It’s time for change at Kenya Golf Union

One Saturday afternoon a few years ago, I wore a bucket hat and joined Lucas Marang’a at Karen Country Club for a round of golf.

Two other friends joined us at the tee and they, too, were wearing bucket hats. We chose to wear bucket hats because we were celebrating Marang’a’s 40th birthday and his headwear of choice when playing a round of golf is always a bucket hat.

We were going to tip our bucket hats in celebrating his first nine of his life and wish him a splendid second nine.

After the round of golf that day, we were joined by his family and more friends. It was time to share stories of the good shots that he had had in the first nine of his life.

Having played several rounds of golf with Marang’a, I couldn’t help but notice that an air of melancholy surrounded him.

At the turn, it is not uncommon for many people to evaluate how they have played up to that point. In golf, just like in life, many start wondering if they have played below their best at the turn.

They may forget how they produced a remarkable recovery shot from the bush to the green and only remember that they were in the bush as a result of a shank shot from a perfect lie on the fairway.

The fact that they walk away with a bogey on the hole may not atone for the sin of the shank shot from the fairway. Marang’a has since learnt to savour the triumphs in his life and forget the tragedies.

He shares his experiences on “life’s golf course” on his blog Lucas Marang’a, Man at 40.

On Friday, Marang’a and I will be at Muthaiga Golf Club to celebrate the 90th year of existence of the Kenya Golf Union.

As he assumes the chairmanship of KGU, this is going to prove a very memorable “shot” in his round of golf in this world. Even though no one will be opposing Marang’a for the position of chairman at Friday’s Annual General Meeting, he may only celebrate today.

He will have the feeling of walking on very good turf on the fairway, with a warm breeze, the music of birds chirping in the trees and the pleasure of being with friends.

During his acceptance speech, it will be like a crisp connection with his favourite pitching wedge to the green.

Come tomorrow however, there will be the first signs of an approaching storm. He will hear distant crash of thunder as he approaches the green.

The crash of thunder will be the realisation that in our country, we don’t have a single golfer under the age of 18 that is handicapped zero or better. In it’s 90th year, has the union forgotten its children?

Even though Marang’a’s ball will be lying on the green, there will be a deep bunker between it and the hole. He will have a ticklish downhill putt leading to the bunker after which will be a sheer shelf before the hole.

This will be the point in the round where Marang’a has to think of an extra-ordinary shot, à la Seve Ballesteros, to avoid sending the ball into the bunker.

Managing the expectations of the Kenya Golf Federation, Kenya Ladies Golf Union and all the golf captains in the country will be such a testing stroke.

The shot cannot be taken with a putter. It will have to be taken with a highly lofted wedge so that it lands softly. To under- or over-hit such a shot will be very costly to golf in Kenya in the long run.

As Richard Wanjalla completes his term as KGU chairman Friday, he will be looking back at his accomplishments but is unlikely to be satisfied with the fact that some of the things he held dear are yet to come to fruition.

The counties golf project is such a project. As we tip our bucket hats to Marang’a, the 89th chairman of KGU, it is important to remind him that every round includes a shot or two that are not perfectly struck.

Dear Lucas, please take a few extra seconds to think through the shot you make for KGU. It will be for the country.