Before independence in September 1966, golf in Gaborone was played on a nine hole course with eighteen tees that ran around and

across the airstrip. The golf section of the Gaborone Sports Club in the village controlled the golf course. For security reasons the club

was requested to move and with the help of the Botswana National Sports Council it was granted a lease by the Gaborone Town

Council for the land the Club now occupies. Jimmy Russell, a government roads engineer, did the original layout of the course. Gordon

Hampton, the then Director of Agriculture, decided that the clearing of the fairways would be the ideal training ground for bulldozer

drivers under the supervision of the late Syd Youthed. Initially the greens were oiled sand that required smoothing down with a scraper

before putting and the tees were built of concrete blocks with rubber mating supplied by the Prison’s Department. In 1967 the original

clubhouse was designed by Peter Harrison and built by Derek Beesley. The old bar is the central part of the present bar area and was

open towards the course.

The course has been developed and refined over the last 40 years and is now a fine test of golf in tranquil surrounds with over 80

species of birdlife and a variety of animals that makes every round a pleasure. The lush kikuyu fairways give way to generous 8cm semi

rough before the natural Botswana bush makes any wayward shot an adventure all of its own. The greens have been rebuilt and will

continue to improve every season. A new variety of cynoden (Greg Norman) has been planted on all 18 greens.

They have also been subtly re-contoured to add more interest to the putting surfaces. The club enjoys an active and healthy social

attendance and has a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. It has hosted the BGU Independence Trophy for 44 years and has hosted the

Zone 6 internationals three times, the Botswana Open over 20 times and the Sunshine Tour FNB events many times in the past. It has

also hosted 7 of the last 12 Botswana Nomads National Tournaments.