FACT FILE
Par -72
Rating – 72
Length – 6200m (club tees)
Best Time to Play – Year round
History
The Windsor golf course was designed by Tom Macaulay and opened in 1993. The original concept of the facility was to create Victorian-style architecture and a championship golf course to match the quality of the entire facility. The landscape was primarily coffee farm and indigenous forest, out of which the golf course was carved, giving every single hole a unique feel. The indigenous forest is home to the rather friendly sykes monkey, numerous bird species and the dik dik.
The Course
It’s a parklands course and it was carved out of indigenous forest and an existing coffee farm. Each hole is very individual. Some of the features include a number of water hazards, birds and wildlife (sykes monkeys, dik diks). The course provides a good balance of difficult and easier holes. “This golf course requires planning rather than distance hitting, if you are to be successful,” says resident professional Rizwan Charania. “If you adopt the right strategy, the course will reward the right shots. Most of the trouble on the course, such as the water hazards, bunkers and forest are out of reach for the shorter hitters, and are placed to catch out the longer hitters.” Most holes on the golf course are dog legs therefore require placement off the tee. The popular lay up areas are generally between 220 yards and 280 yards which will leave a mid to short iron to very large greens. Distance control is imperative in order to leave yourself with a reasonable length putt. 3 out of the 4 par 5’s are friendly and a good drive will often leave a fairway wood or long iron to the green for the average hitter. Take advantage of scoring on these holes as scoring opportunities are not as high on the tricky par 3 ‘s and par 4’s. Holes to watch out for are the 2nd, 4th, 11th, 13th, 14th, 16th and 18th which demand good shots and not much room for error. The key for this golf course is to play strategy and pick up shots on the par 5’s. My favourite hole is the second hole which has a spectacular view of Mt. Kenya on a clear day and a very tough second shot to a green that is almost 80 feet below you.
Signature Hole
The signature hole is the 14th. “This hole plays just over 400 yards and requires a perfectly placed tee shot in the 240 yard region, in order for you to be able to go for the green in two, over a ravine,” says Charania. “Alternatively, the lay-up area runs down the left-hand side of the hole for the less daring, and it’s a much easier option, if you’re looking to secure just a bogey or a one-putt par.” The 14th hole is a tough prospect and is stroked as the third toughest hole on the course.
Rates
Visitor (week) – $60
Visitor (weekend) – $75
Member guest – $45
Caddie – $10
Cart Hire – $45
Club Hire – $23
Location
From Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, take the Eastern Bypass and join the Northern Bypass, which will get you to the hotel’s entrance in around 40 minutes. Alternatively, drive into the CBD via Uhuru Highway, Museum Hill and into Forest Road, which joins the Thika Super Highway. Exit the Super Highway at Muthaiga and go into Kiambu Road at Muthaiga intersection. About 10 minutes down the road, you will get to the Northern Bypass, where you will turn right. At the roundabout turn left into Windsor Golf Hotel & Country Club.
Contact
Address: Kigwa Road, Ridgeways off Kiambu Road
Tel: + 254 20 864 7000
Email: reservations@windsor.co.ke
Web: windsorgolfresort.com