A challenging Garuga Golf Course

Dec 16, 2014

The inauguration of the Garuga Golf Club in Kihihi, Kanungu district on Saturday provided an opportunity for golfers from across the country to have a feel of a championship course.

By Michael Nsubuga

The inauguration of the Garuga Golf Club in Kihihi, Kanungu district on Saturday provided an opportunity for golfers from across the country to have a feel of a championship course.


They returned different scores at the third edition of the Paulo Ngorogoza memorial tournament, but they all left mesmerised by, not only the beautiful layout of the course, but also the length and its numerous challenges.

“It’s a challenging course”, was chorused by every participant including professionals who competed in the two-day event to inaugurate the first 18-hole privately owned golf course in East Africa.

The 7189-yard, par 71 course, the longest in the country, did not only challenge the amateurs but tortured the professionals in equal measure.

The Pro-Shop sold more balls than anything else as cries of lost balls during practice rounds and during the tournament intensified.

Some amateurs posted even better results than some of the professionals, the hazards on the course notwithstanding.

Most professionals instead of concentrating on their game wasted more time criticising the designer for “too many OB’s and many hazards” on the course.

Many golfers left Kihihi cursing course designer Gad Musasizi with some labelling him a ‘sadist’, ‘malicious’ and a ‘terrorist’. But he defended himself saying the course is long because the holes are fully regulated, because there was enough land for each during construction.

“The course is an absolute test for the golfer because it offers him chance to take different shots, he is challenged to display all his skills,” Musasizi explained.

The next feature on the course will be trees but they are still young and in three years’ time are expected to define the appearance of the course. Over 150,000 trees are on the course.

About 32 acres of land in the middle of the course are also reserved for an estate development. Individuals will be allocated plots on which they can build own houses alongside planned cottages by the proprietor, James ‘Garuga’ Musinguzi.

The course will in future host some of the major local and international tournaments following affiliation to the Uganda Golf Union.

Obong, Ngabo win Meanwhile, Peter Obong and Brenda Ngabo returned 39 and 38 stable ford points respectively to emerge top at the 5th edition of the Kenya Day Golf tournament at Kitante on Friday.

The one-day annual tournament also had Gerald Kabuye and Joseph Mawejje as the top performers in group A.

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