Raffles Country Club 450 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, Singapore 639932 T: 6861 7649 | F: 6861 5293 | www.rcc.org.sg
RAFFLES CONNECTION Vol.
28 Raffles Country Club Newsletter
Jan- Feb 2015 http:// www.rcc.org.sg
恭喜发财 Welcome Year of The Goat
Raffles Country Club Singapore
tee-off to a
Prosperous 2015
Members’ Prosperity Package 1st January to 5th March 2015
Members @ $68+ each (Lake/Palm) Guest @ $158 + each (Palm course) Guest @ $198 + each (Lake course) (Minimum 8 pax) * Includes Green & Buggy Fee (Weekdays only) * After-Golf Lunch or Dinner (8 course meal with Lou Hei) * Membership booking rules apply * Email: sales@rcc.org.sg Tel: 6864 0880 / 0839
General Committee President Dr Daniel Goh Vice President Tony Jiang Captain Patrick Low Treasurer Henry Kwok Secretary John Goh Chairman, Audit Dr Daniel Goh Chairman, Food & Beverage Tony Jiang Chairman, Golfing & Greens Patrick Low Chairman, Communications & Marketing Alex Eow Chairman, Lifestyle & Social Yong Kah Teck Chairman, Discipline & Lady Captain Cheong Yoke Keng
Contents Message
President's Message General Manager's Message Communications & Marketing Subcommittee's Message
Editorial Board Introduction 06 Honouring Staff on Their Day 25 Birthday Treats 26 Left Behind? Not receiving The Raffles Weekly? 27 Raffles Country Club Members’ Satisfaction Survey 27 Improvement to Facilities 28 Up Close with New HODs 30
Food & Beverage F&B Promotions
Deputy Chairman, Finance & Establishment Ronald Pereira
Golf
Finance Manager, Anthony Low anthony.low@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0828 Course Superintendent, Christine Chung christine.chungbhivat@rcc.org.sg / 6861 2725 Golfing Operations Manager, Dennis Ee dennis.ee@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0836 F&B/ Lifestyle Manager, Cristo Fong cristo.fong@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0863 Sales & Marketing / Communications Manager, Yvonne Lim yvonne.lim@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0838 Facilities Manager, Terence Thia terence.thia@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0883 Internal Audit Manager, Pang Hui Ngim hn.pang@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0800
Editorial Board Chairman Alex Eow Vice Chairman Ven Sreenivasan
14
Events
Raffles Charity Day Cheque Presentation New Members Night
General Manager, Richard Foo richard.foo@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0889
05
Club News
Chairman, Facilities & Estate Hoe Boon Leong
Management
03 04
07 23
Upcoming Club Competitions Monthly Medals, Coming Up Aces Calendar of Events Safety on the Golf Course / Local Rule James Fu Wins Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship SGA-ICL 2015 – Team RCC Up Close with Lady Captain Mardan Wins Manila Masters at Age of 42
Lifestyle
More than just Golf at RCC….. RCC Quarterly Fishing
08 09 11 12 13 15 16 17
22 24
Featured Article
Reciprocal Club – Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club New Alternative for Improved Vision
18 20
Club Listings
Table of Reciprocal / Affiliated Clubs Club Facilities & Directory
31 32
Highlights
Committee Members Justine Moss Jacob Tay Richard Foo Yvonne Lim Christel Lee For Advertising and Magazine Enquiries, please contact
Yvonne Lim – Sales & Marketing / Communications Manager yvonne.lim@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0838
18
20
Raffles Connection is published by: Raffles Country Club - 450 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, Singapore 639932 (MICA (P) No. 156/10/2013)
www.rcc.org.sg
All information and dates are correct at the time of printing. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by means without written permission of the publisher.
Messages
President's MESSAGE
I
would like to wish all members and their families Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai. This is the season for merry making and the Club looks forward to welcome you.
We have had overwhelming response to our calls for volunteers to serve in the various sub-committees and a big thank you to all the volunteers. 9 Sub-Committees have been formed to work together with Management and bring the Club forward. All the Sub-Committees have started their work and members should be able to see and enjoy the fruits of their labour. We shall keep members informed of the various initiatives and progress via our e-blast. Please leave your email addresses with the reception if you want to receive our weekly e-blast. There has been a few incidents of dangerous plays lately and this must be stopped. By being impatient, you could cause serious injury or even death to someone, is this worth it and would you like to be on the receiving end?
Dr Daniel Goh
ʻʻ
President
We believe the new team can help us to build a better Club and hope you can give them your support and encouragement.
