In a world where dreams often seem unattainable, the story of Virginia Njeri shines as a testament to the power of resilience and determination.
From humble beginnings as a house help in Lebanon, she has defied all odds to transform her life and embark on a remarkable journey in the world of golf.
Njeri works as a caddy at Muthaiga Golf Club.
A golf caddy is a person who assists golfers during their rounds by carrying their golf bags and providing advice and support.
Here is Njeri’s story as told by WoK.
Njeri returned to Kenya in 2015 after working as a house help in Lebanon for a while.
Following her return, she was introduced to golfing by her sister who also recommended that she joins the Muthaiga Golf Club.
However, Njeri ended up becoming a caddy at the sports facility, forcing her to learn the sport in a bid to perform her duties effectively.
Despite facing challenges in the initial stages, she learnt the sport shortly before she started caddying for club members.
“When I came to the golf course, I was bored. You sit there for hours, don’t have a client and then, when you walk on the golf course, you’re like, ‘now, I like golf’
“I was coming to Muthaiga just hoping to get a job or a client. If you get one you’re happy. If you don’t get one, you’re unlucky for that day – you try the next day,” Njeri said.
As a caddy at a golf club, Njeri’s duties typically involve providing assistance and support to golfers during their rounds.
She carries the golf bags, which weighs between 20 to 25 Kgs, for the golfers throughout the course.
“It’s heavy but you need your daily bread. So you have to sacrifice yourself. It’s a good job, but still it’s a tiring job,” Njeri added.
This includes transporting the bags from the clubhouse to the starting tee and then accompanying the players throughout the round.
She also boasts a good understanding of the golf course layout so as to provide recommendations on club selection, target lines and course strategy to help golfers make informed decisions.
Njeri is also responsible for keeping golf clubs clean, ensuring they are in proper condition and assisting with any club changes requested by the golfer during the round.
In an interview with BBC, she also mentioned that her job pays well with the income helping her support her family and pay bills.
“Caddying pays. It has helped me with a lot of things. Financially, I use it to support my family and everything I do,” Njeri said.
Other than caddying, Njeri has been coaching amateurs for the past eight years having trained in South Africa.
She is now using her knowledge to train budding players who are interested in pursuing golf professionally.
“Being on the golf course is good, I feel relaxed. It’s a good office. Being on the golf course is the best thing,” she said.
Njeri mentioned that she faces among other challenges, finding a player since most golfers don’t like picking new assistants.
“You have to scramble for a living being a new person in a workplace. You don’t know who is playing, who is not playing,” she said.
