Namulonge is a private course 32 km from Kampala. It's in fantastic shape (except for the greens, which are UG standard shaggy). The layout is set in the midst of the National Agricultural Crops Research Institute, 12km from Gyaza. M.L. Simkins was a USAID spouse, living on the grounds and she was the driving force behind either it's rejuvenation or building, depending on who you ask. I had always heard it was built in colonial times, but my caddie told me that Mrs. Simkins did it.
It's not a club as such, but a private course where green fees are 5k, and caddie fees are 3k per nine. Ball boys get 2k per nine, but will try you on for 3. No special day for the caddies, but they play free whenever they can, which is whenever balls and clubs come their way.The course is available for rental, as are the bungalows surrounding it. Both Sheraton and DFCU have organised tourneys here in the past, but there are none scheduled this year. (click pictures to see full image)
There are two swimming pools on the grounds, neither of them operational, but I'm sure that Mrs. Simkins had them well run. There is an eco-tourism resort 6km away, but also guest houses on the grounds which rent for 15k per night (bring your own food). Ask at the administrator's office (above right).
The course itself is lovely, and well tended, as one would expect from agriculturalists. There are mature Kyatuns, Mavula and Mango trees, as well as some flowering shrubs. Allegedly greens are cut on Fridays, but I played on a Saturday and they were still too long. Fairways are in immaculate shape however.
The signature hole here is #4, a short par four (above right) that would be easily drivable IF there wasn't a HUUUGE tree directly in front of the tee box that forces you to play a dogleg left. You CAN try to punch low iron thru the trees or hit a lofted wood over the trees, but the risk is high, and reward unlikely.
All in all, a lovely course that is easily reachable from KLA, is great value for money and deserves much more play than it gets. This is especially true now that the roughest parts of the murram road to the course is being fixed.
4 comments:
The golf course at Namulonge originated in the 1950s.The research station was then run by the Cotton Research Corporation. I lived and worked there at the time.
The golf course and the two pools were built in the 1950s. Research then was by the Cotton Research Corporation of London. I worked there and lived in the house shown.
I don't see a date for MaryLouise's development of the course or her rejuvination of it, but I was born in Kampala in 1956, and from as early as I can remember there was a golf course in front of the house we lived in, so that will be at least 1961-ish. All the same - very interesting.
I lived at Namulonge in the '50s (house No. 4 like that in the photo). One day Baraza (one of the caddies and member of our gang) and I did 9 holes with the same score as the then Director, John Munro, did 18. Well, that's how I remember it - I must have been 9 or 10 because it was before secondary school and a move to Tanzania. We probably had a driver, putter and Nos. 5 & 8 between us and, of course, bare foot. The greens and fareways were fine. It was the height of my golfing career - haven't played since! Baraza was a dab hand at making clubs from branches and practiced pitching and putting next to the tennis courts into a hole in the ground. The swimming pools were tremendous - the other one being at the other end of the station - as was the dam and farm.
Robin
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