How Kilelesi golf is helping pros

For so long, Ugandan professional golfers have been suffering from a chronic lack of competitive tournaments.

During the Johnnie Walker Uganda Professionals Golf Open, the local professionals struggled. Only 11 made the cut out of the 42 who were drawn to compete for the Shs150m kitty.

The best Ugandan in the Open was Philip Kasozi who finished tied joint sixth with Kenya’s Mike Kisia. For that, he pocketed Shs6.8m.

Kasozi is one of the Ugandan professionals whose game has benefitted a great deal from the Kilelesi golf series that were started mid this year by Hassan Kiyemba.

Two weeks before the Open, Kasozi had shot a three-under 68 to win himself Shs1.6m in the last Kilelesi round before the Open.

It was thus not surprising that he did well in the Open when it teed off the other week.

Kasozi shot rounds of 71, 73, 71 and 72 in the tournament won by Zambia’s Dayne Jr Moore.

Kilelesi Golf is a series of rounds played by amateurs and professionals. While amateurs have their handicap indices from the World Handicap System, the Kilelesi management committee has its own method that tracks and updates handicaps of all its members.’

Professionals too have their handicaps; some play off +1 while others are +2. The majority, however, are playing scratch.

“The idea behind all this,” says the chairman Kiyemba “is to build fairness, transparency and a competitive field so that we improve our golf either as amateurs or professionals.

“We started this thing in February and today, we are happy to note that we have had over 24 events and it is growing in leaps and bounds.”

Supporting Kiyemba, who plays off handicap 4 and is a member of Uganda Golf Club, is treasurer Isaac Ogwal and Deo Akope, also chairman of the Uganda Professional Golfers Association. Akope is the rules official.

It was in February at Mary Louise Simkins Golf Club when Kiyemba, Raymond Mwesigye, Brian Katimbo, Ogwal, Noah Waibi and George William Ovon thought through the idea of starting a golf series.

Mweisgye notes that the key in their thinking at the birth of Kilelesi was in helping professionals.

“The professional golfers in Uganda don’t have enough competitions and ultimately it impacts on their ability to compete at the highest level for money,” Mwesigye remarked.

“When we started Kilelesi, we had an idea of having a busy calendar that can keep the professionals in competitions that can sustain their game at the highest possible level within our means.”

Some of the professional golfers who are active in the Kilelesi golf events are Kasozi, Vincent ‘Araali’ Byamukama, Adolf Muhumuza, Flavia Namkula, Herman Mutaawe, Davis Kato, Ronald Rugumayo and Ronald Otile.

The series have been played at Uganda Golf Club, Entebbe, Mary Louis Simkins and Lugazi Hills Golf & Country club. Plans are in high gear to have an event at tha par-72 Lake Victoria Golf Resort & Spa.

Basically, all competitors pay an entry fee of Shs100,000. The winners are usually the best four golfers.

In the last event which was won by Kasozi, there was an entry of 60 golfers in the competition. It was a remarkable turn-out given that the round was held on a weekday. But it is testament to how popular the Kilelesi series are that amatuers have learnt how to prioritize them within their work schedule.

For Ogwal, the treasurer, the sky is the limit. “When we started this thing, we didn’t know where we were headed,” he says. “But here we are, growing in numbers and popularity. However, we have to ensure that we maintain its sanity and sanctity.”

During the last event, senior golfer Steven Katwiremu, lectured the group on why the members must remain true to the values of golf. Katwiremu, who later won the Johnnie Walker Uganda Seniors Golf Open, was also helped by the Kilelesi round to conquer the tournament he competed in.

“This group of yours is going to go places for as long as you ensure that there is discipline, respect and a good moral code among all of you,” he said.

“If you maintain it, the numbers will exceed 100 very soon. But if you allow some bad behaviour to creep in, it could kill an otherwise lovely addition to the game we all love.”  

The name Kilelesi was picked to give the group’s outlook modesty and humbleness. “Ours is an idea born out of the need to help; we are not looking to brag and feel like we have arrived,” Mwesigye explained. “That is not who we are.”

Towards the end of the month, the Kilelesi series will move to Lugazi Hills Golf and Country club. With the Uganda Open due to be held in Lugazi next year, the Kilelesi management team has proposed to organize several trips there to help amateurs and professionals get to grips with the par-70 course.

Worth noting is that the 2024 Johnnie Walker Uganda Amateur Open champion Joseph Reagan Akena is also a member of the Kilelesi golf group. Akena, like the man he dethroned as Uganda Open champion, Godfrey Nsubuga is a native of Lugazi.

The Kilelesi group will meanwhile hold its year-ending three-day tournament on December 8, 9 and 10. When it happens, it will be a crowning moment for an idea that started as a joke but has turned out to be the most sought-after golf series in the country today.