Gaborone Golf Club

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  • Botswana , Botswana

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Gaborone Golf Club

Services

Botswana , Botswana

Before independence in September 1966, golf in Gaborone was played on a nine hole course with eighteen tees that ran around and across the airstrip. The golf section of the Gaborone Sports Club in the village controlled the golf course.

For security reasons the club was requested to move and with the help of the Botswana National Sports Council it was granted a lease by the Gaborone Town Council for the land the Club now occupies.

Jimmy Russell, a government roads engineer, did the original layout of the course. Gordon Hampton, the then Director of Agriculture, decided that the clearing of the fairways would be the ideal training ground for bulldozer drivers under the supervision of the late Syd Youthed.

Initially the greens were oiled sand that required smoothing down with a scraper before putting and the tees were built of concrete blocks with rubber mating supplied by the Prison’s Department.

In 1967 the original clubhouse was designed by Peter Harrison and built by Derek Beesley. The old bar is the central part of the present bar area and was open towards the course.

The course has been developed and refined over the last 30 years and is now a fine test of golf in tranquil surrounds with over 80 species of birdlife and a variety of animals that makes every round a pleasure. The lush kikuyu fairways give way to generous 8cm semi rough before the natural Botswana bush makes any wayward shot an adventure all of its own. The greens are on the slow side and receive frequent attention to keep them maintained.

The club enjoys an active and healthy social attendance and has a wonderful relaxed atmosphere. It has hosted the BGU Independence Trophy for 42 years and has hosted the Zone 6 internationals three times, the Botswana Open over 20 times and the Sunshine Tour FNB events many times in  the past. It has also hosted 5 of the last 8 Botswana Nomads National Tournaments and remains the club with the highest membership numbers in Botswana.

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