Arinaitwe tops yellow Entebbe Tee show

Arthur Ronald Arinaitwe is barely a year old as a golf member of Entebbe Club. He only started playing 14 months ago thanks to a lure with a golf bag from his friend Dennis Tela.

And 10 months after signing up with Entebbe, Arinaitwe stepped onto the podium to be recognized as the overall winner of a tournament.

On Saturday night, Arinaitwe emerged the best out of a field of 194 players to win the June leg of the Entebbe Monthly Tee championship, presented by MTN, with a score of 65 nett off handicap 21.

“I felt good, I felt rewarded for the time I have put in. It is worth it,” Arinaitwe said. He picked his prize from MTN’s general manager business intelligence Kenneth Kiddu and from Cfao Motors.

He has however been on the podium frequently, including taking second place in Group C at last month’s Tee. “I think I am on form. I have been at least in the top in the last six weeks. I have not played less than 70 nett for over six weeks,” he said.

His handicap has improved tremendously down, from playing 24 moving to going to 19 and so what is the secret though?

“I put in some time to practice. I also in midweek play with guys better than me because I learn a lot of things then I put them into the next game,” the data analyst stated.

Arinaitwe played a memorable round. “I managed success and failure in equal measure. I played a par on Hole par-5 No.1 for the first time in a tournament.”

He made pars on par-4 Hole No.4 and par-4 Hole No.5 which are low index holes and three more bogeys on par-3 Hole No.2, par-4 Hole No.3 and par-3 Hole No.6 but that seemed to create something unfamiliar too.

“I became over ambitious then I got nine (quadro-bogey) on par-5 Hole No.7, thereby wasting all my pars. At that moment, I told myself to keep my head and play properly.

“From there on, I didn’t scratch any other hole until par-3 Hole No.16 where I got a triple-bogey and closed out with two bogeys,” he added. 

Overall, Arinaitwe made eight pars overall including the par-3 Hole No.12, par-4 Holes No.9, No.13 and No.14 and the par-5 Hole No.15. He admits he felt tired after the 15th green.

MTN ENTEBBE MONTHLY TEE

JUNE LEG RESULTS

Overall Winner: Arthur Ronald Arinaitwe 65 nett

Guest Winner: Isiah Tugumenawe 64 nett

Seniors’ Winner (55+): Charles Kabunga 71 nett

GROUP WINNERS - MEN

GROUP A

Winner: Alexander Matsiko 70 nett

Runner-Up: Samson Agamile 72 nett (c/b)

GROUP B

Winner: Saidi Kirarira 68 nett

Runner-Up: Peter Magona 69 nett (c/b)

GROUP C

Winner: Ronald Gayiya 66 nett

Runner-Up: Musa Baguma 67 nett

GROUP WINNERS - LADIES

GROUP A

Winner: Bridget Basiima 67 nett

Runner-Up: Rita Apell 68 nett

GROUP B

Winner: Esther Aganyira 66 nett (c/b)

Runner-Up: Peace Hellen 70 nett

NEAREST TO THE PIN

L: Daniella Kawalya

M: Patrick Sumata

LONGEST DRIVE

L: Rukia Nalwoga

M: Allan Ssematimba