NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2020
SENTOSA GOLF CLUB
THE BI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE
FOR SENTOSA GOLF CLUB
EXCLUSIVE INSIGHT INTO THE
SERAPONG RENOVATIONS
GAME ON THE LATEST FROM OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGN CHEF KK’S TRIP TO THE MARKET
18 HOLES WITH…RICK SHIELS THE WORLD’S BIGGEST GOLFING INFLUENCER WORLD’S BEST ECO-FRIENDLY GOLF FACILITY
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TOURNAMENT READY 365
EXPERIENCE GOLF AT SENTOSA Sentosa Golf Club. Home to two of the world’s greatest championship golf courses. Host to world-renowned tournaments.
Sentosa Golf Club, 27 Bukit Manis Road, Singapore, 099892
T: (65) 6275 0022 | WWW.SENTOSAGOLF.COM
ASIAN HOME OF THE R&A AND ASIAN TOUR
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CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE Dear Fellow Members, I would like to thank you for your feedback and accommodating to the new booking restrictions and procedures. Although members are temporarily limited to a maximum of two weekdays and one weekend round each week, we feel that the current system is a fair one that meets the interest of all members at large. In the past months, we have witnessed an unprecedented demand for golf in Singapore and around the world. The Club has also gained the cooperation of our Committee Members and SDC Board members to restrict their play so that we can further the interest of our members. We certainly wish to avoid introducing any new booking changes until The Serapong reopens on the 19th December 2020. The Serapong The Serapong is progressing well and preparations are underway to have it ready for play. Barring any unforeseen issues, members can look forward to a beautiful new world class Serapong in a matter of weeks. I would like to thank the entire SGC team and my fellow members for your support during The Serapong upgrade. Our staff have played a very important and understated role to keep works on schedule during these difficult times, a special word of thanks to the team. A few members including myself have had a sneak peak of the improved Serapong and we are excited to present it to all of you soon. In order to ensure that all members get a fair chance to enjoy the newly revamped Serapong, I am happy to share that the Club shall reserve The Serapong for members play only until 1 February 2021. Full details on the booking procedures will be announced in due course. The Tanjong We have seen almost 100% occupancy every day on our only available golf course – The Tanjong. This is OUR golf course and a very valuable asset.
SGC Captain Vernon Khoo
Let us all take pride and ownership by practicing good golf etiquette during the game to take care of it. It is every golfer’s responsibility to fill their divots with sand, repair ball marks and footprints in bunkers with your feet as best you can. Please also be reminded to continue to observe the 90 Degree rule when you operate your golf carts and keep carts on paths on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Dangerous Play With more golf traffic, there has unfortunately also been a significant increase in dangerous play, near misses and altercations between members recently. Please practice care and patience during the game. As golfers, we must all wait for players in front to be safely out of range and green complex completely clear before playing a shot. Should you hit an errant shot or whenever in doubt, you must shout “Fore” loudly to warn others including golfers on the other holes. Avoid any risk and shout when you hit an errant shot even if you do not see anyone ahead. We are all amateur golfers and errant shots do happen from time to time. Please do offer a sincere apology if you do play a stray shot near others. We can all do our part in little ways to make golf more enjoyable for all and be more mindful to keep to a good pace when we play. For instance, avoid cleaning your clubs after you putt out; do that on the next tee. Please practice courtesy and show your fellow members and their guests respect at all times. Do enlist the help of our marshals if help is required. Major Tournaments I would like to share that Singapore and SGC were closely edged out 53 votes to 50 by The Emirates Golf Federation, in the International Golf Federation’s selection of the host country/club for the World Amateur Team Championship in 2023. In parting, I wish each and every one of you good health, enjoyable golf and lower scores. Vernon Khoo Captain
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
CONTENTS 1.
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE From The Tanjong to the World Amateur Team Championships, Club captain Vernon Khoo shares his latest thoughts from the club…
2.
GM’S MESSAGE General Manager Andy Johnston welcomes you to the first edition of the newly revamped SGC Magazine…
3.
WORLD GOLF AWARDS Discover how SGC got on at this year’s World Golf Awards...
4-6.
MEMBER NEWS Read all about the latest news for Sentosa Golf Club Members including updates on hole-in-ones and improvements to the clubhouse…
9.
GUEST COLUMN – DOMINIC WALL The R&A’s Asia-Pacific Director – Dominic Wall – gives us an insight into The R&A’s latest developments throughout Asia…
12-14. SERAPONG RENOVATIONS An exclusive insight into how The Serapong Renovations have developed since its closure in March...
16-18. GAME ON GEO FOUNDATION Find out about the latest developments from our ground-breaking environmental campaign, GAME ON, including our newest partnership with GEO Foundation…
21-22. RULES & INSTRUCTION Learn how to tame The Tanjong with expert instructions from our two club pros – Deng Shan and Sock Hwee…
This magazine is printed on environmentallyfriendly paper.
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MCI (P) 110/12/2019 To advertise in SENTOSA GOLF CLUB, please call 6275 0090.
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GM’S MESSAGE Dear Members, GM Andrew Johnston
Welcome to the newly revamped SGC Magazine. While we continue to push the boundaries and enhance Member improvements we have also created a new digital experience for your enjoyment. This will allow you to keep up to date with the latest stories from the Club and the world of golf in Asia in an easy-to-use web-based environment. We encourage you all to provide your email address to sgc_members@sentosagolf.com so that we can reach you more effectively and keep you updated in the new Covid-19 and digital world.
