Golf Club Bar: Normal prices at ‘the 19th hall’

GOLF IS not my kind of thing, and the last thing I ever want to do is take part in a conversation in which such words as “tee off”, “par”, “caddie”, “birdie”, “foursome” and “green” are being thrown about. However, an appointment with organizers of an upcoming charity event recently gave me reason to be at the Kigali Golf Club, in Nyarutarama. The rugged dirt road that ushers one through the main entrance eases lazily into a tiled parking yard that is reserved for members of the club. In front of this parking lot, draped in red Mutzig colors, is the members’ bar, designed primarily as a stop-over point for refreshments in between breaks from the course. It is a basic and functional facility, with an air of institution about it, like you would only expect of such a place. A large, roofed forecourt that can sit 1000 or more people is where most of the action is to be found. It is here that you will be sure to find the cream of Kigali’s golfing fraternity comparing notes from earlier games over a coke drink. The terrace is equipped with two flat-TV screens which, incidentally when we visited, were all screening English Premier League Soccer games. The bar itself is rather cold and stuffy, and devoid of activity as most patrons prefer to enjoy the cool breeze wafting through the terrace. A few bar stools and scattered tables, a PA system, and the bar counter are just about it. Behind the bar counter is a dimly lit corridor that leads to the kitchens, which though hidden away from public view, will draw your attention as to the goings-on inside way before you step into the facility. I’m talking of the aroma of fresh roast that the chef knows to whip up upon your whims. I went in for a Coke on account of the tight budget I was running, but I would have loved to sample the various meats on offer, and that I saw sweat-drenched golfers dig into over light conversation. They do strictly grilled stuff –pork, goat, beef, fish, and this is accompanied with chips and/or plantain. The bar has a small private room equipped with a huge plush sofa and small conference table, suitable for that drink over a private conversation. Adjacent to the bar is a circular, Mutzig-branded outdoor beer point that is designed to ease the traffic in the main bar on busy days such as when there is a major tournament. Surprisingly, the drinks in the bar go at “normal” prices, in that the Coke I consumed cost me a paltry Rwf500. Similarly, the giant Primus is just Rwf1,200. The wines and spirits are a bit pricey though. This place comes in handy especially for the all too familiar jogging crowds that take over the serene streets of Nyarutarama come weekend mornings and evenings. Or for those planning to join the ranks of the golfing fraternity.