Entebbe Club is always a hive of activity. They have held several events across the year and last weekend capped a perfect fitting to a colorful 2024 with the Grand Tee of Tees Golf tournament. From a full house of 200 players on course, to the grand opening of a new halfway house, fireworks in the Entebbe skies, Cindy and then Maddox Ssematimba put the cusp to a fitting night as the Club wrapped up its calendar events.
In Entebbe Club’s history, there perhaps has not been a day as busy as Saturday. The club wrapped its calendar officially with the Grand Tee of Tees tournament presented by MTN.Both on and off the par-71 course, the day had perfect undertones. On the course, a big field of 210 players turned up with ever-jolly Andrew Kibaya surprised to emerge as the overall winner.While the hole-in-one prize car by Cfao Motors was placed on the short par-3 Hole No.12, instead Patrick Kagoro sunk a hole-in-one using 3-iron club over 202 yards into the cup at the par-3 Hole No.10.Yet away from the greens, Entebbe delivered another memorable 19th hole prize-giving ceremony at the cricket oval space, incredibly curated by Madoxx Sematimba’s crowning performance.
Prior though, it had all begun uniquely at 6pm when MTN CEO Sylvia Mulinge did a dummy shot with an iron club to officially open Entebbe Club’s new halfway house constructed over the past 12 months.Mulinge received a standing guard of honour enroute to that occasion by golfers who had held their clubs forming an inverted ‘V’.Thereafter at dusk, the 100 golfers presented marched on a lit route to the cricket oval where they were welcomed by emcee Deedan Muyira.Muyira got the most attention when she smartly moved the audience of about 500 people, majority with a touch of yellow dress code, out of the big tent to witness fireworks to crown 2024 accompanied by songs like Coldplay’s Sky full of stars and Aviici’s Hey Brother.Little later, Entebbe Club’s chairman and his executive Jacob Byamukama thanked MTN for the new structure. “MTN is going to make sure that the MTN pod location (halfway house) is a 5G Wakanet Hotspot,” he remarked.
Yet, lady club captain Jovia Tugume, who later emerged as the ladies’ order of merit best player for the yet, together with her section gifted Mulinge. “Golf is sometimes a male-dominated game and sometimes we do things to encourage women,” Mulinge said in a brief acceptance speech.Entebbe captain Serwano Walusimbi allowed the Katogo Golf section of members to reward MTN’s corporate social responsibility drives with Shs20m. “We got a small token to the MTN Yello Care basket,” said Edward Kabuuchu. Entebbe Club through Walusimbi too gave back to MTN Foundation with a cheque of Shs7.914m collected from drinks members bought during the evening of the March leg of the Tee.
At 9:24pm, Cindy Sanyu took to the stage but it was about two hours later that Madoxx starred. “Mujje mujje… tu kube omuziki… mujje ku stage,” Madoxx rallied the audience to the stage. “This is our land.”And when they heeded to his call, off he went: “Ndabirawaaaa….” to start with his song Omuyimbi before later performing Owomukwano, Nakatudde, Namagembe and Easy, nearly all grooving away.The party thereafter went on long into the night.
ENTEBBE MTN GRAND TEE OF TEES
Overall Winner: Andrew Kibaya 68 nett (count-back) Guest Winner: Nathan Mubiru 64 nett
Seniors Winner Richard Mucunguzi 69 nett
GROUP WINNERS
LADIES
GROUP A
Winner: Bridget Basiima 74 nett (c/b)
Runner-Up: Rita Apell 74 nett
GROUP B
Winner: Nice Janda 72 nett (c/b)
Runner-Up: Peace Hellen 72 nett
MEN
GROUP A
Winner: Richard Oloka 70 nett (c/b)
Runner-Up: Joseph Adrapi 73 nett
GROUP B
Winner: Marvin Kagoro 69 nett (c/b)
Runner-Up: Lony Akena 69 nett
GROUP C
Winner: Lloyd Busuulwa 68 nett (c/b)
Runner-Up: Picole Lukyamuzi 70 nett
NEAREST TO THE PIN
L: Victoria Bagaaya
M: Martin Kivumbi
LONGEST DRIVE
L: Sammy Nakanjako
M: David Mpanga