Reviving Masaka Golf Course: Uganda Golf Club kicks off 2025 with fundraiser tourney

The Uganda Golf Club will kickstart this year’s calendar of events with a fundraiser tournament at Kitante on January 18, aimed at reviving the Masaka Golf Course.

In November 2022, the Masaka City Council administration partnered with the Uganda Golf Union (UGU) to revamp the course, which had long been neglected and threatened by land grabbers.

Former UGU president Moses Matsiko and his vice president Jackson Were (now the president) unveiled plans to restore the course after meeting with Masaka City leadership, including Mayor Florence Namayanja, Town Clerk Geoffrey Bemanyisa, and council members at the mayor’s office.

Namayanja stated that the partnership was prompted by community concerns over the misuse of the city's only green space and the high maintenance costs for the city council.

Efforts to revive the course have been ongoing, with the UGU and Masaka Sports Club leading the initiative to ensure golf is played there. The facility provides a green belt for the city, boosting its environmental benefits.

Joseph Mukwaya, chairman of Masaka Sports Club and former Chief Administrative Officer of Masaka, mentioned that they had fought off several land grabbers over the years to preserve the land.

In 2017, despite an interim order by the Masaka High Court barring Bank of Uganda from developing the golf course, construction continued, leading to the establishment of the Bank of Uganda currency center on part of the contested land.

Mukwaya noted that Masaka, one of the most robust cities after Kampala, deserves a green belt. He said the golf course would help attract tourists and support junior golf development, a key pillar in their strategic plan.

Individuals will pay UGX 50,000, while a group of four will pay UGX 500,000 to participate in the event.

The fundraiser is the first of many events on this year’s golf calendar, which also includes the Entebbe Monthly Tees on the same day and the Entebbe Juniors Open from January 22-24.

The prestigious four-in-one Uganda Open will take place from August 22 to September 13, starting with the Seniors Open and ending with the Professionals Open at the Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Club.

New additions include the Pearl of Africa Golf Series Championships for professionals, to be played at the Uganda Golf Club, Entebbe, and Lugazi Hills Golf and Country Clubs in February, April, and July, respectively.

Other events lined up this month include the Professor Mutebile Memorial at Kabale Sports Club, the Uhuru Cup in Tororo, and the Kabalaza Golf Open Championship in Entebbe from January 29-31.