How series’ five-year journey has transformed East Africa golf

In 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down life across Kenya, sport was one of the hardest hit industries. Courses were quiet, tournaments halted and communities that found meaning through weekend competition and social interaction were silenced. But in this moment of uncertainty, NCBA Bank Kenya made a bold decision, not only to keep golf alive but to spark a journey that would transform the sport in East Africa.

The bank established a golf series that would become one of the most successful annual spectacles. At the launch, NCBA Group Managing Director John Gachora set the tone for what would become one of the most ambitious sporting development projects in East Africa. “With the launch of the all-new NCBA Golf Series, our goal is to facilitate the growth of local golf here in Kenya and in the process make Kenya an international golf destination,” he said then.

“Golf remains a sport that is yet to be fully appreciated in Kenya and our participation in this event is in the hope that we can encourage more young people to develop as much interest in golf as they have in other sports.” He emphasised that the series was not just about competition, but development, especially for young players.

“As part of our initiative of supporting young budding talent, the main series will run alongside the NCBA Junior Golf Series,” he explained. In its first year, the series would visit 20 clubs. It became immediately clear that golfers were eager for structure, competition and a sense of normalcy. Five years later, the Series has grown into the region’s most extensive golfing programmes, touching Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.

This has helped shape development from the junior level to the elite professional game. Since its inception, more than 10,000 golfers have participated in over 400 tournaments. The series has visited almost all the major golf courses in the country, whether through qualifiers, club nights, mugs, junior events, or the professional calendar. 2021: Reawakening the game The inaugural season brought 20 tournaments across Kenya.

It was a signal that normalcy and communal activities were returning. It reactivated club life from the coast to the highlands and offered structure at a time when many had little to plan for. Amateur players returned to practice and competitive play with new determination. By the end of 2021, the series had done more than revive golf. It had demonstrated a genuinely serious desire to build a platform with long-term potential.

Brian Otieno of Kiambu Golf Club plays a shot out of the bunker during the NCBA Golf Series at Thika Sports Club/HANDOUT

2022: Going regional

In 2022, the series grew beyond Kenya and staged events in Uganda and Tanzania, featuring 18 tournaments. This was key to helping players cut/eliminate travel costs. Back then, Gachora insisted: “The series has the objective of growing and supporting the sport not only for adults and juniors. We will continue our strong partnership with the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation to provide a platform for junior golfers to develop skills and qualify for international events. Last year (2021), we were proud to have over 40 of our junior golfers qualify for the Rome Classic and the Big 5 tournament in South Africa.

Their strong show in these world-class events affirmed that we are well on our way to developing the future stars of the sport, not just locally but globally,” he said. At the time, the bank announced a Sh30m.

The bank elevated the stakes by introducing an enhanced grand prize: an all-expenses-paid trip to the iconic Fancourt Golf Estate in South Africa. Kairuki Nyaga, Anthony Gathura, Clifford Mugambi and Wambui Gitonga earned the coveted reward after emerging champions in the Division One, Two, Three, and Ladies categories during the December Grand Finale at the Muthaiga Golf Club. 2023: Rwanda joins as junior pipeline strengthens The series entered 2023 having already proven its capacity to activate clubs and communities across multiple countries. By that year, Rwanda had joined the tour, completing a four-country footprint and raising the series’ profile and reach.

15 qualifier events took place in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda, and the stops in Kigali and other new venues showed regional golf had matured. Parallel to the geographic expansion, the organisers deepened investment in junior development by working with the Junior Golf Foundation and US Kids Golf to run clinics, and regional programmes at the coast, Mt Kenya, the North Rift, Central Rift and Western Kenya. The focus was on creating pathways... from beginners to elite junior competition. “This series not only provides a unique platform for golf enthusiasts to showcase their talent but also offers an opportunity for NCBA partners and customers to network and build long-lasting relationships,” said NCBA’s Director of Marketing and Communication, Nelly Wainaina. 2024: Record scale and rising standards

This year, 34 tournaments were held in the four countries involving more than 3,000 players. The scale of activity was unprecedented. Clubs reported increased footfall and hospitality gains and juniors and amateurs benefited from broader competitive opportunities. The season had a profound impact on elite amateurs after the bank, in partnership with the Kenya Golf Union, supported 32 events on the KAGC calendar. Kenya’s top elite amateur John Lejirma says that having regular, high-quality tournaments pushed him to raise his standards.