Covid-19 As we continue in Phase 2 of COVID-19 SMM measures, we continue to seek your understanding, patience and cooperation. These measures are mandatory and for everyone’s health and safety. In spite of the general perception, many of our staff and particularly marshals are still on A/B rotations which means we are at half strength. We do need all to self-police themselves with slow play and golf etiquette. Take time to make sure the group in front completely moves out of range before addressing the ball for your next shot. Additionally, please fill your divots, fix your ball marks, dispose of your cigarette butts and smooth out the bunkers. Course care is your responsibility. Also, while on the Golfers Terrace wear your mask if you are sitting at the table idle. You are allowed to remove it for the consumption of your meal and drinking but if finished you are required to put it back on. Please do co-operate and adhere to the reminders and direction from our staff when asked not to intermingle, wearing your mask is mandatory. Your co-operation is critical in maintaining a healthy, safe environment.
Superintendents May I also take this opportunity to show appreciation to two special groups, whom we celebrated a special day centered around their professions in September and October. They are both devoted and passionate, producing and maintaining a tournament ready facility for members enjoyment on an everyday basis with the best culinary offerings possible. Both teams work very early in the morning and late into the evenings sacrificing precious time from family to deliver excellence. Thank you, Rodney, Wea Meng and the entire Agronomy team, as well as Chef KK Kong and the Culinary team for your dedication and desire to pursue excellence.
Andrew Johnston General Manager
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S G C N E W S I N D E TA I L - W O R L D G O L F A W A R D S
SGC CROWNED WORLD’S BEST ECO-FRIENDLY GOLF FACILITY D espite the challenges faced this year, the Club has once
again excelled at the World Golf Awards; following up last year’s accolade of ‘World’s Best Golf Club’ by being named the ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’.
The Club fought off competition from other environmental leaders after being recognised for its leadership and responsibility in planning, constructing and managing a resource efficient and ecologically rich golf environment, as well as playing a major role in expanding environmental activity throughout the region. As well as securing the award for ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’, The Serapong was named ‘Singapore’s Best Golf Course’ for the second year in a row.
We are extremely honoured to be awarded these accolades and would like to thank all our members and visitors for the role they have played in our journey so far.
The premiere of GAME ON is finally here Coinciding with being named the ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’, the Club was also excited to premiere a new environmental documentary film, as part of our GAME ON campaign, designed to raise awareness of the importance of climate change in golf. The unveiling of the film followed many hours of filming and production during 2020 and is available to watch now on our YouTube and social media channels (please do also make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel).
We hope the documentary will serve as inspiration to golf’s response to climate change, as well as help clubs around the world to understand the importance of reducing their carbon footprint by implementing initiatives for the betterment of the environment. The film gives viewers the opportunity to see some of the key measures already implemented at the Club, such as the creation of our bee colonies and the banning of single-use plastics from our golf courses. With over 61 million golfers and 39,000 golf courses worldwide, we believe that golf has the ability to become one of the leading industries to help reverse climate change and make a considerable impact. The documentary is just the first step in our wider plans for GAME ON, a campaign that is closely aligned with The R&A’s 2030 Golf Course Initiative. It aims to educate and inspire the global golfing community to create a more socially conscious industry and consumer in order to tackle climate change and improve the quality of facilities on offer throughout the
world. Remember to head over to YouTube and subscribe to our channel (search Sentosa Golf Club on YouTube
to locate the channel). We’ll be posting more exciting content from the club in due course…
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
MEMBER
NEWS NEW MEMBERS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2020 ORDINARY MEMBER 1. Mdm Choi Young Hee 2. Mr Chow Shang Wei 3. Mr Helman Petrus Sitohang 4. Mr Kang Hyun Jong 5. Mr Kazuyuki Saigo 6. Mr Kim Nam Jun 7. Mr Lee Geok Chai 8. Mr Marc Jean Jacques Van De Walle 9. Mr Raymond Jonathon Eyles 10. Mr Son Won Joon 11. Mr Timothy Marshall Holland 12. Mr Toru Kawabata 13. Mr Xu Peijian 14. Mrs Amy Hsui Mei Liaw Tan CORPORATE MEMBER 1. Cornerpiece Capital Partners Pte Ltd 2. Marubeni Asean Pte Ltd 3. Prism Energy International Pte Ltd 4. Ze Cang Investment Holdings Pte Ltd CORPORATE NOMINEE 1. Mr Akio Mitsuta 2. Mr Atsushi Tsuchiya 3. Mr Chan Kwang Cheng 4. Mr Cho Hyun Joon 5. Mr Choi Hyun Dong 6. Mr Choi Jungsun 7. Mr Dubey Upendra Kumar 8. Mr Hiroki Kobayashi 9. Mr Hiroshi Nakata 10. Mr Ho Kiew Kong Cliff 11. Mr Kaoru Iwasa 12. Mr Kaoru Nakajima 13. Mr Koichiro Koide 14. Mr Koji Yamamoto 15. Mr Lee Jongmun 16. Mr Moon Sangyo 17. Mr Naoyuki Shimura 18. Mr Oh Tae Kil 19. Mr Sivasangkar Ramasamy 20. Mr Tadashi Kitamura 21. Mr Tomonori Sugimoto 22. Mr Yasuhiro Mitsuda 23. Mr Yutaka Nagoya 24. Mr Zhou Xi
THE LATEST NEWS FOR SENTOSA MEMBERS We regret to report two incidents at the Club in the last six months, both of which were referred to the Disciplinary Committee. On 27 March, a Club member disrespected fellow members and abused staff on The Tanjong Course and at the clubhouse. Based on the findings of the inquiry the General Committee decided to impose a suspension of five months for the Club member, pursuant to Club Rule 23.8 (see below). The second incident, which occurred on 20 August, concerned dangerous play on The Tanjong Course’s seventh hole, where a Club member caused injury to another member. Based on the findings of the Disciplinary Committee, the General Committee decided to impose a suspension of five months for the club member, pursuant to Club Rule 23.8. Rule 23.8 The Committee may, after considering the findings and recommendations of the Disciplinary Committee, expel the Member, suspend the Member for not more than one (1) year, impose a fine on the Member not exceeding S$500, impose any lesser penalty or any combination thereof. Notice thereof shall thereafter be sent to the Member and the Committee may, at its discretion, direct that a notice, in such terms as the Committee shall consider appropriate, be posted on the notice board of the Club or be published in any Club magazine or publication.
