The purpose of the Review of The Month feature is twofold. Top100GolfCourses has always aimed to salute and encourage those who are putting admirable effort into reviewing the world’s great golf courses. Moving forward, we are also looking to learn from these experts! We’ll be chatting with the month’s star authors and discussing topics such as golf in their area, what they like to see in a strong course review, and of course dig a little deeper into their own winning review.
March 2023’s Review of The Month comes from Philip Thinggard, who made his first golfing journey to colorful Kenya, and from it produced a wonderful writeup on Limuru Golf Club.
Was this your first round of golf in Kenya, or have you had the opportunity to play any other courses in the region?
Yes, it was indeed my first round. Also played three others (Muthaiga, Royal Nairobi, VetLab) in Nairobi but that was it for now, unfortunately.
Kenya is obviously not a golf trip hotspot, and Limuru does not have a renowned course designer to its name. When considering the merits of a course such as Limuru, is it unfair to hold it up against quality clubs in other nations?
I guess it is unfair, but I try to judge courses I visit keeping in mind their particulars and circumstances. Which is why I always try to talk to locals. You cannot simply show up at X golf club expecting to find the standards of an affluent golf course in the U.S. or Spain, or some other bigger golf nation. However, resort courses are an exception, as good condition and playability are integral parts of the standard deal.
We hear about kikuyu annually during the PGA's Genesis Open at Riviera. Did the turf type seem to mesh with the design of the course?
I'd say yes, the stiffness of this grass type is a great contrast to soft greens they had when I was there. But hard to say based on my visit, as everything was very dry.
Now that you're a celebrated "Review of The Month" winner, let us know what factors you appreciate in a strong golf course review!
Personal touch, paint a story with no fear of including yourself as an experiencer of the reviewed course. Readers need to feel the writer was there for them and noticed stuff and details. What did this course make me think and feel? If I was there one day only, I try to imagine how the course is under different conditions. Try to select and describe holes that made an impact on me as a golf writer and as a golf player, rather than trying to characterize the whole course. It's boring hearing about every hole, and most courses do not have a clear profile anyway. They have great holes and not-so-great holes. I'd go play a course based on a convincing description of three to four holes that stand out and are worth the visit in and of themselves. The remaining 14 to 15 holes? It's still golf!
What's one course that you're excited to write a review for in the upcoming year?