Golf in Kenya: a totally new level of adventure!

Golf courses in Kenya don’t just come down to a couple of 12 cm-deep holes dug into random spots in the wildlife-infested desert. Besides the fact that this would be wildly impractical since the whole golf course would exist of ‘wasteland’, this couldn’t be further away from reality. Especially around Kenya’s two biggest cities, Nairobi on the mainland and Mombasa on the coast, you will find picture-perfect golf courses; all with precision-cut grass, luxurious clubhouses and an unbelievable surrounding of natural beauty.

The extravagance of Kenya’s golf culture can be traced back to its colourful history. All of this took off in the 1900s. Early pioneers felt that each European community needed to have a church, a club and a golf course, though not necessarily in that order. This legacy has left Kenya with about 40 very attractive, challenging golf courses, scattered all across the country.

As previously mentioned the majority of high-end golf courses can be found in and around Nairobi as well as on the nation’s tropical coastline, close to Mombasa. They are all beautiful for five reasons: they have an abundance of flora and fauna, the difference in heights which ensures beautiful views, fast greens, challenging holes and attractive clubhouses and golf hotels adjacent to the golf courses.

1. Vipingo Ridge - PGA Baobab Course (Kilifi)

The Vipingo Ridge Baobab Course is a PGA-accredited course which lies between the coastline and the green hills inland. The course meets international standards, bringing an unparalleled golfing experience in East Africa. It is always in excellent condition thanks to the computerized irrigation system, fine Bermuda grass and state-of-the-art greenkeeping equipment.

2. Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club (Nairobi)

The Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club is Africa’s leading golf resort having one of Kenya’s best golf courses. While being designed at international standards the local atmosphere is still retained. At the 14th hole you get challenged by a cliff and water. Also, don’t be surprised when you encounter dozens of monkeys while playing! I can say that from my own experience.

3. Muthaiga Golf Club (Nairobi)

Muthaiga Golf Club is an 18-holes championship golf course. It was named best golf club of Kenya in 2015. The golf course is situated in the middle of Nairobi next to Karura Forest.

4. Karen Golf & Country Club (Nairobi)

This golf course is in such fine condition, that it is qualified to host the Kenyan Open on the European Challenge Tour annually. The Karen Golf & Country Club golf course has flourishing wildlife, both flora and fauna and even in the dry season, its breathtaking scenery will blow you away.

5. Sigona Golf Club (Nairobi)

Sigona Golf Club provides lush wide fairways and ample dog legs requiring carefully thought-out shots. It has a serene atmosphere and lies in the middle of beautiful flower bushes and scenic greenery. Expect several tees way higher than the fairway, high trees and fast greens.

6. Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort (Naivasha)

A golf resort located on top of Mount Eburru which ensures you of incredible views in both west and east over the world’s largest valley. Luxurious rooms, a friendly atmosphere and a magnificent golf course made Great Rift Valley Lodge & Golf Resort win the award of best golf hotel in 2016.

7. Limuru Golf Club (Nairobi)

The 18th hole at Limuru Golf Club is widely regarded as the most scenic in Kenya with a fantastic clubhouse veranda view. At an altitude of 2100 meters and set amidst tea plantations and rolling farmlands, Limuru provides a unique hole-by-hole challenge for all golfers. One of my personal favourites!

8. Vet Lab Sports Club (Nairobi)

A typical African golf club combines a quality golf course with a warm and welcoming atmosphere. If I think of Vetlab Sports Club I think of super fast greens, given to laughter members and the brotherly handshakes people of all ages give each other here.

9. Nyali Golf & Country Club (Mombasa)

Designed by Monty Lowry, this challenging championship course of Nyali Golf & Country Club offers short rough and numerous doglegs, providing a multitude of individual challenges for the seasoned golfer. The closely mown, well-watered fairways are comprised of a mixture of Mozambique Polana and Pemba grasses, while the lush, finely contoured greens are laid with Polana. The club mascot, the green monkey, will certainly be spotted during a round of golf.

10. Leisure Lodge Beach & Golf Resort (Diani)

The pearl at the Kenyan Coast is located south of Mombasa. The Leisure Lodge Beach & Golf Resort is one of the best golf courses of Kenya and hosts the annual Diani Beach Masters?. The area was designed to preserve the tropical plants. There are plenty of water obstacles and sand obstacles, which will challenge your golf skills. It is located at Diana Beach, Mombasa.