TERM MEMBER 1. Mr Joel Hamish Gregory John Teasdel 2. Mr Jonathan James Candy 3. Mr Masato Aikawa 4. Mr Yuichiro Hara 5. Mr Yusuke Ono
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CHANGING UP OUR FACILITIES There’s plenty of positive news to report both on and off the course. Firstly, off it, we’re pleased to bring you details of the renovations to improve the men’s, ladies and VIP changing rooms. These will take place in phases throughout November and December. The fit-out works aim to create a striking ambience and quality environment SGC members and golfers can enjoy. We’d like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused, although the club will work closely with the appointed contractor to minimise disruptions. Specifically, the men’s changing room will see its shower area fully renovated. In addition, a new access will be created for the men to utilize the showers in the VIP changing room. The vanity area in the ladies changing room will be updated, plus the existing shower will undergo an expansion. The lockers in both changing rooms will also be re-varnished. Elsewhere, the lobby toilets will be renovated to match the existing toilets on Level 3.
THE SERAPONG Meanwhile, The Serapong upgrade is progressing very well, which means we’re on target for a 19th December 2020 re-opening. We hope to deliver more good news to your inbox in the coming weeks. To ensure you don’t miss a single update make sure you provide your email address to sgc_members@sentosagolf.com or call our Membership Department on 6373 7113 (Phun Phun) or 63737105 (Siti). Further details on the reopening and booking procedures will be shared in due course.
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
MEMBER
NEWS
THE LATEST NEWS FOR SENTOSA MEMBERS
THANKS…AND CONGRATULATIONS We’d like to mention the special efforts of the Greens Committee and members for organising and volunteering to fill divots on Mondays when the club is closed. You don’t receive awards such as the ‘Best Maintained Course in Asia Pacific’ without the support of members. As a result of everyone’s hard work, The Tanjong has seen good improvement – so thank you.
HOLEIN-ONE
We’d also like to extend our congratulations to Mr Sng Eng Chua, who registered a hole-in-one on the par-3 7th hole. At over 200 metres, it’s one of those holes where you’re always happy to make a par and move on – so to fire an ace there is one very fine achievement indeed.
‘This is actually my third hole-in-one, the last being in 2008, but I did not see the ball going into the hole. When I got down to the white tee where my two other friends were teeing off, I used the rangefinder to look but could not see my yellow ball anywhere, so was fairly sure it was in the hole’.
Mr Sng Eng Chua The Tanjong Hole 7 (207 metres) Tuesday 8 September 2020
COVID-19 REMINDER Masks are to be worn at all times unless eating, drinking or engaging in strenuous activities. Please check in and out of the dedicated single access point at the main lobby. We also ask that you keep within your group and do not intermingle. Finally, please observe the 90 Degree Rule and Carts on Path (Tuesdays to Wednesdays) when you play to reduce traffic stress on the golf course. Caddie services have resumed at the club subject to additional safe management measures. Our caddies may only serve one golfer each day and they must wear masks at all times and disposable gloves during the round.
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GENERAL
GOLF NEWS KANAYA LEAVES AMATEUR RANKS MATSUYAMA HEADS ASIAN ASSAULT AT AUGUSTA Nine Asian players will tee it up at this year’s Masters including five debutants as they look to break the Asian duck and slip into the Green Jacket. Hideki Matsuyama will be making his ninth appearance in Georgia, where he has enjoyed back-to-back top 10s, and he will be joined by his countryman Shugo Imahira. Sungjae Im will be fancied to go well on his debut – Ben An, Si Woo Kim and Sung Kang are the other Koreans in the field. China’s Yuxin Lin, who won the Asia-Pacific, is still an amateur and Jazz Janewattananond (Thailand) and Taipei’s CT Pan make up the numbers.
KIM CLAIMS FIRST MAJOR Sei-Young Kim, who holds the course record on The Tanjong Course with a 10-under 62 in 2018, is now a Major champion. And she did it in style, winning the Women’s PGA Championship, by five shots. The 27-year-old again closed strongly, recording a 63 – the lowest final round in the Major’s history – to get the better of Inbee Park and also shoot the lowest four-round total in the championship. The Korean moved up to second in the world with this victory having previously had eight top-10 finishes in the Majors since 2015, including a runners-up spot in this event.
