What began as a conversation about golf has evolved into a wider environmental mission.
The usually calm greens at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa became the setting for a bold sustainability push aimed at cutting single-use plastics from Uganda’s golfing culture.
DFCU Bank and Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa officially launched the Plastic Free Golf initiative, a three-year environmental partnership that introduces reusable aluminium water bottles and strategically placed refill stations across the golf course, starting with one symbolic target: making Hole 14 completely plastic-free.
But beyond the bottles and refill stations lies a larger ambition, changing habits and attitudes around waste.
The initiative was born out of a recurring problem witnessed at the course after heavy rains. According to the resort’s management, plastic waste regularly washes into parts of the course, particularly around Hole 14, before eventually draining into Lake Victoria.
For the resort, the campaign is as much about protecting one of Africa’s largest freshwater bodies as it is about improving the golfing experience.
‘This initiative is very important to us,’ said Theodor Van Rooy, Golf Director at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa.
‘For two years, we have observed the amount of waste that flows into the golf course after heavy rains, especially around Hole 14. Much of that waste eventually finds its way into Lake Victoria, a vital water body that so many people depend on.’
The golf course, which hosts about 3,000 guests every month, generates significant plastic consumption through bottled water and other disposable materials used by players and visitors.
To tackle this, every golfer will now receive a reusable aluminium bottle during their round, with refill stations positioned at key points across the course, including around Holes 5 and 14.
‘Water coolers will be available at strategic points so players can refill their bottles throughout the day. This is our contribution toward reducing single-use plastic and protecting the environment,’ Van Rooy added.
For dfcu Bank, the partnership reflects a broader shift in how corporate institutions are approaching sustainability, moving beyond boardroom ESG conversations into visible, practical action.
Speaking during the launch, dfcu Board Chair Jimmy D. Mugerwa said sustainability only becomes meaningful when it is embedded into daily organisational culture and linked to both community impact and business responsibility.
Drawing from more than three decades in the oil and gas industry, Mugerwa stressed that environmental responsibility should not be treated as a passing corporate trend.
‘In 2024, dfcu Bank made notable progress in its ESG performance. The bank successfully recycled 60 percent of the waste generated across its operations,’ Mugerwa said.
‘In addition, the bank achieved a 15 percent reduction in its operational carbon footprint through various environmental commitments and sustainability initiatives.’
The initiative will also extend to club members, with all Lake Victoria Serena Golf Club members set to receive personalised reusable bottles engraved with their names, courtesy of dfcu Bank.
While golf is often associated with prestige and leisure, the campaign signals a growing effort to use sport and lifestyle spaces as platforms for environmental awareness.
And at Serena Kigo, the hope is that a simple refill bottle can spark a larger behavioural shift, one round of golf at a time.