Uganda Amateur Open Golf Championship remembered ahead of 2026

The Uganda Amateur Open Golf Championship began in 1932, when Sir William Gowers donated a cup for the competition. The 2026 edition will be played from 25 to 28 August over 72 holes, continuing a tradition that has lasted nearly a century.

Gowers’ original trophy remains central to the championship’s history, while winners received replicas to keep. The competition started as a 36-hole medal event before expanding to 72 holes in 1952, raising the demand for consistency across four rounds.

The early records include a shared 36-hole best of 150 by H. Davidson and R. W. Burt. Davidson also recorded the period’s course best with a second-round 71, adding a separate mark to his championship achievement.

One of the most unusual victories came in 1934, when R. W. Hooper won despite suffering a severe attack of jiggers. He completed his round wearing a carpet slipper on his left foot in wet conditions, with the footwear largely worn away by the finish.

The championship’s history also reflects the wider East African golf scene. Hooper won the Uganda and Kenya championships in 1934, while J. W. Higginson achieved the same double in 1939. Their successes showed how leading golfers of the era competed across national borders.

The event was not held from 1940 through 1947, during the disruption of the Second World War and its aftermath. It returned in 1948, when D. F. Stewart took the title. The 2026 championship therefore stands within a record marked by changes in format, regional competition and a significant wartime interruption, while retaining the cup first presented by Gowers.