One of Kenya's best kept
secrets is its numerous golf courses. Few places in
the world offer such perfect ingredients for a fantastic
golf holiday, as Kenya does. The opportunity to play
your favorite game, to see wildlife (sometimes on
the course!) and to relax on the beautiful white sandy
beaches all during the same holiday is unique.
Soon after their arrival in the 1900's British colonists
began developing golf courses all over the country.
They realized that Kenya had the year round climate
and most beautiful settings to construct some of the
world's most desirable courses.
One of the most appealing features of golfing in Kenya
is the variety. From the beach clubs set among palms
and casuarinas with stunning views of the sapphire
Indian Ocean, to those dominated by the perennial
snowcap of Mount Kenya there is a medley of courses
each vying for priority as the most attractive for
location and interest. One is even built on the slopes
of an extinct volcano! Kenya
has 40 golf courses of which 12 are 18-hole, 10
of which are used for championship events. 6 are
within a 20 mile radius of Nairobi - Kenya's bustling
capital. The oldest 18 hole course is Royal Nairobi
Golf Club founded in 1906, the latest is the David
Jones design pay and play 9 holes golf course Golf
Park within the Nairobi race course.
There are several new courses under construction
and a number are being upgraded from 9 holes to
18 holes.
The weather in Kenya is ideal
for golf all year round. On occasions you mighty
need a sweater or a jersey, but you will usually
play in a polo shirt. (see also: weather chart)
In the highland areas the temperatures
are in the low 20's and at the coast in the high
20's or low 30's. There are 12 hours of day light
and, depending on the season, 4 to 9 hours of sunshine.
During the two rainy seasons, (April and November)
the rain usually falls before 10 am and after 5
PM and almost never when you are playing! More and
more clubs have installed sophisticated fairway
watering systems to keep the course green during
the dry seasons.
Many courses are at an altitude
of more than 1500 meters (5000 ft) truly giving you
an additional 10% yardage to your stroke. Most clubs
have a pro-shop where you can buy whatever you need.
Though there are no golf carts available, Kenya has
the luxury of caddies .Usually the caddies are very
good players themselves and will not only carry your
bag and look for your ball in the rough, but advice
on local rules, assist with your swing and generally
be your companion and mentor. Most
of Kenya's golf clubs are private membership clubs
and are generally very quiet and especially so during
weekdays. However visitors to Kenya who want to
play golf are best advised to use the services of
a tour operator specialized in organizing golf holidays.
Apart from giving you very personalized service
they will book your hotel, transfer you to the golf
courses, book tee-times and make sure your golf
holiday is a success.
Kenya's private membership golf clubs organize many
competitions, but also at club nights and weekends
most courses are closed for visitors, and it is
advised to book your tee-times through a specialized
golf tour operator, to avoid disappointment if the
golf courses are closed.
For the visiting golfer, Kenya
has a broad appeal. There is everything for the
fanatic golfer, whilst the avid golfer can fashion
his safari to include some wildlife viewing as well.
A golfer who prefers to laze on the beach can still
fit in a game or two and the business traveler,
with an afternoon off, can easily play his favorite
game right on his doorstep.
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