You will be familiar with the name Takumi Kanaya – the Japanese star who won the 2018 AsiaPacific Amateur at Sentosa before losing in a play-off last year. The 22-year-old has now turned professional and he bowed out of the amateur game as the World No. 1. He has signed with the same company that represents Jordan Spieth and Patrick Cantlay and the plan is to play on the Japan Golf Tour, where he has already won, and then get his card on the European Tour. As an amateur Kanaya made the cut at the 2019 Masters and he will be at The Open by virtue of a third place at the Australian Open.
GARCIA BACK TO WINNING WAYS Sergio Garcia, 2018 SMBC Singapore Open Champion, returned to winning ways by claiming his first win on the PGA Tour since the 2017 Masters with a one-shot victory at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Garcia began the final day in a three-way share of the lead and was made to fight for the win with the American Peter Malnati carding a career-best round of 63 to secure the clubhouse lead on 18-under par. However, an eagle of the par-five 14th drew Garcia level before a fantastic second shot at the 18th set up a close-range birdie putt for the win. “The perfect ending for an amazing week”, said Garcia.
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
GUEST COLUMN
Dominic WALL The R&A and Sustainability in Asia
R&A Asia-Pacific - Director: Dominic Wall
T
he R&A has many facets; it governs golf worldwide outside the USA and Mexico and is responsible for The Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status and Equipment Standards on behalf of over 36 million golfers in 143 countries. In addition, The R&A runs almost 30 international amateur championships plus The Open, the game’s oldest and most international Major, the AIG Women’s Open and the Senior Open. Over the next decade The R&A will invest £200 million in developing and supporting the game internationally, including the development and management of sustainable facilities. Having established an office in Asia over a decade ago, with the regional headquarters now based in the clubhouse at Sentosa, Asia-Pacific is a priority for The R&A. And one of four full-time staff members is Chris Gray who, earlier this year,
was appointed as Head of Sustainability and Agronomy. Part of Chris’ role will be to oversee the club’s Waste Recycling Project which was part funded by The R&A’s Golf Sustainability Fund. This project will provide valuable information to act as a model for other clubs around the world to follow in terms of environmental sustainability. The grant is part of a project that will help bring sustainable organic waste management practices to courses in Asia with Sentosa estimating cost savings of up to 30 per cent on monthly waste disposal over a one-year period. Furthermore, The R&A has also recently pledged support for Sentosa’s GAME ON initiative. This campaign is closely aligned with The R&A’s Golf Course 2030 Initiative, which was established two years ago to address the challenges posed by not only climate change but also resource constraints and increased
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Over the next decade The R&A will invest £200 million in developing and suporting the game internationally
regulation on the golf industry. The Golf Course 2030 initiative aims to produce a roadmap that will outline steps to mitigate the challenges created by climate change and to provide best practice in sustainability, through research, education and communications to those working in golf management. The R&A has a key vision that these types of projects will help to ensure that golf is thriving 50 years from now and we look forward to continuing to work closely with Sentosa to showcase and highlight best practices in sustainability.
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
MAKE IT YOURSELF Name of the dish: Christmas Roast Platter Ingredients: Turkey, Lamb Rack, Sausage, Sirloin Steak, Pineapple, Tomato, Corn, Bell Pepper Cooking Method: Best when cooked using the grill
CHEF KK’S TRIP TO THE
MARKET I
n among the hum of voices in the Chinatown Wet Market you’ll find our own ‘Chef KK’, aka Kong Kok Kiang, Sentosa’s executive chef. KK has been frequenting the iconic and colourful complex since he was five years old, when he would visit with his parents, and he will still make it his business to make a weekly visit for new ideas and inspirations. “I will visit once a week, sometimes with my kitchen colleagues, and I will typically visit when I need special ingredients, to get new ideas for dishes and the love of seeing the fresh products and the smell of the fresh seafood. In a way it’s a great way of almost bonding with my kitchen team crews. It’s very different in the current climate to my visits as a little boy as we have to check in and out, but you are always inspired to experiment with some new dishes after each trip.” And like any authentic market arrive early for the best selection and bargain for the better prices. Not that
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Step-by-step: 1. Skew ingredients and BBQ them over charcoal 2. Lamb Rack and Sirloin Steak, grill them till medium well or medium rare, depending on individual preference 3. Once in a while don’t forget to brush some sauce over the turkey 4. Ready to serve 5. [Optional] Garnish with rosemary, parsley with mustard & horseradish sauce for that extra taste
KK is after too many bargains. “Some days I will go with a preprepared list of ingredients, others I will see what’s at the market on that particular day. Though I tend not to be tempted by anything on sale as I’ll only go for quality products and if they are at a lower cost, then great. I’m building some relationships with a few stalls and I’ll change the menu for the daily special and that will be dependent on the season.” The market is a hive of different colours with a beautiful array of fresh vegetables, fruit and spices, exotic meats, live shellfish and you can even try the popular frog porridge if that’s what takes your fancy. With over a hundred different menu items on the Golfers’ Terrace menu (no frog porridge) there is something for everyone and for every taste with local, Chinese, Japanese, Western and Korean fare to be sampled before or after your round, with a vast array of light bites or something more
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substantial. Or, if you’re organised (and particularly hungry), then you can order three days in advance from the 72-hour menu which includes the Sentosa Fish Head Curry, a 1.5kg Tomahawk or the sumptuous Cold One-Head Abalone with Homemade Chilli Sauce. KK, who has been a big part of the local culinary scene for 28 years and is a winner of a huge collection of accolades, has been putting his expertise, passion and talent into the heart of Sentosa’s dining for three years now. Long may it continue. @sentosagolfclub
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SENTOSA GOLF CLUB MAGAZINE
REFRESHING
TIMES
We talk to world-class shaper Steven Page on his recent experience of helping to renovate The Serapong, the jewel in Singapore’s golfing crown.
