Great success at the first ever Golf Captain's week
This January Vipingo Ridge had the first ever Captain’s Week. In the almost 20 years since inception of Vipingo Ridge, with the Golf Club founded in 2012 there have been successful Captain’s Days for the past 12 years, but this year we tried something different, with a very special reason for breaking the mould.
Golf Captain Richard Frost stepped down from his position after 5 years (yes, 5 years!). Well respected, much loved and totally committed to the Club, we needed to do something special to thank him for his unprecedented service.
Conceived to reflect the inclusive nature of the man himself and his enthusiasm for all clubs and sports at the Ridge that foster a sense of community, the Captain’s Week brought together the Golf Members, the Vipingo Ridge team, Caddies and even the Boules and Tennis Clubs. Here we look back at a wonderful week celebrating the Captain.
Tuesday 22nd January
Caddies and VR Team Mix in Scramble
After a busy weekend, Monday was a rest and practice day ahead of the busy week planned.
On Tuesday the first event was a new format for Vipingo Ridge Golf Club, 26 Vipingo Ridge team and Caddies entered (all with handicaps) playing in a 9-hole 3-ball Scramble with 13 Members.
This Mix-In saw Vipingo Ridge team member (and number 1 lady golfer in Kenya) Naom Wafula act as starter, and the morning start was full of fun and team work as the 3-ball worked together as a team to get the best score.
Overall winners were Proshop team member Mishi, Caddie Chilango and Member Olaf.
The event was so popular with the Members that there has been a request for a quarterly mix-in, that the 2025 committee are hoping to combine in the 2025 golf fixtures schedule.
Wednesday 23rd January
Ladies v Men Competition
Wednesday morning’s at the PGA Baobab Course the tee times are reserved for the Ladies. Women Members and guests play a mix-in from 8:30AM.
This special Wednesday for the first time the gentleman joined them. Playing in 4-balls there was a fun dress code and atmosphere for this new format event. The weather conditions were slightly overcast, the Mens and Ladies teams were on fine form for this battles of the sexes.
The Ladies were victorious, with a very convincing win or 3.5 to 1.5.
This event was once again very popular, with a request to repeat the event in the 2025 calendar.
Captain’s Boules Event
At the regular Wednesday afternoon Club meet Boules Captain Bizzie Frost kindly agreed to organise a Boules competition as part of the Captain’s Week celebrations.
Over 90 guests joined the Wednesday night festivities after a successful Boules competition, here Captain Bizzie Frost recounts the event:
“As part of the Captain's Week celebrations, we had 18 entries for a special Boules Tournament.
Players were divided into teams of three with names drawn randomly, and we had 3 teams playing on each court. Boules is not only great fun to play and very competitive, but is also a good spectator sport.
After battling it out, the winning teams from Court 1 and Court 2 played for the top spot, with Beth Rune, John Balarin and Peter Shewan (The Eagles) from Court 1 playing against Ants Howie, Cameron Bowden and Peter Nightingale (The Monkeys) from Court 2.
It was a nail-biting and entertaining match, with the teams fighting to be first team to reach 13 points. The final score was 13.5 to 11.5, with The Monkeys winning.”
Thank you to the Boules Captain and to all that made the Boules evening a great success.
Photos Courtesy of Boules Captain Bizzie Frost:
Photos: 1. The final match with The Eagles against The Monkeys.
2. The Eagles came second, in the photo Bizzie Frost (Boules Captain), Beth Rune, Peter Shewan, John Balarin, and Richard Frost (Retiring Golf Captain)
3. The winning team, The Monkeys. In the photo: Bizzie Frost, Ants Howie, Peter Nightingale, Cameron Bowden, Richard Frost
Friday 24th January
Clubnite Roll Up
The regular 9-hole Clubnite was well attended after a day of rest on Thursday.
A popular competition with guests, there was fantastic support from local players to join this regular competition.
