ROYAL Harare Golf Club was the obvious choice to host the 2023 FBC Zimbabwe Open, which was blessed with a field full of world-class players.
With a history dating back to 1898, the Royal Harare Golf Club, which is celebrating its 125th year anniversary this year, remains the leading and best-managed course in the country.
Backed by wonderful weather, and perfect conditions, the course didn’t disappoint, and all players were full of praise for the picturesque Royal Harare course layout and the immaculate condition of the greens during this year’s edition of the Sunshine Tour-sanctioned event which ended yesterday.
South Africa’s Neil Schietekat, who clinched the coveted title, was full of praises for the golf course and the overall organisation of the tournament.
“It’s always nice to be here. Zim always puts up a good show for us here. It’s always exciting to play in this golf course,” the eventual champion said.
Schietekat was one of many pros who complimented the course during the week.
Earlier in the tournament, another South African, Jaco Ahlers, an 11-time Sunshine Tour winner, had also expressed his satisfaction with the condition of the course.
“Royal Harare Golf Club is such an old gem. It’s a course that not a lot of people can play or come to Zimbabwe to come play. And it’s a hell of a golf course you know, it’s no nice to play,” Alhers said.
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“I Like the golf course so much and I always play well here and the Zimbabwe Open is one that I would love to win. The greens are a little raised when they firm them up it becomes a proper test. It’s not a long golf course, but it’s just a good design,” he said.
In an interview with NewsDay Sport, Royal Harare Golf Club general manager Ian Mathieson said they were honoured by the positive feedback received from all stakeholders and attributed their success to the hard work and commitment by his team.
“It’s always an honour for us to showcase Zimbabwe and what it can produce and give and show to the rest of the world,” said Mathieson, whose team includes the well-respected greenkeeper Fibion Chikwaya.
“Personally, I have an amazing team that I work with and it’s an honour to work with them. They are a fantastic group of people who are dedicated and extremely diligent in their work ethic and getting stuff done and I think it shows. To get all the players giving us accolades makes me extremely proud.”
Royal Harare was founded in 1898, but the course was established on the current location in 1901.
The original course with its “sand greens” was very differently laid out from the current design.
Originally known as Salisbury Golf Club, the club was granted Royal Patronage in December 1929 and has to date remained part of the “Royal” family of golf courses around the world.
The name changed again to Royal Harare Golf Club in 1980 at Independence.
“It’s amazing to have a club that is 125 years old and still in operation and still growing,” Mathieson said on the club’s long history.
“So, we derive our income primarily through member subscriptions and operate our facility from that. So it’s proven to be a really cognisant of what you are doing and how you are spending the members’ money. It’s a testament to the 125 years that’s taken place already.”
After successfully hosting the FBC Zimbabwe Open, Royal Harare Golf Club has lined up a number of activities to celebrate their 125th anniversary with a charity golf day and a high-profile tournament lined up in July and September, respectively.
“We have some exciting stuff planned. We have a charity Golf Day on the cards in early July and in September we have a big golf tournament that we are hosting. It’s a two-day event which will be played during the second week of September called the Jacaranda Trophy and we are sending invites to all Royal clubs around the world, we will be sending them invites to send players to participate. So it’s exciting for us to showcase what we’ve got.”
Royal Harare is a typical parkland course. There are 57 of more than 550 species of trees indigenous to Zimbabwe, as well as 51 non-indigenous trees along the course.
The well-manicured fairways are planted with kikuyu grass and the greens are bent grass, which was introduced in 1986.
More than 74 species of birds have been identified on the course.
