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Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | With the Rwenzori Mountains as a backdrop, Kilembe Golf Club will this week host a tournament aimed at restoring its reputation in the wider Ugandan golf family, plus positioning it as a key tourist attraction.
The par-73 Kilembe Mines Golf Course, the longest in the country, has undergone a revamp in the last few months to prepare to host over 100 golfers for the Hima Cement-sponsored inaugural Kilembe Mines Open.
Hima Cement is the main sponsor, with a Sh 35m boost. Other support has come via the Uganda Golf Union (sh5m), the Uganda Development Bank (UDB) andGEMS International (a dumper truck donation to help renovate bunkers).
Speaking at the event media launch in Kampala on Monday, Martin Osembo, a corporate representative officer at Kilembe Mines Club, said the course has gotten a revamp and will provide golfers not only a challenging tournament but also enable them to enjoy one of Uganda’s top tourist attractions at nearby Queen Elizabeth National Park.
“At the Kilembe Open, every tee unlocks nature’s beauty,” he told the press at a briefing at UGC Kitante.
“It is one of those trips that every golfer should look forward to. We will cap the event on the 19th hole with a ‘golf in the wild’ theme. Dress code will be safari wear,” he said.
Osembo, a handicap 20 golfer himself, will be one of at least 100 competitors expected to compete for glory at a club that in the 50s and 60s hosted the Uganda Open. The Kilembe Golf Open, July 24-26 could be a first step to restoring that pride on the Uganda golf scene.