As a special request by the Captain, the menu was a mongolian themed buffet served on the Clubhouse Rooftop
Saturday 25th January
Inaugural Tennis Competition
Richard is also an active member of the tennis community at Vipingo Ridge, so in his honour Saturday marked the first tennis competition at Vipingo Ridge, at the new Sports Club.
From Tennis Club Captain Colleen Street:
“The Tennis Club mustered 9 players, including Lauren Horsey, Colleen Street, Ants Howie, Cherry & Andrew Ritchie, Tim Williams, Cameron Bowden, Sangjim Kim and Alexander Kruss. We were delighted to welcome our first guest participant from Kilifi - Vanessa Strong!
It was a great afternoon of tennis - played in great spirit!
The format was the best of 9 games and the players who won the most games deemed the winners. Alexander Kruss and Sangjim Kim were the winners with Vanessa Strong and Cameron Bowden runners up.
Thank you to all the participants and spectators and to Vipingo Ridge Management and The Sports Team for great facilities and assistance in the organisation.
By no means last but not least, to Frosty for his great support and for including us in this celebratory week of sports.
All players are enthusiastic for another Tournament and we hope that Frosty will be able to participate next time!”
Saturday night was the regular Sunset Social, and also as 25th January, Burns Night.
In order to make it a little different, and special, the Pool Gardens venue was transformed with masai shukas as a tartan tribute, a special menu (including a very tasty vegetarian haggis and whisky dessert) and Captain Richard Frost and Tennis Captain Colleen Street kindly honoured us with some poetry from Robbie Burns and Boules Captain Bizzie Frost led the restaurant in a rendition of the Burn’s iconic song traditionally sung at New Year: Auld Langs Syne.
A well attended evening, the only feedback from the Scottish guests on holiday that attended the event was that the accents for the poetry were a little off!
Sunday 26th December
Captain’s Day 2025
Captain’s Week concluded with the main event. Captain Frost’s vision for his Captain’s Day was an intimate competition with friends of the Club and Members, providing a personal send off for his 5-years of service.
Course conditions were good as 40 players set off, and then 60 guests joined for a Prize Giving lunch at the Sundowner.
From a very engaging speech from the retiring Captain, gift giving to the 2024 Golf Club Committee and a welcome to the new Captain, Rose Musau, as well as some drinking fines, it was a lovely day.
The winners of the Captain’s Day prizes are shared here:
Captain’s Prize Winner
In a wonderful moment, the winner of the Captain’s Prize 2025 was Sue Williamson. A much respected Golf Club Committee Member, Sue also was the former Club Captain who originally handed over to Richard five years before. It was truly a perfect time for Sue to have such an incredible round with 44 points.
2nd Place
All the way from Portugal to support the Captain, Fernando scored an impressive 38 points despite not playing for a month, winning him second on Captain’s Day.
3rd Place
Shaida also scored a fantastic 38 points, but was foiled in the tie-break count back to win third prize.
Straightest Drive
Single digit handicapper Aniz was the winner of the straightest drive competition (modestly stating it was on the line).
Nearest the pin
Last year’s Captain’s Prize winner Naom Wafula was 4 metres away on the 8th hole to win the prize.
As well as individual prizes there were also Team Prizes. The winning team was Damaris, Sue and James, and the second place team was Aniz, Naomi and Hapz. Both teams played a great round of golf.
Well out Captain Frost
Thank you to everyone that supported Captain’s Week. Every event was well attended and the atmosphere has been wonderful.
Finally, a sincere thank you to ‘Frosty’. Vipingo Ridge Golf Club Captain for the last 5 years of service. Supported every step of the way by Bizzie, (thank you so much to the ‘long suffering’ rock behind the man) this team saw the Club through Covid-19, three Ladies European Tour competitions and hundreds of events.
These events included the Kenya Amateur Championship and Professionals Safari Tour in 2022, as well as refereeing Junior Championships in 2023.
Your boundless energy, passion for the Vipingo Ridge community and attention to detail cannot be matched, and will be well remembered and missed.
Now Frosty, time for a well deserved rest, and time to work on that handicap!
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