By Howard Swan, Swan Golf Designs

After Howard Swan’s initial trip to the TPDF Lugalo Club course in Tanzania two years ago, Swan Golf Designs has been asked to return to the country to set out and oversee a programme to bring the course to an international standard.

In 2008 the Club, in the country’s capital of Dar Es Salaam, was exploring possibilities for development of the course from a basic nine holes to an eighteen hole members’ facility, for use by the Army and others. An evaluation of the course’s design and an audit of the work being undertaken by the Club and the Army engineers resulted in the presentation of a revised layout improving the balance,
rhythm and flow of the course. Now those changes are to be implemented, a new and exciting overseas project for SGD.

Tanzania has very few golf courses, with one other in Dar Es Salaam, The Gymkhana Club, featuring 18 holes. Several courses are to be found inland in Arushi and Moshu, and have greens rather than browns. Since the country’s independence there has been little growth in the game at all, but there are moves to bring more international tourism to Tanzania through golf; neighbouring Zanzibar is already a much sought after holiday destination. Equally, there is an aspiration to cultivate young players and beginners: part of the TPDF Lugalo’s plan will be the construction of a FIRSTGOLF Training Centre, with development of key skills in the golf industry being taught alongside the tuition of playing skills.

The project as a whole is another example of the pioneering spirit of Swan Golf Designs in spreading the game worldwide and growing its grass roots.