If you are interested in traveling to Kenya, just surf to our site and check out all golf courses in Kenya

When you decide to go golfing in Kenya, you might have a lot of practical questions. We asked our Kenya golf expert Lars Wouterse from local expert Charlie’s Travels to answer the most obvious ones for you.

Do Kenyan golf clubs have clubs for rent? Most Kenyan golf clubs, especially the ones which are used to having many visiting tourists, have decent golf clubs for rent.

How about caddies and buggies? A very relaxing advantage of golf in Kenya is its caddies. They are friendly, skilled and cheap. On average, they will cost you about 800 KSH, which is around €7, for 18 holes! It’s so relaxing if you have someone to carry your bag and look for your ball. Especially looking for the ball is great for the less experienced players among us.. ;-). All caddies play golf themselves too and know every square cm of their home course through and through. Buggies are available at high-end golf courses.

During which months should I go? The ideal travel period is from November till March and June. A shining sun will be guaranteed throughout the holiday, the prices won’t be too high, the temperature is average 26 degrees and is ideal to escape the cold winter in the West. During April, May and October the rainy season will be taking place (this is very mild, and showers usually won’t last longer than a couple hours, but if you want to be guaranteed of sun during the whole holiday, this period is not as ideal.) July to September is the high season and most expensive period. It is a special period because of one of the world’s most impressive wildlife-spectacles: The Great Migration. Hundreds of thousands of wildebeests and zebras are on the move from Tanzania to Kenya in search of fresh grass. From July to September It is the winter season in Kenya, however, no rain and the temperatures are between 20 and 25 degrees.

Is Kenya safe for tourists? We fully understand the concerns about safety. The news tells us almost once a year about a terrorist attack mostly in the northeast of Kenya. Keep in mind though, that this is not where trips take place, or where you will find any golf courses that live up to our standards. The most travelled parts of Kenya, the middle, southwest and southeast, are completely safe. Of course, in big cities like Nairobi and Mombasa, it’s wise to take some logical precautions. Don’t walk alone at night, be careful of your belongings when you’re walking on a busy street or are sitting in a crowded bus and don’t enter a slum on your own. Besides this, I also don’t advise anyone to travel during the elections, because there can be tension between the different tribes. If you abide by these basic rules and use a tiny bit of common sense I can assure you that you’ll never need to feel unsafe. The level of friendliness, open arms and warm smiles among Kenyans is something which genuinely surprised me!

What do you recommend to combine with golf? When going on a golf trip to Kenya it would be a waste to only play golf. You have travelled to Kenya and besides golf, there is so much more to see, do and experience. Kenya is insanely beautiful and has a wide variety of nature and landscapes, copious amounts of wildlife, mountains and hills where you can hike for days and days, colourful tribes, tropical beaches, charming towns and cool cities. Therefore I would recommend combining golf with at least one of the things that Africa is so famous for big game safaris. In comparison to other African countries, Kenya has a lot of beautiful national parks. Golf safaris in Kenya are the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation. Besides, a visit to a local Masai village is an experience that I could definitely recommend. The Masai tribe can be recognized by their colourful, mostly red, garments/dresses. They are nomads trekking with their herd of goats and cows through Kenya and Tanzania looking for fresh grass.

If you’re more of the adventurous kind, I would recommend not only visiting but also sleeping at a local Maasai village, riding on the back of a motorbike while a Maasai warrior is driving and hiking through the Loita Hills accompanied by a lot of donkeys who carry your stuff, go for an evening barbecue around the fireplace, and where Maasai guide and protect you from the wild animals.

If you are travelling to Kenya, be aware of the fact that Kenya’s prices are unfortunately not as dirt-cheap as in Asia or South America. When booking golf, accommodation, food and car hire, you will be paying approximately the same as what you’re used to in Western countries. If you have reached the end of this blog then that’s great news. We hope that you might consider Kenya to be your next golf destination.

Note: This post was written in 2017 by Kenya expert Lars Wouterse from Charlie’s Travels and updated in 2023. Charlie’s Travels also specialises in ‘off the beaten track’ trips in Africa.