“I
t is a world-class course without any doubt. It is such a good test of golf. You can’t afford to lose focus for a second, trust me on that! And boy do you need to putt well – those are some of the purest greens I have ever played.” Matt Kuchar was naturally taken with The Serapong following his threeshot win in this year’s Singapore Open over Justin Rose. Now, when the world’s best return for the 2021 renewal, they will be met with a course that has now been given a refresh on all fronts and, while there has been no change to the layout, strategy and footprint, the upgrade has been as detailed as it has been thought out. The last time The Serapong underwent any major renovations was back in 2006. Now, under the guidance of the club’s General Manager, Director of Agronomy and resident designer Andrew Johnston, no stone (or green, bunker, fairway
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A view of The Serapong’s newly renovated 6th green and bunkers
and tee box) has been left unturned. The reason behind all this major refresh was simple – golf courses in the tropics age faster than others in less temperate climates. As a general rule of thumb this ageing process is nearly twice as fast. Since the last major changes were carried out, technology has also made positive progress combined with the club’s ever-willing endeavour for excellence, it’s time to take The Serapong to an even higher level. As the course aged it had become
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inundated with unwanted foreign grasses and so the refresh was well needed – In many warm season golf destinations like South Florida a renovation of our scale would generally happen once a decade. To sum up, the fairways had become infested with weeds and grasses weeds, so the grass has been replaced with a fresh, clean layer of Zoysia Matrella. The build-up of organic matter over a decade has also impacted the soils ability to drain creating an unwanted retention of moisture in the soil, and the replacement of the grass and removal of the organics will improve the draining infrastructure and will enhance the percolation rates during our intense downpours. The tees had become uneven due to divots and general wear and tear, all of which is to be expected over time, and they have been both relasered to reinstate a tabletop finish and returned to their original size, and the grass updated with platinum @sentosagolfclub
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greens with a drill-and-fill process which sees machines injecting pre-made sand mix solution, to rebuild and enhance the soil structure condition over the next decade. The water to air ratio will be enriched and, what that means to the members, is that we will see putting surfaces that will stand the test of time and the climate for the next decade.
Master Shaper Helping to bring the vision to life along with Johnston was Steven Page. The American is a third-generation shaper with his grandfather, father and brothers also in the business and he is fast approaching his 50th different project having now been putting a designer’s dream into reality for 30 years. A small part of his CV reads Memorial, Muirfield Village – the course that Jack built, Tanah Merah Country Club, Costa Palmas Club and many others.
paspalum, which will allow them to be maintained at the same mowing height as the greens, 3mm. The bunkers had become contaminated with silt and each bunker has been given new liners and new white sand introduced to provide a more consistent test, there have been a few surprises with the addition of some new bunkers and some old ones re-nosed. And there was even room for further improvements on the award-winning
When asked what made him want to take on The Serapong renovations Page said: “I love to go into an existing golf course and give it a facelift. You have to be careful to enhance the features and, with this project, I wanted to make it striking as well as keeping it as a great course and retaining its X factor and, equally importantly, making it exciting for the members to play.” And Page reveals a simple mantra that sits underneath all of his works of art. “I have my dad’s voice in my head, telling me ‘Take a step back and admire your work. Take pride in your
work and never sacrifice quality’”. Needless to say you couldn’t have picked a trickier year to carry out such extensive work but, with the help of the Sentosa staff, the job has now been completed and the course, ranked 59th on Golf Digest’s ‘World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses’, is ready to thrill and test the tour pros and members alike.
Hole 6 The 6th has seen some changes over the years. In one renovation it was laid out as a drivable par 4 but it was too challenging, the green access was too small and the Redan shape of it too high so no professional would go for the green. Then, with a new tee, it brought a new lease of life, bringing the water more into play. Now we can expect more changes and it is the short par 4 that particularly grabbed Page’s imagination and attention. “The 6th is my favourite hole and Andy’s design had really brought it to life. This took about three weeks to shape which was longer than the other holes, but it was well worth it. The transformation itself is exciting. We’ve reshaped the tees, combining the back tees into one and the space has been expanded. Both the white and ladies’ tee have moved on to what was the buggy path near the water. “Waste bunkers have also been planted and it is now a true ocean hole where you play along the sea and members will be able to drive through the waste bunkers and access the fairway.
The Serapong’s iconic 5th hole
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T The 18th hole of The Serapong pictured during the renovations
A view of The Serapong’s 6th hole from behind the tee box
No stone was left unturned during the renovations
Finally, we’ve eliminated three bunkers and added a false front to the green. As an art student, I look at things differently and with a balance. I want it to take your breath away.” Page will return to the States in November with a sensational job done, new friends made and yet another impressive addition to his outstanding CV.
