New Longonot Golf course hits hole in one
An aerial view of the Longonot Gate Golf Course near Mt Longonot in Naivasha. PHOTO | LARRY NGALA |
What you need to know:
- In his design objective, Jones set out for a blend of a wonderful golf challenge and an enjoyable golf course - in a true Kenyan setting.
- The course is expected to be ready for use by August 2015.
- With 50 years experience playing on many different courses in the world, Jones says he had no difficulties on the design concept of the course.
The Longonot Gate Golf Course, an 18-hole par 72 championship course at the foothills of the picturesque Mount Longonot – which is nearing completion, is set to stand out as among the best golf courses in Africa.
It adds to Irish David Jones’ 17 greatest design feats – in Kenya, Tanzania, Turkey, Finland and Ireland.
The legendary golfer describes the course as an 'African Savannah Golf Course' which sensitive to the environment and set against a dramatic and eye-catching landscape.
In his design objective, Jones set out for a blend of a wonderful golf challenge and an enjoyable golf course - in a true Kenyan setting.
A world-class golf course that features interesting greens and provides amazing views, is overlooked by Mount Longonot at the back and a beautiful Lake Naivasha from the front view. With some 206 houses interspersed along the course – is a magnificent scene to behold.
The course is expected to be ready for use by August 2015.
STRATEGIC THINKING
A genuinely user friendly course, but with some subtle and challenging holes featuring winding fairways and tropical savannah vegetation, it will require good strategic thinking to master it.
It places a premium on accurate approaches, with plenty of strategically-placed bunkers and water hazards sprinkled around the layout to test even the best. While the fairways are mostly wide, any wayward shots could be gobbled up by punishing rough.
A number of enhanced seasonal rivers cut across various holes including 7th, 8th, 14th and 15. A variety of other lovely water features are found on holes number 9, 14, 15, and 18.
The active water features on holes number 9 and 18 pose a big challenge to the golfers -requiring one to think to keep the ball right on the fairways and onto the green.
The par 3s – number 5, 8, 11 and 15 to have river beds, with number 2 and 11 featuring the beautiful Longonot environment.
Jones singles out the strategic water features on holes number 9 and 18 as the hallmarks of the course. "The one (water feature) on number 18 is most eye-catching as it cascades in front of the green, with a water-hazard lake on the right hand side. And with its raised green, spectators will have a spectacular view from the club terraces right into Lake Naivasha," says the retired golfer.
The scenic par-four 18th is his signature hole on the course. It is the toughest and most challenging, allowing little room for error.
“Keep it straight off the tee, get it over the cascade onto the raised green; avoiding the lake on the right and cope with the green contours under the critical eye of the spectators watching you from the club house terrace,” says Jones who also designed the magnificent Vipingo Ridge in Kilifi County, and the Aberdare Hills in Naivasha as well as the Kiligolf at Usa River between the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha and Moshi in Kilimanjaro region.
With 50 years experience playing on many different courses in the world, Jones says he had no difficulties on the design concept of the course.
"Having climbed Mt Longonot in 1989, I had an impeccable knowledge of the surrounding area. It is in the same year that I recorded one of my best career wins with the Kenya Open, after several appearances," he added.
