The Kenya Golf Union (KGU) has started engaging different counties to set up Public Golf Courses to encourage the public to play Golf without necessarily having to go to Golf Clubs which require subscriptions.
The Honorary Secretary of KGU David Ndung’u said the initiative will encourage more people to play golf.
“The Growth of Golf will primarily come through more people having access to the game through public golf courses,” he noted.
He said progress has been made to set up a public training facility, a range and a public course that is accessible to many players at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi.
“We want to have a similar facility in at least half the counties in this country. So if eventually we will be able to have public courses available in at least 24 counties across the country, it will completely change the face of golf in Kenya and we will have many people accessing the game and being able to participate in this wonderful sport,” he noted.
Ndung’u said three other counties outside of Nairobi have indicated that they have land available and will continue engaging with KGU to actualize the plans to set up public golf courses.
He also encouraged other investors who are willing to set up a golf course, which they will open up to the public, that will not require membership and subscription, to partner with KGU.
Ndung’u was speaking in Kakamega during a Golf Rules School training session at Kakamega Golf Club targeting Amateur and other Golfers.
The Golf Rules School Level One training was meant to equip golfers with knowledge on the rules of playing golf, being a self-governing sport.
He said KGU is scheduled to hold at least 6 rules schools across the country this year with more than 500 signing up for Basic Level training. Golf Rules School was started in 2014 and has seen an improvement in the sport.
On Junior Golf, Ndung’u noted that the growth of Junior golf has continued to be positive, encouraging all Golf Clubs to start their junior programs which is driven on the auspices of the Junior Golf Foundation.
“The growth in the number of the children who are signing up at the Junior Golf Foundation between 2020 and now has grown three fold. So, there is an increasing interest among young children who want to get into the sport,” he added.
Junior Golf Foundation is an arm of the Kenya Golf Union and the Kenya Ladies Golf Union Foundation that focusses on growing golf with children and the people at junior level.
Last Saturday, KGU played host to the International Junior Golf Tournament at Limuru Country club which was part of the Faldo Series.
“Faldo Series is an international series for Junior Golfers that was started by the Faldo Foundation which was begun by Nick Faldo who is a well renowned international Golfer,” he noted.
By Moses Wekesa and Anne Otieno