“KAGC calendar gave me the pressure situations I needed to improve,” he said. “NCBA brought a level of consistency to our seasons right when we needed it most. We had a steady calendar of events. That rhythm allowed us to monitor our progress, fine-tune our game and stay competitive. When you know you’ll be tested week after week, you grow sharper. That kind of structure is what helps turn good players into great ones.”

For Michael Karanga, constant competition was similarly decisive. “Those consistent events gave us something we hadn’t had in a long time: regular opportunities not only to compete, but to earn,” he said. “Week in, week out, we had tournaments that pushed us to sharpen our game. It wasn’t just about collecting points or prize money; it was about staying focused, training with purpose and feeling anchored in a circuit that genuinely supported our growth.”

Kenyan junior golfer Lael Mwangale in action at Windsor during the NCBA Kenya Invitational junior tournament 2025/HANDOUT

2025: Completing the development loop with professional support

In 2025, NCBA completed the full development cycle as envisioned, with 38 events involving 3,000 golfers. The bank went a step ahead and partnered with the Professional Golfers of Kenya, backing 10 PGK Equator Tour events so far. This commitment to the professional tier created a predictable calendar and sustained playing opportunities that professionals had long yearned for. On the bank’s wings were Edwin Mudanyi, Erick Ooko, Abraham Galgallo and Njuguna Ngugi. Mudanyi describes the support as a true watershed moment for Kenyan golf.

“When you have consistent, well-organised events, you can finally structure your season the right way,” he said. “It means you can plan your training cycles, show up ready to compete and then honestly measure where you stand after each event. That kind of stability is incredibly important for any athlete who wants to progress.” Ooko noted, “It goes beyond the financial support. It’s about being recognised as athletes who need proper systems, time to prepare and real opportunities to showcase our abilities. That recognition motivates us and pushes the entire field to a higher standard.”

The move gave players renewed confidence to work toward larger ambitions like the Magical Kenya Open and other international events. On the junior front, US Kids Golf events averaged about 130 players, and WAGR-sanctioned junior events had about 90 on average. Mwathi Gicheru, for instance, earned his World Amateur Golf Ranking status during the Coast Junior Open, while Hetansh Shah joined the WAGR after an outstanding performance at the Kiambu Open. Young players such as Junaid Manji, Shashwat Harish, Tsevi Soni, Kanana Muthomi, Mikael Kihara, Belinda Wanjiru and Bianca Ngecu have displayed impressive growth, with some recording top 10 finishes in elite national and international events.

Chanelle Wangari secured a scholarship to The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, while Shelby Bungei joined the Aspire Athletics Programme. In addition, over 5,000 caddies were engaged, earning opportunities and recognition for their role. Numbers That Tell a Story Over five years, there were more than 400 tournaments on the NCBA trail: the main series, the KAGC series and Junior Golf Foundation. In 2025 alone, the initiatives included 70 junior tournaments under JGF and US Kids Golf, 32 KAGC events and 10 PGK Equator Tour events for professionals. More than 10,000 golfers have taken part across the life of the Series.

A legacy of inclusion and opportunity Over the five years, the organisers have built a robust ecosystem which begins with grassroots engagement and junior coaching, amateur development and KAGC competition and a professional calendar that offers regular, high-quality competition.

The design seeks to create pathways rather than isolated events. For many players, the series has been the bridge that connects practice sessions to meaningful competition, and for some, it has been the route toward professional careers. As the region looks ahead, the NCBA model points to a future where corporate partnership can be more than sponsorship. It can be a consistent, evolving support system that transforms the sporting landscape and creates opportunities that last for generations. As the series moves into its next phase, it does so with stories and experience that make a compelling case that when a corporate partner invests with vision, sport and the people around it can change for the better.