise that from the day she touched a golf club she was going to make the grade. She took to golf only in the last quarter of 2003 and was the find of the Ladies Section of the Royal Colombo Golf Club (RCGC) in its 125th year - i.e. 2004 and the good girl that she is, Dhanushi remembered her first coach Stuart Richie who gave her initial guidance to go forward in the sport.

At the age of 14 and playing off a handicap of 24, she won the prestigious Hilton Grand Prix 2005-2006 and then in 2008 at the age of 17 and playing off a handicap of 08, had the rare distinction of achieving a Hilton Grand Prix Double.

Then during the April-May school vacation, she went across to the USA and her uncle Saliya de Silva enrolled Dhanushi to follow a Golf Coaching Clinic conducted by the Knollwood Golf Club, Los Angeles, California which was conducted for junior players. This coaching spell was really the start of Dhanushi's golfing success.

Profitable holiday

After her return from her golfing holiday around June 20, 2004, Dhanushi put the new tips that she gained in the USA to good use and won the Hyundai Challenge Trophy for the best Nett Score. July 2004: Won the Bronze Cup competition. January 2005: Golf Medal Competition for 2004 was conducted. Playing off a handicap of 24, she won the Golf Medal with a superb Nett Score of 64 beating a full line-up of the most senior and best golfers of the Ladies Section.

At the Gold Medal Competition, Dhanushi had the rare distinction of making a `Hole-in-One' on the 4th hole. It is said that she is probably the youngest lady golfer at 13 years to achieve the rare honour.

A full year of successful golf was rounded off being awarded the trophy for the player with the best handicap for the year 2004, as she started at a handicap of 31 and ended the year at a handicap of 22 - reduction of 9 strokes 2005.

It was a family `tie-up' in the Ridgeway Cup conducted by the Ladies Section of the RCGC in May 2005 where Dhanushi lost the final to her aunt Usha de Silva and that too on the 18th hole.

There is always room to improve - that seems to be the policy of Dhanushi and in June 2005, she went to Singapore to the David Leadbetter Golf academy and after about a month's training, she came back and playing in the Gratien Plaque Competition on July 6 she had a great 18 holes and won the tournament with a Nett 69 beating all the senior lady golfers.

She dropped her handicap to 14 in 2006 then reduced it to 7 in 2007.