The good and bad of 2011 in Golf

WITH the exception of Flavia Namakula’s victory in the Uganda Ladies Golf Open, only a fortune-teller would have predicted loads of surprises that stung many in the 2011 golf season. DOUGLAS MAZUNE recounts the good, bad and even ugly surprises on and off the course this season.

The good

Pitied against strong opponents in Zimbabwean Claire Minter and Tanzanian revelation Madina Iddi, Namakula ensured that Uganda Ladies Golf Open tittle remained in the country for the third year running.

The event produced one of the best scores ever as front runners exhibited consistence despite heavy torrential rain that rendered the par-72 Kitante course difficult. Her compatriots in 2009 champion Jasper Kamukama and Eva Magala turned in a noteworthy performance by our standards but fell far off the mark still.

Two months earlier 41-year-old Rogers Byaruhanga shocked an array of youngsters to win the Uganda Open. Byaruhanga outwitted Willy Kitatta, Lawrence Muhenda, Gideon Kagyenzi and Adolf Muhumuza among others. There was no shortage of surprises as hitherto gloomy Eastern golfers showed that they also know how to smile when they broke a 23-year jinx. Team coach Deo Akope had every reason to thump his chest having guided his team to a maiden success.

The usual slow start to the season burst into life in the second quarter when Coca Cola ushered in the Dasani Series which covered Kampala, Entebbe, Jinja, Mbarara and Toro clubs. The team competition revealed immense young talent from the various clubs and could provide a platform for national team selection if the Uganda Golf Union partnered with the sponsor. The Entebbe team of Vincent Katutsi, Joseph Bogera, Henry Lujja and Andrew Kasendwa edged Kampala youngsters Ashvin Kananathan, Marko Kostic, James Odong and Chris Odur in a tight contest.

The bad

Kabale was worst hit as several up-country clubs lost sponsorship and called off their event on the union calendar.

The Crane Bank sponsored Easter and Kabale Open were cancelled leaving Kabale with no tournament this season. The Kilembe Open that had been revived as a union event passed without notice as a low-key club event.

The West Nile Open in Arua and Mbarara Open were not staged as well.

And the ugly side

For the ugly, if not uglier, side of the 2011 season-look no further than the national team. For the past decade Uganda has prominently featured in the Africa Zone VI championship but this season will be remembered as one in which the country failed to take a team to Mombasa, Kenya. They had prepared for the tournament for over three months and appeared good enough to take on the best in the zone.

This led to the exodus of nearly an entire team that joined the professional ranks.