Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya golfers for Entebbe open
Nov 04, 2014
Kenya national team golfers and those from Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya will be among hundreds of golfers in action as Entebbe Club celebrates 113 years of golf in Uganda with a three-day Castle Lite Entebbe Golf Open due November 6-8 at the par 71 course.
By Michael Nsubuga
Kenya national team golfers and those from Rwanda, Burundi and Kenya will be among hundreds of golfers in action as Entebbe Club celebrates 113 years of golf in Uganda with a three-day Castle Lite Entebbe Golf Open due November 6-8 at the par 71 course.
The first ever Union event to be hosted by Entebbe Club will be played over a three-day period with the main event on for two days (72 holes) while the subsidiary will be played over one-day (18 holes). The tournament starts Wednesday with a practice round for the foreign crew.
With a sh70m sponsorship from Nile Breweries this will be one the biggest event the club has hosted this year. This year’s event will also feature professionals who will be playing for sh5m.
It will not only be big, but a celebration of the rich heritage of the game and the oldest club in East Africa.
Club Chairman Innocent Kihiika is grateful to the Castle Lite sponsorship that has ensured continued flow of golfing activities at Entebbe over the years.
“This year tournament is more than just a tournament. It is a celebration of the rich heritage of this club that has been in existence for 113 years and for golf in Uganda as a whole. This is the garden of Eden of golf in the region so we shall be remembering the forerunners that laid the foundation, the monumental feats witnessed on this course over the years plus the men and women that have stood shoulders above the rest,” Kihika said.
During the closing ceremony two of the oldest trophies competed for at the club will be returned to Uganda after over 43 years of absence.
They include the Golf Club Match play trophy that was presented to Entebbe Golf Club by Pan American Airways when they used to be flights from Entebbe to United States of America.
The other one is the Prince of Wales‘s cup presented by HRH The Prince of Wales to Entebbe Golf Club on his first visit to Uganda for competition between members of all Clubs in The Protectorate. This trophy was presented to the Entebbe Golf Club in 1928 (around 86 years ago)
The course has hosted a number of significant events in recent times including the East African Challenge and a number of local events among them the Captain’s putter, Bro Group, JBG Gauff, MARSH, the Orange/Castle Lite monthly mugs and the Grand Mug of Mugs that crown the year.