Kenya: Push for High Standards to Host National Golf Contests

Larry Ngala

21 June 2011

Nairobi — Kenyan golf clubs, particularly those with championship courses, will have to keep their courses in tip-top condition to be considered for national tournaments in the future.

Kenya Golf Union (KGU) vice chairman, Alfred Kariuki, who is also the union’s tournament convenor, said it was not good enough to have an 18-hole course which does not measure to international standards.

Speaking after inspecting the par 71 course at Limuru Country Club which is the venue for this year’s Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship, for the first time in the history of golf in Kenya a world ranking event, Kariuki said Limuru had done a fantastic job in preparing and putting the course in a tip-top condition despite the current wet weather condition which usual affect their course.

Must have good organisation

“I am very impressed by the work they have done. This is how a course hosting an international event should look like,” said Kariuki after inspecting the course in the company of KGU executives George K. Mungai and Peter Wartnaby.

Kariuki said clubs will need to work and co-operate with the union on the issue of hosting at least two of the world ranking events in the future.

“Besides presenting a good course clubs must have good organisation.

“Limuru Country Club captain Ken Chege said every arrangement has been put into place to make sure that the Kenya Amateur Matchplay Championship whose first round is set for tomorrow (Thursday) runs smoothly.

Historical event

“Here at Limuru we are very excited hosting this historical event which we last hosted six years ago and I would like to assure the union that Limuru is more than ready for the event,” said Chege.

The Matchplay and the 72-hole Kenya Open Amateur Strokeplay Championship, usually, held around Kenyatta Day, were recently included in the World Ranking by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrew’s in Scotland.

One of the requirement for an event to be world ranked is that it must be played over 54-holes and at an international standard course.

Flew back home

A big number of the players who have listed their names to play were at Limuru on Tuesday training in readiness for the Thursday’s first round.

“Though I have played only one nine, the course is certainly in great condition,” said South Africa based Stefan Andersen who returned at the weekend from Britain where he played in the Amateur Championship.

Also on the course was another South Africa-based star, Mohit Mediratta of Sigona, junior international Abraham Abdullahi from the Great Rift Resort, Naivasha, a host of Vet Lab players, with their club professional Ali Kimani, and Limuru’s Kenya captain Francis Kimani.

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