Golfers parade for Lady Captain Mbandi's meet

Lady golfer Caroline Munyao of Mombasa golf club displaying her swing skills. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

Majority of Kenyans usually take a deserved rest on Saturdays after a week of hard work.

But for golfers the day is just a continuation of activities in their daily lives except for Sundays where they attend church and other family matters.

And it even becomes more complicated if the Saturday work requires one to start from 6.50am, but one of the golfers, Monica Kamundi alongside her flight of Wanjiku Kinyeru and Caroline Munyao seem to prove that golfers never rest on Saturdays.

Tomorrow morning in the background of beautiful sunrise across the Indian Ocean waters, will be a team of 120 golfers participating in this year's Lady Captain's (Fiona Mbandi) prize golf tournament to be played at the par 71 Sea Link Mombasa golf course with the team flight of Omar Lewa, Henry Kamau and Feisal Lasker being the last group teeing off at 1.08pm.

Kenya Navy Golf Lady Captain Faith Muteti leads a strong team comprising Grace Kwamboka, Priscilla Lumumba, Orpha Wamaitha among other Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) lady golfers from other services.

According to the terms of the competition, the dress code will be red and white on the course while in the evening all players and guests must be glamorous with a touch of red.

The format of play for ladies is first nine medal, second sine stable ford and the overall lady winner will be the person with the lowest differential nett score minus stable ford points and the winner shall be from the home club.

The tournament is also featuring men golfers, who will be playing stable ford for both nines in the subsidiary and must have valid handicaps and all will play off the ladies course of the World Handicapping System and ladies to play off ladies course 2.

A strict warning has been shared to the players to adhere to their tee off times and all proceeds of the tournament collected from the entry fee and optional ball pool will go towards the club's Tannahill team of 2025.

It further pointed out that the handicap limit for winners is 28 for men and 36 for ladies and that there will be a special prize category for winners with handicaps above the described limits.

The Club Lady Captain Fiona Mbandi has paid gratitude for the tremendous support received from the club's board, dedicated members, friends, and families over the past years.

"Their unwavering encouragement has been key to our success over the past year. I also want to express my heartfelt thanks to our sister clubs, including Vipingo, Malindi, Nyali, and Leisure, for their collaboration, and to our loyal sponsors for making our events possible," said Mbandi.

She pointed out that one of the highlights of her term in office has been hosting two very successful Coast Ladies Open events in 2023 and 2024, which brought together golfers from across the region.

Elsewhere, the first leg of the 2025 KCB East Africa Golf Tour tees off at the Royal Nairobi course today.

The event marks the first of 30-leg series that will traverse 16 counties in Kenya and four other countries in the region.

Over 200 golfers will converge at the course for the tournament as teams battle for the top spots in which two teams from tomorrow's action will be the first to book their slots for the tour's grand finale slated for December 5, 2025.