Entebbe club prides in rich heritage

By Douglas Mazune

THE healthy rivalry between Uganda Golf Club in Kampala and Entebbe Club has seen them improve on the clubhouse, course and management acumen.

Entebbe’s pride as the oldest club in East Africa was justified by their meticulous organisation ability exhibited in this year’s edition of the Uganda Open that was rather flawless on the opening day.

They scored highly on time management, flow of information, branding and hospitality. The fact that the club was founded in 1901 was widely publicised, an indication of the value they attach to their rich history.

“Entebbe is the Mecca of golf, so golf has come back home. This club has produced nearly all the big names in Ugandan golf. Deo Akope, Godfrey Mande, Amos Kamya and the list is endless. We even honour our best. The Akope Challenge is a hole in honour of Akope,” Entebbe chairman Innocent Kihiika remarked.

When this writer out of curiosity cross checked whether the name Daniel Baguma was meant to be Denis Aguma, Uganda Golf Union (UGU) treasurer Edwin Tumusiime, who is also a member of the club retorted, “For us here we don’t make mistakes. It’s Daniel Baguma, Aguma didn’t come.”

Homeboy Peter Ssendawula, winner of the tournament in 2009, took the lead—further massaging the club’s ego by leading Day One.