Sunday, June 20, 2010

My Golfing Journey

May 2010 is the month I started playing golf. Today is 20th June and my game is three visits on a golf course old. I have been learning at the Golf Park’s driving range and after five lessons, I thought that I was ready to tackle the course. My tutor told me the best time for a learner is before 8 am when early regular and good golfers start arriving in droves. For my first course opportunity, I was punctual at a few minutes to seven and despite losing ten balls in the course, I had a blast. That gave me confidence to try the Thika course a few weeks later. In between I have been on the Nairobi Royal’s range. During the Thika visit , I did not lose any ball, though its understandable seeing that they don’t have any serious water hazards.

My golfing game is still young and needs lots of improving before I can start chasing the handicaps. I am told that I need to get into a group that can be my regular playing fourball or foursome. I have a few who are on this journey with me and I intend to walk the road with them, but I also want to get opportunity to play with a few friends who have been in the game much longer. My lessons for now are from the range tutors, my caddy, team mates and random strangers. I have also been given a book written by Jack Nicklaus the golfing great that uses simple illustrations to take a learner through the golfing fundamentals. I am also now watching the golfing tournaments on TV more and learning from watching great players in action.

In the course of my short journey in golf, I have learnt a lot and also recognize that lots more are ahead. I have learnt the discipline that is necessary, the learning that I must absorb from my caddy, more advanced golfers and random strangers concerned that my swing is not right. I have also learnt some golfing etiquette that is as necessary as oxygen while on the course.

In the past I could not fathom the commitment and passion displayed by my golfing friends and acquaintances. They could talk for hours on end about golf. Some swear that if you figure out the game, then you will have figured out life. I know one who declares that if you cannot hack in golf, then you cannot make it in life. He has equated the game with life itself. I don’t blame him and I fully understand his passion now that I am on the inside. Golf is full of folklore and jokes. Everyone has anecdotal experiences that can leave you entranced and enthralled through a night. What I find interesting is most golfers’ account of how they started the game. Golf also has a host of rags to riches stories of caddies who rose to be men of importance through the game.

 Since my work takes me around the country a lot, I am hoping to use as many of the 38 course around the country as I can. I have a feeling that I will enjoy the journey immensely. 

Tuesday, June 01, 2010

What Club Do You Join?




After listing the reasons and how to join a sports/recreational or social club in Kenya, below I have roll of some of the popular clubs near and around Nairobi. The costs indicated were applicable in early 2009 and may have since changed. However they are indicative since clubs rarely hike the fees unless they have major projects coming up.
Parklands Sports Club
Background   
Located on Ojijo Road in Parklands, the club is popular with the newly rich and young families
Membership Fees
Family costs 250,000 for family entrance, 15,000 for annual subscriptions
Facilities
Accommodation, squash, swimming pool, gym, walking track, meeting rooms, snooker, dining and bar facilities.

Kiambu Golf Club-
Background   
Located in Kiambu town, the club offers mainly golf facilities
Membership Fees
Family costs 75,000 for entrance, 15,000 subscriptions and 2000 for KGU/KLGU while a single costs 65,000, 10,000, and 1500 respectively.
Facilities
Golf, squash, darts, and snooker, dining and bar facilities.
                                 
Railway Club
Background   
It is located 500m from Nairobi city centre with   businesses overlooking the course. Was recently embroiled in an ownership wrangle with the Kenya Railways who are proposing developing a Golf City-            golf club, 2 hotels, cinema halls and shopping malls with a mono-rail connection to JKIA on land they claim ownership.
Membership
Costs 120,000/ for golfing membership. One of the few clubs that allows corporate membership
Reciprocation
Kitale, Kericho, Eldoret, Nakuru, Njoro, Nyeri, Thika Arusha, Gymkhana Dar-es-salaam, Moshi, Uganda Golf Club

Goan Gymkhana Club
Location
Located on Ngara Rd. off Museum Hill Road. Tel 3747269 Ask for Manager Joseph or Kyallo .
Background
Has about 280 registered members. 50-60 active members.  Conveniently located at the Museum Hill area. Has a good mixture of Goan, Indian and African members.
Membership
Club Entrance Fee is     Kshs. 68,500/= (50,000 Entrance, 10,000 Development Levy and 8,500/= Annual subscription).
Facilities
Facilities Badminton, Squash, Snooker, Swimming, walking track, dining, bar and until recently has an indoor Golf range!
Reciprocation
Reciprocates with Nairobi Institute, Arusha Institute, Dar-es Salaam Institute, Mombasa Institute.

Muthaiga Golf Club
Background
Muthaiga enjoys the influential position of having been one of the Kenya's pioneer golf courses and it serves as a home to the Kenya Golf Union and plays host to the most prestigious golfing event in the country, The Kenya Open.Started in 1922, today Muthaiga has a multi-racial member’s roll. 
Facilities
18-hole golf course, practice range bar, dining      
Membership
Costs 20,000 to apply for membership, 200,000 entrance fee, 30,000 development levy and 27,500 for annual subscription

Muthaiga Country Club
Background
Neighbours the golf club but on a different entrance. Still retains the colonial demeanour both in membership as well as in culture
Membership
Not available
Facilities
Not available
Impala Sports Club
Background
Situated along Ngong road, this club is associated with Rugby more than any other sport but has lately developed the offerings for other sports and especially the gym.
Membership
Entrance fee – 30,000/=Annual subscriptions- 10,000/= per family, 8500 for single and 4300/= for Old Cambrian (old Nairobi School boys)
Facilities
Tennis, Squash, swimming, bar, restaurant, rugby, football and gym which costs 3000 for members and 5000 for non-members
                                                               
