How NCBA Golf Series redefined Kenya's corporate engagement with the sport

In recent years, golf in Kenya has undergone a silent but very significant transformation and at the heart of this evolution is the NCBA Golf Series.

What was once seen as an exclusive, elite pastime has now transmuted into a dynamic platform where sport, business, community, and development intersect seamlessly.

Through this esteemed series, NCBA has not only bolstered interest in golf in the country and region but also reshaped how corporates in Kenya engage with sports as a whole.

From lush greens to boardroom deals, from junior players to seasoned CEOs, the NCBA Golf Series has emerged as a force that is expanding access, building relationships, empowering youth, and driving economic impact one swing at a time.

Strategic Networking

Customarily, golf in Kenya was viewed through the lens of exclusivity; a gentleman’s sport often reserved for top executives, expatriates, “old money” or those who could afford hefty club memberships.

Corporate engagement with the sport was principally reflexive: a once-a-year sponsorship here, a VIP retreat there, an occasional tee-off by top CEOs for the media optics et al.

But NCBA Bank saw an opportunity to shift this paradigm by giving the “lazy sport” a wholesome approach leading to the historic launch of the NCBA Golf Series in 2021.

This marked the start of a new chapter, one that took golf out of the shadows of exclusivity and placed it squarely at the heart of the integration of corporate and community.

Instead of confining the golf series to a handful of elite courses, NCBA Bank curated a calendar that rotated across the country, bringing the sport to diverse towns and counties.

From the luxurious Karen to dusty Kisumu, to Nyali and Nanyuki, the series has opened the fairways to more than just the corporate elite and made the sport a national conversation.

New Playing Field

One of the most transformative aspects of the NCBA Golf Series is how it has permanently redefined corporate sponsorship and engagement in Kenya.

By creating a professional and well-publicized tournament structure, the series has offered companies an active, authentic platform to engage with clients, partners, and communities.

NCBA has made it more than branding banners on a green but about being fully present, playing together, and building relationships in a low-pressure, high-value environment.

Executives are now teeing off alongside junior golfers, SMEs, or customers and found a new avenue for business networking that goes far beyond boardrooms and cocktail events.

The NCBA Golf Series has also boosted the visibility for participating brands, offering a blend of sport, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and business development wrapped in one.

The elaborate series has transformed the narrative from “golf as leisure” to “golf as strategic investment” and challenged corporates to do more to grow different sports.

Community Economy

Every stop of the NCBA Golf Series creates a mini economic boom in the host location, with local hotels, caddies, vendors, and transport sectors benefiting from the influx of players and spectators.

In smaller towns where such events are rare, the Golf series catalyzes tourism and business activity hence benefiting golf courses, service providers, and communities economically.

Furthermore, the events often include clinics for junior golfers, sessions for women golfers, and community outreach programs, ensuring that the economic and social benefits stretch well beyond the clubhouse.

Next Generation

Conceivably the most visionary element of the NCBA Golf Series is its intentional inclusion of a junior golf series into the main tour and in the process grooming Kenya’s next generation of talent.

Young players who might have otherwise never interacted with the sport are now finding themselves teeing off and playing alongside top business leaders on the same courses.

These interactions promote mentorship, exposure, and opportunity and in the process developing the sport and enhancing the relationship between NCBA and the community.

A substantial number of juniors who competed in the NCBA Series have proceeded to take part in regional and international competitions and flying the Kenyan flag high by merit.

This junior integration aligns with NCBA Group’s wider mission of driving growth, development, and access, whether it is through finance, sport, or education.

Gender & Inclusivity

The NCBA Golf Series has boldly challenged that status quo in Kenya’s golf which has long wrestled with inclusivity, particularly when it comes to women and young people.

With custom-made events such as Ladies’ Golf Days and support for female golf pros, the series fully backed by NCBA Bank is helping to balance the scales in the popular sport.

Corporate sponsors have now come to appreciate the importance of fostering inclusive representation in the workplace and on the golf course as well.

By promoting women’s participation and visibility in golf, the series delicately reinforces a broader social message that every space, including sport, must be accessible to all of us.

Platform for Impact

NCBA has vividly shown that its pledge to golf is not about prestige but purpose and champions causes, from financial literacy and youth empowerment to environmental conservation.

This commitment aligns perfectly with the rising corporate emphasis on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) values given that golf is a platform for transformation.

NCBA Golf Series, through programs like tree-planting in golf events or supporting neglected youth through the sport, has proven that sport can be a vehicle for socio-economic change.

Tee Time

In a country where sports like football and athletics have often dominated the headlines, the NCBA Golf Series has managed to carve out a distinctive and impactful niche for itself.

The series has reshaped golf as a tool for corporate networking, community empowerment, and economic stimulation and challenged stereotypes while nurturing young talent.

NCBA Bank, through the series, has created a blueprint for how Kenyan companies can engage with sport meaningfully pulling in more corporates to view golf as a strategic asset.

As the NCBA Golf Series grows in scale and influence, one thing is now crystal clear: Golf in Kenya and the way businesses interact with the sport, will never be the same again.