Keetmanshoop Golf Course

With only 8 registered golf courses in the entire country, golf is a rare find in Namibia. For that reason a trip to SA and Namibia could not be complete without playing a course in this dry and hot land. Keetmanshoop was the one course that fit the schedule and the hopes were high to play here. Getting there from the city centre was relatively easy. No signs to get there but it is a small village and the roads lead quickly to the northern suburbs, The gravel roads get sandy with car and trucktracks, garbage is found alongside the road and nothing seems to indicate that the great game of golf can be played here. The course itself is hidden in the dry desert of Namibia in between a few houses, the freeway and garbage areas. People come to the course to hang around, leave their trash and drive all over the place as the course and premises are not secured and maintained anymore.

Walking and finaly driving (even though it is a run down property it felt wrong to drive here, but why not it is a mess already) over the premises gave a good view of what used to be a real nice desert course. Simple but special. The owners of the lodge told us that it was a true sand course and that the greens were oiled to prep them for putting. The course itself is relatively flat with little or no ondulation. Some elevated teaboxes and one green stick out. The typical namibian quiver trees are still around. as are some remaining concrete benches. It must have been great to play 18 holes here at this desert course, hot but rewarding.

Sandtraps are build using old car tires and an occasional tree and bushes define the wide fairways. The sandgreens can still be seen but not for long, time and sand will overflow this course.

Namibia is one golfcourse down. Keetmanshoop Golf Course is no more. Sad to see such a property. The game is not made for this area.