This archive report was first published on 15 May 2020.
As the UK government eases restrictions, golfers in England are rejoicing at the news that golf courses will reopen, bringing a much-needed boost to the sport.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement that those unable to work from home should return to work has been met with relief by golfers, who have been eagerly awaiting the return of competitive golf.
With the European Tour calendar of events still scheduled to take place, the Betfred British Masters hosted by Lee Westwood is set to go ahead from 30th July to 2nd August, providing a much-needed injection of excitement for golf fans.
Back in Kenya, professional golfers have been struggling to cope with the lack of competitive golf, with many relying on self-caddied golf to keep their skills sharp.
However, with the UK government taking steps to return to normalcy, there is hope that Kenya will follow suit, and the Safari Tour series of 2020/2021 will get underway.
As Nelson Mudanyi, a Kenyan professional golfer, noted, 'I have been playing quite well while caddying for myself. I have to keep the balls on the fairways as I don’t have a caddie to help me search for balls in the rough.'
With the easing of restrictions in the UK, there is a sense of optimism that competitive golf will return to Kenya soon, bringing with it a much-needed boost to the sport.
As Wang'ombe, the General Manager of Kenya Open Golf Limited, noted, 'We must remember that we are just playing the first nine holes and we can turn things around in the second nine. There is hope that our second nine will be filled with birdies and eagles.'
