T. NashipaeNew high-performance golf academy coming to Kasarani
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Reading Time: 3min | Wed. 28.02.24. | 10:27
This comes after the Kenyan pro golfers’ debacle at the Magical Kenya Open, which concluded on Sunday at the Muthaiga Golf Club
The government, through the Ministry of Sports and the Kenya Golf Union, is set to establish a high-performance golf academy in Kasarani to help in the growth and nurturing of golf talents from a young age.
Confirming the news, Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba noted that identifying talents from a tender age was the only path to success for Kenyan golfers.
This comes after the Kenyan pro golfers’ debacle at the Magical Kenya Open, which concluded on Sunday at the Muthaiga Golf Club. After Friday’s Round Two, which separated the boys from the men at Muthaiga Golf Club, none of the 13 Kenyans (including four amateurs) survived the axe.
“As the government, we have already provided land within Kasarani Stadium for the establishment of this academy. We will provide funds to get this project off the ground, and I want to ask the corporates here to help us make this baby together. We want to make this the breeding ground for the Kenyan golfing talents that can win this event in the future,” the CS said.
At the same time, Kenyan pro golfers have underscored the need for an elaborate local tour that will prepare them adequately for gigantic events.
Mutahi Kibugu, who finished 116th on six over par 148, said that the government should work closely with the private sector to grow the game in the country.
“I honestly feel corporate entities are not doing enough to promote local golfers. There is too much local talent that can do better in the MKO,” he said. “In as much as I love the Safari Tour, we need a proper series that will keep the golfers busy year in and year out.”
The corporates should invest heavily in professional golf. Individual sponsorships are good but not everyone will be lucky to land one,” observed Mutahi, the only Kenyan to cut last year.
His sentiments were echoed by 55-year-old Dismus Indiza, who was the best-placed Kenyan. Indiza missed the cut by two strokes on two over par 144.
“We only took part in the Safari Tour, which had six tournaments. This can’t be enough preparation for the Kenya Open. You can’t concentrate on these competitions and say you can make it; it’s not easy. We need international exposure in Europe, South Africa, and Asia to be on par with our European counterparts,” he called out.
For amateur John Lejirma, who captained the Kenyan team, only international exposure would come to the rescue of the sport in the country.
“Playing locally does not open your mindset. Competing outside the country somehow gives a player a new lease of life in the sport. The more you play these international tournaments, the more you gain the needed exposure,” he urged.
Kenya Golf Union (KGU) chairman Philip Ocholla pointed out that fielding the golfers for international events was very expensive, and he called on the support of the Ministry to make the transition smooth.
“As we look into the future, we are convinced that the future of this sport lies in the hands of our juniors. We would like to have a minimum of ten events in the Safari Tour. What is required for our players to be ranked in the world is that we need to have a cash pass for each event of 30,000 dollars.
I request the support of the ministry. We partner and have our amateurs transform into professional golfers and have a reason to live out their potential,” Ocholla said.
The 2024 edition was won by Van Driel from the Netherlands. He walked away over Ksh60 million richer.
