New lodge opened at Roessmund

THE first lodge situated at a golf course in Namibia was opened at the Roessmund Golf Course outside Swakopmund at the weekend.

The lodge forms part of the 18-hole golf course, situated in the Namib, and one of only five desert courses in the world. The resident herd of about 200 free-roaming springbok on the course has become a great tourist attraction of late.On Saturday the springbok could be seen from the chalets at the lodge, which have beautiful vistas of the grassed fairways, desert and sand dunes in the background.Graham Louw, co-owner of Roessmund, told The Namibian earlier that an 18-hole golf course needed at least 1 000 members to make it viable.As there are only 330 members they had had to look into other projects to ensure the survival of the golf course, he said.The lodge forms part of about N$3 million of new projects, upgrading and extension work to the facilities of the club.Derrick Southworth, Manager of the lodge, said the idea is to not only attract golfers to stay over.He said the location of the lodge, seven kilometres outside Swakopmund, is beyond the coastal mist belt which meant an abundance of good weather and sunshine to enjoy the springbok and large variety of bird life.A rock swimming pool is being built, while the a-la-carte restaurant in the main golf clubhouse has meals on offer every day.The lodge operates on a bed and breakfast system.The golf course was originally built by Roessing Uranium in 1979 as a nine-hole course.In 1989 it was extended to 18 holes, and in 1995 it became privately owned.The course, if fully grassed, needs 1000 cubic metres of water a day.Recycled effluent water is pumped from Swakopmund for this purpose.The other big project at Roessmund is the development of a residential area at a golf course in the country.Approximately 110 erven are being developed with the first resident expected to move in by November.The resident herd of about 200 free-roaming springbok on the course has become a great tourist attraction of late.On Saturday the springbok could be seen from the chalets at the lodge, which have beautiful vistas of the grassed fairways, desert and sand dunes in the background.Graham Louw, co-owner of Roessmund, told The Namibian earlier that an 18-hole golf course needed at least 1 000 members to make it viable.As there are only 330 members they had had to look into other projects to ensure the survival of the golf course, he said.The lodge forms part of about N$3 million of new projects, upgrading and extension work to the facilities of the club.Derrick Southworth, Manager of the lodge, said the idea is to not only attract golfers to stay over.He said the location of the lodge, seven kilometres outside Swakopmund, is beyond the coastal mist belt which meant an abundance of good weather and sunshine to enjoy the springbok and large variety of bird life.A rock swimming pool is being built, while the a-la-carte restaurant in the main golf clubhouse has meals on offer every day.The lodge operates on a bed and breakfast system.The golf course was originally built by Roessing Uranium in 1979 as a nine-hole course.In 1989 it was extended to 18 holes, and in 1995 it became privately owned.The course, if fully grassed, needs 1000 cubic metres of water a day.Recycled effluent water is pumped from Swakopmund for this purpose.The other big project at Roessmund is the development of a residential area at a golf course in the country.Approximately 110 erven are being developed with the first resident expected to move in by November.