Kenya's First Disc Golf Course to Bring Sport to Nairobi Students

Disc golf is about to make its mark on Nairobi, Kenya's capital city, with the approval of a PDGA Marco Polo grant worth $3,000. This historic move marks the beginning of disc golf in Kenya, with plans to establish the country's first sanctioned tournament, the Kenyan Open 2022.

The grant will be used to develop an 18-hole course at the Rimpa Estates Wildlife Conservancy and revitalize a 9-hole course at the University of Nairobi School of Sciences. The project aims to create a community of disc golf players in Kenya by teaching students from primary school to university about the sport's fundamentals.

Leading the project is Yohannes Desalegn, a renowned figure in the world of disc golf who was awarded PDGA Volunteer of the Year in 2018. Together with Kevin Becker, Manager of Rimpa Conservancy, they will oversee the installation of the course and organize clinics on throwing techniques and basic rules for students.

The project's primary goal is to make disc golf accessible to Nairobi's young population, which boasts a staggering 4.4 million residents. Desalegn wants to provide students with a beautiful location where they can develop their passion for disc golf, all while enjoying the sport for free.

Course installation is set to begin in November, with clinics scheduled for January and a student tournament planned leading up to the Kenyan Open 2022. This initiative is part of the PDGA's Marco Polo Program, which has successfully introduced disc golf to new countries such as the Philippines and Colombia.

The program was launched by the PDGA Board of Directors in 2011 with the aim of promoting the growth of disc golf globally and creating links between local communities and the PDGA. The grant will cover innovative international projects that support the development of disc golf, providing opportunities for countries to explore new ways to engage with the sport.

For those interested in learning more about the Marco Polo Program's eligibility requirements and application process, they can visit the dedicated webpage on the PDGA website.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/marco-polo-grant-assist-disc-golf-kenya