Karen Country Club
Founded in 1937 on the coffee land Karen Blixen once farmed, Karen Country Club plays to a par 71 of almost 6,900 yards at an altitude of about 6,000 feet, a mature parkland a dozen miles south of central Nairobi where the ball flies and the greens run true.
Photo: Karen Country Club via Google.
The verdict
Karen Country Club takes its name, like the leafy Nairobi suburb around it, from Karen Blixen, whose former coffee plantation supplied part of the land when the club was laid out in 1937. The founders insisted on grass greens at a time when most Kenyan courses still putted on oiled sand, and the result is a mature highland parkland of jacaranda, cypress and eucalyptus that feels a world away from the city.
It stretches to almost 6,900 yards from the tips with a par of 71, the thin air at 6,000 feet adding carry to every shot. One of the members' par 5s, the 3rd, is played as a par 4 for tournaments, a reminder that this is a genuine championship test as well as one of the most welcoming clubs in East Africa.
Karen Country Club at a glance
- Opened
- 1937
- Designer
- Founding club layout, 1937
- Type
- Highland parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- Almost 6,900 yds
- Green fee
- From about KES 6,000
Founding year, par and yardage verified June 2026 from Karen Country Club and leading course databases. The club opened in 1937 and plays to a par 71 of almost 6,900 yards at about 6,000 feet of altitude. The weekday visitor green fee is around 6,000 Kenyan shillings, with a caddie about 1,500 shillings (indicative, 2026); rates and visitor days change, so always confirm directly before booking.
The holes worth the trip
Karen rewards position over power. The fairways thread between stands of mature trees, and at 6,000 feet the extra carry can tempt you into trouble if you do not respect the angles into the greens.
The putting surfaces are the club's pride, grassed from the start and kept quick and true, so a tidy short game counts for as much here as length off the tee. The members' 3rd, a par 5 dropped to a par 4 in competition, is the sort of half par hole that defines a good round.
The closing stretch runs back toward the colonial clubhouse and its wide veranda, one of the great places in African golf to settle in after a round. Karen is a championship test that wears its history lightly.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Members club that welcomes visitors every day with advance booking; a valid handicap certificate is required |
| Green fee | Weekday visitor fee around 6,000 shillings, with a caddie about 1,500 shillings (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Reserve ahead through the golf office; weekends are busy with member play |
| On the day | Caddies are part of the experience; carts can be arranged; smart golf dress expected |
| Getting there | About twenty minutes from central Nairobi and forty five minutes from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport |
| Best months | The dry seasons, roughly December to March and June to October |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; policies and pricing change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit.
Where to stay nearby
Most visiting golfers stay in the Karen suburb itself, a green, low rise district of garden hotels and lodges within a few minutes of the first tee and the Karen Blixen Museum. It is calmer than the city center and ideal for a golf focused stay.
Central Nairobi adds a wider choice of international hotels and easy access to a safari add on, and Karen pairs naturally with the capital's other parkland courses for a longer trip. Many golfers tack on a few days in the Maasai Mara or the Rift Valley.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and lodges near Karen Country Club.
Build a Kenya golf trip
We arrange the Karen tee times, pair them with the best of Nairobi golf and a safari add on, and book the lodging around them. Tell us roughly when and who is travelling and one concierge costs it to the head, with no obligation.
Karen Country Club questions
Who laid out Karen Country Club and when?
Karen Country Club was founded in 1937 on land that was once part of Karen Blixen's coffee plantation, and was notable for having grass greens from the outset.
What is the par and length of Karen Country Club?
Karen is a par 71 of almost 6,900 yards from the back tees, played at an altitude of about 6,000 feet where the thin air adds carry.
Can visitors play Karen Country Club?
Yes. Visitors are welcome every day with advance booking and a valid handicap certificate; the weekday green fee is around 6,000 shillings (indicative, 2026).
How far is Karen from Nairobi?
The club sits about a dozen miles south of central Nairobi in the suburb of Karen, roughly twenty minutes from the city and forty five minutes from the main airport.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Designer, opening year, par and yardage verified June 2026; indicative green fees verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.