“I love to go into an existing golf course and give it a facelift. You have to be careful to enhance the features and, with this project, I wanted to make it striking as well as keeping it as a great course and retaining its X factor and, equally importantly, making it exciting for the members to play.” Steven Page
“I’ll miss the people here in Sentosa, from Andy Johnston, the superintendents Rodney McKeown and Tai Wae Meng and everyone else who I’ve worked with and built up a friendship. They are like a family to me. I’d be more than happy to come back on any future projects if Andy wants me back. He is by far the best man I’ve ever worked for in 30 years. He’s a detail-oriented designer and top-tier professional. “But what makes Andy truly remarkable is that he truly cares about his people who work for him and he cares about the quality of the club and the experience it creates for the members. He has a big heart and an open mind. I would work for him anytime, anywhere.”
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SGC GM Andrew Johnston inspecting the ‘Dragon’s tooth’ during the renovations
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S G C N E W S I N D E TA I L
FROM GASTRONOMY
TO AGRONOMY
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he R&A’s Golf Sustainability Fund grant has already been put to good use as Sentosa becomes the first club in Asia to install two digesters to grind down both food and horticultural waste and then reuse it as fertiliser on the course. It is estimated that 40kg of food waste is generated every day along with one tonne of horticultural waste every month and, through the groundbreaking two-stage process, the club estimate that we will save up to 30 per cent on monthly waste disposal over a year. The first part of the process will involve a food waste bio-digester processing and grinding down waste from the three food outlets on site. Then, when the microbes are added to the waste, it is ready for use as organic fertiliser on the two courses. The second stage will introduce a heavy duty woodchipper and bio-digester shredder to grind an estimated tonne of horticulture waste per month. As things stand the club doesn’t apply compost on the
course but it is hoped that a suitable byproduct can be put together and used to improve the course. One interesting component is that it may help with the retention of moisture on the fairways which would reduce the need for irrigation. The club’s initiative will also help with the research and development of byproduct fertilisers that can be used on primary roughs and fairways and shared with other golf clubs in Asia and around the world. The club’s green agenda first came to light with its #KeepItGreen campaign in January 2018 and, at the start of this year, it unveiled GAME ON which is designed to bring together the global golf community in addressing climate change concerns. Earlier this year Sentosa was named as the world’s first golf club to sign the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Initiative, joining the likes of the New York Yankees and Wimbledon Tennis.
40kg
1 tonne
30%
of food waste generated every day
of horticultural waste every month
saving on monthly waste disposal
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GAME ON! Sentosa Partners With GEO Foundation
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s many of you will know, time never stands still at Sentosa Golf Club. Over the years we have hosted many marquee events, such as the HSBC Women’s World Championship and SMBC Singapore Open, and our already world-class courses continue to receive upgrades. In 2019 we were recognised as the ‘World’s Best Golf Club’, a huge accolade and one which we were honoured to receive. The reason for such awards, we believe, is due in no small part to our sustainability credentials and our continued efforts in helping to preserve the environment. We are, for example, very proud of our bee colonies and herb gardens and the recent announcement of our partnership with GEO Foundation has created even more of a buzz around the club. It’s alarming to think the likes of Carnoustie and Royal Portrush, to name but two high-profile courses, are in danger of disappearing in
the next 100 years. The earth’s temperature is set to rise by more than 3.2 degrees by 2100, thus creating a large frequency of extreme weather that will lead to course closures, whilst wetter weather and warmer autumns and winters will cause disease in courses. It’s why we’re so pleased to team
This is an important partnership for Sentosa Golf Club. Working closely with GEO Foundation is a natural next step on our ongoing journey.
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Embracing new tools The partnership will see the integration of GEO’s industryleading OnCourse™ program – a web app that produces a detailed Sustainability Report, with Sentosa’s ‘green culture’ that has seen the club establish itself as a regional and international leader in best practice. The OnCourse™ program is supported by industry partners, including The R&A, the European Tour, and dozens of National Golf Federations. It will allow Sentosa to discover, improve and promote our practices around nature, resource-efficiency and community value. Furthermore, it gives the club an opportunity to apply for golf’s most widely endorsed sustainability mark – GEO Certified. Jonathan Smith, Founder and Executive Director of GEO Foundation, is equally upbeat about the partnership; “We are delighted to work more closely with Sentosa Golf Club as it looks to further enhance its reputation for sustainability,” he says. “This collaboration will help us work together to identify new projects and practices; track performance using the in-build sustainability indicators in OnCourse™; and achieve new levels of measuring, reporting and communicating. “We’re particularly excited about doing this in a way that aligns directly with leading approaches in other sectors, businesses and
The GAME ON campaign was launched at the SMBC Singapore Open
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up with GEO Foundation, an international not-for-profit that aims to inspire, support, recognise and share sustainability across golf.
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Measurable Change: The Numbers A number of our projects have yielded some impressive results. Here are some figures we can all be very proud of…
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%
Asian Tour players were buzzing during the 2020 SMBC Singapore Open
governments. We commend [Sentosa’s] their strong ambition towards positive social and environmental impact, at a time when, as we all know, it is very much needed.” Working with GEO’s widely endorsed framework for sustainable golf, we are undertaking a detailed analysis of practices, key performance data and highlights across a raft of priority environmental and social topics, including: ecosystems and biodiversity; turf grass maintenance; water resources; energy and materials; pollution prevention; partnerships and outreach; and education and communications. Carbon emissions will also be tracked
and analysed using the OnCourse™ Carbon Calculator, which is another highly useful tool. Leading the way At Sentosa, we’re proud of our own green culture. Many of you will remember the launch of our #KeepItGreen campaign at the SMBC Singapore Open in January 2018. A number of key environmental features were implemented at the club, not just the bee colonies and sustainable herb gardens. Using rechargeable lithium batteries in our golf carts and banning single used plastics has also been a big focus. It brought the club’s green commitment to the world’s attention.
