Garuga to unveil Shs5b Golf Club this weekend
Mugisha won the Ngorogoza Memorial Open last year. PHOTO BY EDDIE CHICCO
What you need to know:
The first privately-owned 18-hole course to welcome local and foreign golf fraternity as they compete in Ngorogoza Memorial tournament starting Friday
KAMPALA
Uganda finally has an 18-hole privately-owned golf course courtesy of businessman James Musinguzi Garuga.
The Garuga Golf Club (GGC), opening with the Ngorogoza Memorial tournament starting Friday, is also only the fourth 18-hole golf course in the country. Garuga told the media yesterday he spent over $2m (about Shs5.5b) constructing the facility in Kihihi. The work started in October 2010.
The other 18-hole courses are Kitante, Entebbe and Kilembe Mines. They are all owned by institutions. To welcome the world to his enormous facility, Garuga, under his Kigezi Highland Tea company, has also injected Shs120m in the third Ngorogoza Memorial event ending Saturday.
“The only way to honour such a gentleman (Paul Ngorogoza) is by injecting as much and making his remembrance a big do,” Garuga, arguably the most popular businessman in Kanungu District, said yesterday. “Ngorogoza is remembered for having worked tirelessly to resettle the Bakiga in Tooro, Ankole, Bunyoro and Busoga kingdoms following their explosion back home,” he added.
A large field of 200 amatuer golfers is expected to make the long voyage to South Western Uganda for GGC’s inauguration.
Twenty two professionals from Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda are also expected to rub shoulders in a Shs10m two-round 36-hole category on Friday. The main event will have the country’s top amateurs from Tooro, Kitante and Entebbe including Adolf Muhumuza, Phillip Kasozi and Willy Kitata play alongside the women and subsidiary category for the honour to be crowned 2014 Ngorogoza Memorial Champion.
National team veteran Patrick Mugisha of Entebbe is the defending champion whereas Meron Kyomugisha won the female’s sideshow at Kabale Sports Club last year.
