Malindi town is set to host the first-ever National Golf Tournament at the Malindi Golf and Country Club.
The event is expected to boost sports tourism and help revive the tourism sector that has suffered major setbacks from the Covid-19 and the general election.
Plans are at an advanced stage to ensure the event becomes a success and reports from organizers said participants have started booking hotels in the resort town.
Walter Ombogo the Captain of Malindi Golf Club said the first inaugural Vasco Dagama cup was a Kenya golf Union competition that will attract over 120 best mature golfers in the country.
“Malindi golf course is situated right in Malindi town about five minutes drive from Malindi airport and has around 150 active members, together with Malindi junior academy which has about 30 junior golfers who are also learning to play golf and those who play tennis,” he said.
In an Interview at the Golf Course, he said the existing committee has organized several competitions including the Coast ladies circuit tournament held last week which was successful as over 150 ladies came to participate.
“It will be an annual event to be held here every year it is happening for the first time Malindi has never had a golf union tournament being held here so we are really excited about it,” he said.
Ombogo said they have made all necessary arrangements with the course now in its best condition.
he said they have partnered with some hotels which will accommodate the participants and are being sponsored by Family bank and Kenya breweries.
“Preparations are at an advanced stage, participants have started booking for the event and we are hoping this is going to market Malindi as a tourist destination,” he said.
On September 2 he said there will be a match play between senior Kenya Golfing Society and Malindi all of which are geared towards improving sports tourism.
The Captain said participants will have a unique experience playing at Malindi Golf as in some of the holes particularly the T one will have a view of the Ocean.
“I believe the golfers will have an experience of its own kind,” he said.
On his part, Walter Juma who is the Vice Captain of Malindi Golf Club said they were happy to host the inaugural golf event.
he said the main competition will host 72 players and another one that will host 48 players.
“Am part of the new members av been in this town for a long time but never knew there was this golf club i would like to call upon the young professionals in this town to join the club it will help you understand yourself as an individual and also understand life has challenges,” he said.
Juma said even though the golf course was a nine-hole it will give participants a feeling that they are playing on an 18-hole course.
he called on leaders who have just been elected to support the sport as it is one way of promoting tourism in the resort town.
The golf Club was established in 1962 and is a nine-hole golf course but plays like an 18-hole golf course.
It sits on a 135-acre parcel of land with separate trees, and additional greens on the second nine.
The sea-level golf course has six par threes, eight par fours, and four par fives with finely contoured greens.