reduction of our water resources
95%
reduction in pesticide application
150,000 less water bottles annually, which is equal to…
…22
Olympic swimming pools over two years
30%
less product application Major champion Henrik Stenson learns more about sustainability from SGC GM & Director of Agronomy Andrew Johnston
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with more accurate GPS spray equipment
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SGC’s entire fleet of golf carts now run on lithium batteries
Water savings were high on the agenda at the 2020 SMBC Singapore Open
Signing the UN Sports for Climate Action Initiative (from left) SGC President Andrew Lim, SDC Chairman Bob Tan, SDC CEO Thien Kwee Eng, SGC General Manager Andrew Johnston
In 2020, we unveiled a new sustainability campaign, GAME ON, our very own call to action for the golf industry to respond to climate change. It’s not just about monitoring our own environmental footprint, but uniting the global golf community in addressing the growing concerns of climate change. It aims to help golf clubs around the world to better prepare for climate change by introducing modern sustainability practices to reduce their own environmental footprints. There are 61 million golfers and 38,000 golf clubs worldwide, so imagine what can be achieved by uniting the whole industry group. Also this year, and as reported in last month’s issue, we made a big statement by becoming the world’s first golf club to join the United Nation’s Sports for Climate Action Initiative. Just like the New York Yankees, La Liga, Sky Sports and the All England Lawn
BEE AMAZED founder John Chong introduces Asian Tour players to SGC’s Bee sanctuary
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Tennis Club, Sentosa Golf Club has committed to a set of five agreed principles, which have been incorporated into the club’s strategy, policies and procedures. The initiative provides us with a forum to pursue climate action in a consistent and supportive manner by learning from other sports organisations, disseminating good practices, lessons learned, developing new innovations, and collaborating on areas of mutual interest. These are exciting times for everyone involved with the club, as well as the surrounding community. It’s been a challenging year for obvious reasons, but there is much to celebrate, too, as we continue to lead the way with climate action. We look forward to sharing further updates in the coming issues. In the meantime, you can find out more about GEO Foundation at www.sustainable.golf
The Club has developed five stingless Bee colonies on-site
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NEWS FROM SENTOSA ISLAND
Sentosa Golf Club employee Dennis Chong Han Tai has been serving his country by helping Singapore’s Ministry of Health tackle the Covid-19 situation within the country. The Covid-19 pandemic continues to create challenges for us all, so it’s pleasing to hear how some people are doing their bit to tackle the situation within the country. Sentosa Golf Club employee Dennis Chong Han Tai was seconded to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) in May – along with fellow Sentosians Adrian and Delson – and has been working in the Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPR) Operations Cell. Dennis was part of a team that included personnel from various other ministries. The operation mandate was to ensure that the large influx of foreign workers, who may have been in close contact with infected companions, were expeditiously quarantined at the government facilities. The teams operation
also arranged for them to have entry and exit swabs to ensure they were Covid negative before returning them back to their dormitories and neighbourhoods. Such a process is onerous and complex and requires expert coordination with other ministry colleagues, such as Ministry of Manpower, Ministry of National Development and Certis. It has been a great sense of both duty and pride for Dennis that our SDC counterparts have been able to serve the country. A proud Dennis would like to echo the MOH’s advice as we continue to fight the virus – which is “Keep a one meter distance, wash hands regularly, and wear a mask at all times”
LAUNCH OF FORT SILOSO VIRTUAL TOUR Free public tour registrations have now resumed for the Fort Siloso Virtual Tours with Guide commentary via Zoom! Take a break and discover the unique sides of Fort Siloso through the self-guided Virtual Tour from the comforts of your home or office!
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SUSHI KONDO PROMOTIONS KOMOCHI AYU SHIOYAKI AND SANMA SHIOYAKI
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KUMOKO PONZU
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RULES FOCUS In this month’s Rules focus we outline what the correct procedure is if you find a ‘No Play Zone’? Fall foul of the Rules and that good score you had going could be ruined in an instant – so let’s take a closer look at this scenario. What is a ‘No Play Zone’? Let’s start by familiarising ourselves with the ‘No Play Zone’. This is an abnormal course condition or penalty area where play is not allowed. A player must take relief when their ball is in a No Play Zone or if a No Play Zone interferes with their intended stance or area of intended swing outside the No Play Zone (Rule 2.4).
Where? Some of you will be familiar with where they are, but if not, here’s confirmation: • The Tanjong – holes 12 and 16 • The Serapong – to the right of hole 15 What do you do when you are virtually certain the ball went in the No Play Zone? Play is not permitted inside the orange stakes. Take a free drop outside the No Play Zone, one club length at the nearest point of relief
from the point of entry no nearer the hole. If you are not virtually certain that your ball has entered the No Play Zone, lost ball rules will apply. Players have three minutes to look for the ball. After three minutes you will then have to go back and reload, or play two club lengths from point of entry not nearer the hole, adding two strokes to your score. If you have a Rules query, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of the team – it could end up saving you a crucial shot or two!
INSTRUCTION
TAMING THE TANJONG You’re playing The Tanjong and arrive on the 6th tee. It’s a strong par 4 and tests players of all abilities. So, what’s the best way to play it? We put that question to professionals Sock Hwee and Deng Shan – and here are their top strategy tips.
