The Baobab Course at Vipingo Ridge. This course is fit to host any PGA event and can hold its own against any of the Top 100 golf courses in the world easily. PHOTO|FILE
If you are thinking about fitting some golf into your holiday this December then I would recommend the following destinations.
Top on my list is the Kenyan Coast (security threats notwithstanding). A holiday at the Leisure Lodge Resort is best suited to combine beach, sand and golf. Leisure Lodge has its own 18-hole golf complex and this is one of the best golf courses in the country.
With 87 bunkers around the course, some tough par-4s and some not-so-tough par-5s, this golf course is a pleasure to play. Guests staying at the hotel get special discounts off the green fees and those staying at the neighbouring Swahili Beach or Leopard Beach hotels will find the green fees affordable even reasonable.
The golf courses at Vipingo Ridge and the Great Rift Valley Golf Resort offer a similar arrangement — only in this case, your cottage could be within 10 metres of the fairway and you could literally start your round outside your front door.
The Baobab course at Vipingo is, by far, the best golf course in Kenya and it rivals any international championship golf course around the world.
The course at Great Rift is generally flat, and therefore friendly to the senior citizen and children. And where else can you play golf with zebras and gazelles grazing on the fairways.
Accommodation at Vipingo and Great Rift is normally in huge demand and early bookings are recommended.
By the way, the Nyali Golf and Country Club in Mombasa is home to the only pitch and putt golf course suitable for junior golfers. The club is within close proximity of several hotels off Links Road in Mombasa’s North Coast and once more, you can probably escape from the in-laws and put in a quick 9-holes before mum-in-law criticises your for neglecting your family duties.
With the introduction of the Machakos People’s Park, the County of Machakos has become a popular holiday destination, and for those of you with the golfing bug, you will find the Machakos Golf Club to be pocket-friendly and satisfactory.
On the slopes of Mt Kenya, the Nyeri Club presents one of the most challenging tests of golf. For those staying in hotels of homes, an early morning round of golf will go un-noticed by the family.
The Nyanza Club in Kisumu is also a short drive out of town and you can expect the nine-hole layout to be busy as people retreat to their rural homes for the festive holidays. This scenario will be replicated in Eldoret, Nakuru, Kericho, Njoro and Nandi Bears.
In Nairobi, the clubs will be experiencing lesser rounds of golf. Enjoy.
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Note: The results are not exact but very close to the actual.
