Kolkata, May 17: Karan Singh and Surya Prakash may be just 17 years old each, but they are no newcomers in the country’s junior golfing circuit. Both Karan and Surya have already tasted remarkable success at the national level over the last few years. Yet, this year will always remain special for these budding golf stars.

While the two youngsters went through a 20-day stint at the Faldo Isntitute in Orlando, the USA, in March, they got the rare opportunity to interact with their compatriot Arjun Atwal during the course of the training programme. “It was a great experience. We not only got to interact with Arjun, but he even played a couple of rounds with the two of us,” recalled Karan, who finished third in the All India juniors meet last December at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC).

For these two young guns, it was more than just thrilling to come across the Indian superstar and play alongside him. Interestingly, while Atwal had gone over to the institute during the same time, he took some time out to have a really refreshing pep talk with the only two Indians in that batch. “It was a great feeling. I still remember those words of advice from him - practise till your hands bleed - that’s what he had told us. And I remember we spoke a lot a Hindi, it felt great since we were so long a way from home,” gushed Surya.

Atwal took Surya and Karan to the Grande Pines golf course in Orlando, which is just opposite to the 9-hole Grande Vista golf course of the Faldo Institute. And though it was just about two brief rounds of golf, the two boys know better that it was perhaps one of the most cherishable moments so far in their lives.

The stint in Orlando was worth it, both recall, who even had the chance to briefly catch up with the founder of the institute and famed golfer Nick Faldo. “He came over for a short while, so we couldn’t get the scope to get some tips from him. But we did manage to get his autograph,” Karan recollected.

Coached by Chip Koelhke at the institute in Orlando, the two standard XI students of La Martiniere for Boys, say that this was their first trip abroad for a training stint. The two Kolkata boys last played in the southern India juniors in Bangalore a week back, where Surya finished 5th and Karan ended 9th. While there still may be a long way to go for the youngsters, surely, memories of time spent with their idol and compatriot will further fuel their ambitions.