It’s the reason why I’d always be happy finding the centre of the green. Since the entire hole is uphill, I would suggest taking one club longer for the approach shot and ‘swing up’ with the slope on the way through, because the uphill lie will take away some distance.
Sock Hwee Being a slight dogleg right, I favour a tee shot that’s centre-left of the fairway to open up the approach to what is a tricky narrow green – one which has been newly constructed. Because of the undulations, distance control with the approach is crucial. Come up too short and you’re likely to run back down the slope, but if you’re too aggressive you run the risk of a tricky up-and-down from over the green, made harder with the undulating slopes.
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INSTRUCTION
TAMING THE TANJONG Deng Shan The fairway slopes left to right so your first task is to find the left portion to give yourself the best angle into the green. If you don’t manage to do that, you might need to lay up with your second – so make sure you have the right yardage. You either want to pick a club that will keep you short of the left bunker on the flat spot of the fairway, or take enough to clear it. Either way, it’s a shot that deserves your full attention. With the sixth hole playing into the wind it’s vital to have enough club to carry the front bunker, which is fairly deep. As Sock Hwee says, the centre of the green is the often the best option. It’s also worth being aware that there’s a contour feeding the ball from the middle of the green to the back right portion for the back right pin position.
You either want to pick a club that will keep you short of the left bunker on the flat spot of the fairway, or take enough to clear it.
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AGRONOMY CORNER
WHY CORE GREENS? This is a question almost every golfer asks the first time and every time they see thousands of tiny holes on the putting surfaces. It’s an essential process to remove organic build-up, relive compaction and allow the plant to access some needed oxygen to the root system while adding amendments to update the soils. This is the key to maintaining healthy greens and keeping them in superb condition. Let’s look deeper into more detail of the fantastic work carried out by our Golf Agronomy team to maintain the award-winning greens at Sentosa Golf Club, as I think it is fair to say
that the SGC team has taken aeration to another level of professionalism. When we engage in this process the team will prepare one week in advance by modifying our turf applications to increase growth and encourage the cored holes to close faster. Products are applied to strengthen the cell walls of the plant to reduce bruises and mechanical stress. We will also add soil amendments during the aeration process and implement several other well-timed activities to bring the surfaces back to play with little to no disruption and provide quality surface for play despite the coring.
Our highly seasoned Golf Agronomy team has been perfecting SGC’s coring strategy for a decade...
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Since the closer of The Serapong the team has only had one [maintenance] day’s window to perform the coring works. Therefore they begin the process on Sunday evening and work late into the early hours and we will then schedule remaining works in the morning to make the condensed timeframe work. Our highly seasoned Golf Agronomy team has been perfecting SGC’s coring strategy for a decade and it is with great pride that we would like to take this opportunity to thank the team for their dedication, for those 5am starts and late nights – an immense sacrifice, which we will all reap the benefits of and can appreciate. On top of the long hours, their passion for staying on the cunning edge of technology, researching and developing new and old products while using their emotional intelligence to provide skill coaching and management for the entire team does not go unnoticed. The overwhelming amount of golf played followed by the circuit breaker has delivered a challenging year. Delivering a world class product for all to enjoy is the goal we have in mind daily, achieving this takes superhuman efforts. Let’s all take the time to thank the Agronomy Team for their efforts by repairing ball marks and taking care of the course for us all to enjoy.
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18 holes with…
RICK SHIELS In the first ever edition of 18 Holes with… we fire 18 questions at the world’s biggest golfing influencer – Rick Shiels. The YouTube sensation reveals who would be in his dream fourball, as well as which one rule in golf he would change…
Do you have any
How old were you when you started playing golf? 11
It’s a saying “Work hard
Who has been your greatest influence on your golf? Tiger Woods What is your best ever round of golf / where was it? Mere Golf Club, near Manchester, where I shot 67 Which rule would you abolish or amend? Divots should be Ground Under Repair Which sport, other than golf, would you most like to have a career in? Football (very unlikely) What is your favourite Major championship / Why? The Masters – Just because it’s always at Augusta National
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Who would make up your favourite fourball? Tiger Woods, Will Smith, Barack Obama and me Who is the greatest golfer of all time? IMO – Tiger
superstitions whilst on course? Not really
What’s the greatest advice you’ve ever been given? in the dark to shine in the light”
What’s your greatest achievement? Raising three
What’s your favourite club in the bag? Driver
wonderful
Greatest moment in golf? Standing beside the 1st tee at the Ryder Cup 2018
be your
What’s the best thing about being a PGA Professional? I get to call golf my job How many hole in ones have you had? Just the ONE at Open Qualifying Do you have any other hobbies aside from golf? Spending time with my wife and kids
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children
What would dream holiday destination? Chill by the pool, sun and beer
If you could have one superpower what would it be? To be invisible
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BEVERAGE SPECIALS NOV/DEC 2020
WINE
Sentosa Golf Club Blanc Bordeaux Blend (Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadell) 2017
$46.00 Sentosa Golf Club Rouge Bordeaux Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Carmenère and Malbec) 2017
$46.00
WHISKY
Chivas Regal 18yrs and Mizunara Scotch whisky
$118.00 3 btls Chivas Regal Mizunara $324.00 6 btls Chivas Regal Mizunara $594.00 1 btl Chivas Regal Mizunara
$148.00 3 btls Chivas Regal 18 years $414.00 6 btls Chivas Regal 18 years $798.00 1 btl Chivas Regal 18 years
