Professional golf is one of most lucrative spaces in global individual sport, with the sector’s overall value estimated at about $83 billion dollars.
Ugandans have only earned pennies from global pro golf at the regional and global front. With just about 18 courses in the country, it is relatively understandable.
But, as well, the standards to play on the global DP World Tour, PGA Tour or LIV Golf circuits are so high.
New Uganda Professional Golfers Association (UPGA) chairman Davis Kato is seeking to create some change and thereby push more Ugandan pro players onto the different tours.
It begins by expanding the calendar with more activity. A dearth of tournaments hasn’t made it easy for local professionals but by launching the Pro-Tee Series at Entebbe Club sponsored by MTN, the strides are towards the right direction.
‘Entebbe Club and MTN, a long-term partner, a friend forever, the best network in the country, is launching what we call the MTN Pro-Tee Series,’ Entebbe Club captain Serwano Walusimbi remarked at the weekend.
‘Of course, this will get them (professionals) ready for even probably on the international stage. So with MTN and Entebbe Club, we are very, very glad and happy that we have launched this,’ added Walusimbi.
This Series will happen every quarter of the year, in the week leading up to the MTN Quarterly Tee. It begins Tuesday when a field of 42 players lines-up for a 72-hole competition over four days at the par-71 course.
The second leg will be played in September with the final leg of the year in December. The Series is helping to create a stronger pathway for Ugandan golfers to compete successfully on bigger stages.
‘For the last two years, I’ve been promising the golfers that something big is coming, something big is coming. And for sure, something big has arrived,’ remarked UPGA trustee Innocent Kihika.
‘What has been missing is a structured platform that gives players consistent opportunities to compete, earn and develop,’ said Kato, who leads UPGA that has grown from 29 members in 2022.
‘Through the MTN Pro-Tee Series, MTN Uganda is helping to raise the standard of professional golf by introducing an international-standard competition format, an Order of Merit and meaningful prize purses that motivate players to perform throughout the season,’ he added.
Sponsors MTN are offering Shs15m for the first leg this week, Shs20m for the next and Shs30m at the end of the year, according to Walusimbi.
‘We are elevating the game, we are freeing our fire. For the last three years MTN has been a proud partner of Entebbe club. We’ve watched the community grow and we’ve supported incredible amateur talent,’ said MTN business enterprise segment manager Justina Icabala Ziraba.
‘So by creating a season-long order of merit point system we ensure that every single swing counts towards crowning a true grand champion and we can’t wait to see who that will be,’ Icabala said of the Free Your Fire MTN campaign.
The two latest professionals expected to compete are Ibrahim Bagalana and Ibrahim Ssemakula. The field on the par-71 course will comprise female pros like Evah Magala and UPGA board member Irene Nakalembe.
ENTEBBE MTN PRO-TEE
Inaugural Edition: 2026
Venue: Entebbe Club
Stance: Professional Golfers
Sponsor: MTN
Package: Shs15m (Leg 1), Shs20m (Leg 2), Shs40m (Leg 3)
First Leg Dates: June 16-19
Expected Field: 42 Players
UPGA Size: 62 Members