Contacts
Att: Marketing manager- Mary Ann impalaclubkenya@gmail.com tel 3860084

Nairobi Gymkhana
Background
Situated on Desai Road off Forest Road, this club has the best cricket ground in the country and a few 2003 World Cup matches were played here. It is predominately Asian membership, but a few Africans and Europeans are also members
Facilities
The club has cricket, gym, swimming pool, badminton, squash, lawn tennis, table tennis, hockey,
Membership costs
Kshs. 84,696 for entrance and annual subscriptions of Kshs. 9696/=

Public Service Club
Membership
Entrance Fee- 65,000/=Annual Subscription- 5,000/=. Deposit- as per planned consumption Total        70,000/=
Facilities           
Squash & tennis courts, steam and sauna, jogging track, function grounds, aerobics, swimming, snooker, two bars. Darts
Reciprocation
Machakos, Mombasa, Nanyuki and Makuyu
Contacts
Manager-Mr. Musembi , Supervisor- Mr. Dan 2711785/ 0722-383397 psc@wananchi.com
Procedure to join
Must be introduced by a member, who gets a form as your proposer, also gets seconder. 3 Committee members to endorse application. Interview will follow.

Jockey Club of Kenya
Background   
This is the home of horse racing in Kenya. Horse owners and breeders congregate here. The club recently diversified and started the first public golf course –The Golf Park with which it has a symbiotic relationship.
Facilities
Horse racing, golf
Membership
Either a one-off joining fee of 50,000 or 35,00 annual subscriptions. This entitles one to free entrance to all race meetings (15 per year) and free entrance at Golf Park. 50% discount on ground hire and unspecified discounts at Steve’s Steak House and Club Barn on the premises.
               
Golf Park                                          
Background
The Golf Park is Kenya’s first fully-fledged public golf course, located at the Ngong Racecourse in the centre of the racetrack. The Golf Park does not have members and is open to everybody to try the game of Golf; Beginners and Experienced Golfers are all welcome at the Golf Park.
Facilities
Facilities include a full-length nine-hole golf course with 4 water hazards, a driving range and pro shop with full equipment hire available. A resident golf professional is available to give lessons and advise golfers. Use the Breeders and owners pavivilion , but a snack bar is available in the course.
Membership
Although its open to the public, there is a charge of 7,500 for royalty membership which earns one 30% discount on green fees. Charges are 9 holes- 650 or 900 for walk ins. 18 holes will cost 800 and 1200 for a walk in. Range balls – 50 balls-300 for public and 50 halls for 200 for loyals every 50 subsequent balls will cost 100. Hiring of clubs – 650 and one lesson costs 1000/=.
Location
Contact 020 566108/9

Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club
Background
Opened in 1992, WGH&CC is a 5-star premier resort that operates a hotel and club on the same premises bordering indigenous forests some 20 kms from city centre. Popular with expatriates working around the Gigiri area.
Facilities
18-hole championship golf course, jogging & walking tracks, tennis & squash courts, swimming pool, gym, steam & sauna, club house, saloon
Membership
Individual golfer – Kshs. 310,500 with 49,500 annual subscriptions.  Kshs. 395,000 and 61,500 annual subscriptions for a golfing couple. Social membership (without golf) costs Kshs. 141,000 entry fee and 34,500 annual subscription. Green fees are Kshs. 4,700 and 4000 for weekends and weekdays respectively.  

Royal Nairobi Golf Club
Background   
Situated off Ngong Road, this is the oldest golf club in Kenya having started in 1906.
Facilities
Golf course, Practice range, Swimming pool, Steam Rooms, Squash Courts, grounds for hire
Membership
At Kshs. 320,000, this is one of the costliest clubs to join
                               
United Kenya Club
Background   
Situated next to University of Nairobi this club is more popular for accommodation, parking and social reasons than for sports.
Facilities
Gym, snooker, library and business centre, conference, grounds for hire, dining and bar facilities
Membership
Town members entrance fee-40,000, 12,000 annual subscriptions, 10,000 for development levy and 5,000 deposit. Its 5,000 cheaper for country members

Nairobi Club
Background
Nairobi Club has a membership of over 2,000 drawn from the middle and top level executives and professions in Kenya. Situated in the Upper Hill area
Facilities
Cricket, Bowling, jogging track, gym, numerous bars and restaurants,
Membership
Joining Fee - Kshs 168,000/= Development Levy  - Kshs  12,000/= Refundable Deposit  - Kshs 15,000/=

Vetlab
Sigona
Karen Country & Golf Club
Eastleigh Air Base Club
Vipingo Ridge
The new bold concept at the coast aims to bring world class golfing action into Kenya for the first time. With two PGA class championship courses and a game sanctuary, the developers are hoping to attract high net worth individuals in the planned integrated residential area where plots are selling at Kshs. 10 million apiece. 

Other Clubs –
Polo Club
Kenya Motor Sports Club
Olepolos Country Club-
Bulls Eye Club- Namanga Road
Braeburn Club
Parents and teachers at any of the high-cost Braeburn schools get automatic membership. The club is found at the Lavington campus and has a bar, restaurant and pool table in the Club itself, a coffee shop and an outdoor patio overlooking the school sports grounds. Members of the Club can take advantage of all the school sporting and recreational facilities that include 3 glass-backed Squash courts, Tennis, Swimming pool, Football, rugby and hockey in the sports field. External members are also welcome on paying Kshs. 12,000 entrance fee and 10,000 annual subscriptions.
Sadili Oval
Also associated with the Malezi schools, this club is situated within the Langata middle-class residential area. Open to parents of the schools. Has a gym, tennis courts, tracks and swimming pools. Costs not available.