Former Hockey Captain Zafar Iqbal Competes in Golf Tournaments at 70
At 70 years of age, Olympic gold medal-winning hockey player Zafar Iqbal has turned his competitive focus to golf in New Delhi, competing in and winning pro-am tournaments while reflecting on the triumphs and setbacks of his sporting career. The former Indian captain, whose handicap sits in double digits, has already recorded hole-in-ones on three occasions as he pursues the sport with the same dedication that once defined his international hockey journey.
Recalling his hockey days, Iqbal pointed to the 1980 Moscow Olympics final against Spain as the defining high point of his career. India opened up a 3-0 lead early in the match before Spanish penalty corner specialist Juan Amat scored a hat-trick, narrowing India's advantage to 4-3 with five minutes left on the clock. India held on to secure the gold medal, with Iqbal noting that the squad was completely overrun in the frantic closing minutes of the game.
Two years later, the 1982 Asian Games final in New Delhi delivered the lowest moment of his career, when Pakistan defeated India 7-1. Iqbal scored India's lone goal from a penalty stroke after the team's defence collapsed. Following the defeat, the players remained inside their dressing room until 9 p.m. and avoided visiting the Games village dining hall, relying instead on wrestlers and hospitality staff to bring food to their rooms.
Iqbal's playing career coincided with Indian hockey's transition from grass to artificial turf. India laid its first astro-turf pitch in 1982, six years after the surface debuted at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. To simulate the fast pace of astro-turf during training sessions in Patiala, groundskeepers stripped the field of grass and plastered it with cow dung cakes mixed with water.
Born in Harganwa village near Bihar Sharif, Iqbal grew up on the Aligarh Muslim University campus, where his father taught organic chemistry. Iqbal balanced rigorous training with civil engineering studies, rising before sunrise on a diet of jaggery and roasted chickpeas before heading to classes by 7:40 a.m. His early career was shaped by mentor Zillur Rehman Khan and coach Jagan Nath, the manager of India's 1936 Berlin Olympics team.
After making his international debut against Holland, Iqbal moved from left-in to left-out on the advice of national coach Kishan Lal, who had captained India at the 1948 London Olympics. Iqbal went on to captain the national side, serve as coach and selector, work in construction and maintenance for Indian Airlines, and receive the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri. He now follows in the footsteps of former athletes such as Kapil Dev, Roger Binny, Romeo James, and MP Singh by continuing to compete on the golf course.
