It's all systems go as the third edition of the Dasani Golf Gala series starts tomorrow at Kiambu Golf Club. A total of 18 golf courses have been selected to host the qualifying rounds of the series with the grand finale slated for Karen Country Club on September 26.

After Kiambu this weekend, the series heads to Thika Sports Club on June 2. Vet Lab Sports Club will play host to the third event on June 9 before visiting Windsor (June 16), Railway (June 23), Nyali (June 30), July 7: Leisure (July 7), Royal Nairobi (July 14) and Nakuru (July 21). Other venues will be Karen (July 28), Nyeri Club (Aug 4), Sigona (Aug 4), Eldoret (Aug 11), Nyanza Club (Aug 18), Machakos (Aug 25), Kisii Sports Club (Sept 1), Muthaiga (Sept 8) and Limuru (Sept 15).

The series launched yesterday targets 3,600 golfers across the country. The last two editions (201/2011) have reached over 8,000 amateurs in the country. During yesterday's launch at Muthaiga, Coca-Cola East Africa general manager Peter Njonjo said they started the series in 2010 with the intention of taking the game to a wider playing base. " Our aim was to fuse accomplished players with those interested in the game. This has played a major role in helping the aspirations of both sets of players, all driven by the strong desire to realize their potential and chat their own path."

Njonjo said they will continue supporting amateurs through the series and professionals through the Kenya Open. Kenya Golf Union (KGU) also announced elaborate plans to develop golf through junior programmes. Speaking during the launch at Muthaiga yesterday, KGU vice chairman Alfred Kariuki said the union intends decentralise Junior Golf Foundation (JGF) into zones, where several kids will be recruited to take up the game of golf.

Kariuki also announced that juniors will be allowed to vie for gala honors in the Dasani series as long as they are in the age set between 13 and 18 and can tee off from the same tee box positions as the seniors. The grand prize for this year's show will see the winning team of 4 players travel to Dubai to attend the Grand Finale of the European Tour. While In Dubai, the Kenyan golfers will have an opportunity to watch Europe's top 60 money earners on the 2012 Order of Merit battling it out for a US$ 1.3m winners cheque.