Before making a shot, every player must make sure that no one is within range. Please advise your flight mates to do the same and help one another to look out for people infront. We want everyone to enjoy the game without fear of being hit. We have experienced a high turnover of management staff and this has hampered some of our initiatives. However, we made use of this opportunity to rebuild the management team. We are happy that we have managed to find good replacements within a short period. We believe the new team can help us to build a better Club and hope you can give them your support and encouragement.
ʼʼ
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Golf Messages
W
arm greetings from scenic Raffles!
General Manager's MESSAGE
First of all, I would like to record my thanks and appreciation to so many members that have stepped up to share with me their aspirations for RCC; and words of encouragement in support of the newly elected General Committee and Management through this period of transition to help lay the foundation necessary to stay the course, and to spearhead Raffles Country Club to be the Best-in-Class and Premier Golf Club in Singapore. Reviving and restoring the Glory Days of Raffles. Our Lake & Palm Courses have witnessed an encouraging improvement over the last few months. We are pleased to announce that our Course Superintendent & Horticulturist, Ms Christine Chung will helm and take the lead from December 2014 on the improvement works for the Lake & Palm Courses; and we are confident that she will be able to contribute vastly to the modernization and redevelopment of Palm Course, which is pending URA’s survey finding on or before June 2015. The various Sub-Committees have been installed and are up and running since late October 2014 in extending their collective expertise and area of focus to support the Management lay a strong systematic process in services, facilities, communications, and enhancement works that will be pertinent for members’ enjoyment and patronage. Though zealous, we realize that not all our punch-list can be executed at one go; and therefore, vigorous deliberation was set out to identify and prioritize what are the Good to have, Nice to have, Must have and the Must dos. The areas of focus and considered 1st impression areas and/or most utilized estate and facility of RCC were singled out and given priority.
Richard Foo
General Manager
To be the Best-in-Class and Premier Golf Club in Singapore. Reviving and restoring the Glory Days of Raffles.
The recently revamped communications channels to include Weekly EDM/Eblast to better connect with members are an avenue to keep our members in tuned and informed of Club news, recent past events and upcoming activities, and so forth to supplement our bi-monthly Raffles Connection; which is also undergoing a make-over to ensure the timely, informative and accurate communications for your reading pleasure. On the Golfing front, tremendous efforts will be made to streamline Golfers’ experience from Golf bag drop-off, registration to tee-time with emphasis on smooth and uninterrupted play. The other key focus will highlight Golfing Etiquette, and especially on the serious stance RCC will take on errand Golfers on Dangerous Play. This is to ensure the safety of our members and golfers at large. Our F&B team will be introducing swift, good and easy-to-go menus to better serve our members and golfers during the peak lunch turn-around; including a variety of easy and handy pick-up breakfast menu for our early tee-timers. Facility improvement works to the two Shoe Wash areas will include ergonomic-design features for the comfort and ease of use by our Golfers. The 4th level of MSCP will also be renovated to ensure both safety and ample parking during peak periods I am happy to share that the 2014 Raffles Charity Day that has raised a total of $385K were generously handed out to our Beneficiaries and Charitable Organizations during our Annual Cheque Presentation held on 6 December 2014. The RCD has touched the lives and aspirations of many individuals, especially children to ensure that no child is left behind in our pursuit of education and academic excellence. During this festive season of giving and sharing, I would like to share a meaningful quote by Sir Winston Churchill:“We make a living by what we get. And, we make a life by what we give.” Here’s wishing all our members and loved ones a Healthy & Joyous New Year 2015 and a Prosperous & Successful Year of the Ram! See you at the Club soon.
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Messages
CMSC's MESSAGE
I
t was a surprise on 19 September 2014 that a new team of General Committee was voted in and a new senior management under General Manager, Richard Foo, is now in place after nearly two months of uncertainty. The mood of the staff at RCC Staff Day on 1 Dec 2014 reinforced that RCC is in good hands to move forward to be a premier and resort style Golf Club soon. As a Chairman of Communications and Marketing Sub-Comm, I am pleased to inform many professionals have volunteered to serve via their vocations. After much deliberation, our A team to serve you are Ven Sreenivasan for printed publications, Jacob Tay for online platform, David Chew for Corporate Sales and Patrick Teo for Member Feedback. Yong Kah Teck, Chairman of Lifestyle and Social Subcommittee will be Deputy Chairman, and Justine Moss will be editorial committee under Editorial Board which is set up to provide quality content for all our publications. Though each committee has a specific task and focus, we have a good teamwork to carry the load of communications and sales & marketing more effectively and more synergistically.
Alex Eow
Chairman Communications & Marketing Subcommittee
Raffles Country Club is a members’ club. It will be as good as what our members would like it to be.
One or two full time staff has managed the publications of RCC for the last one-year. With effect from 1 Jan 2015, this will be put under the jurisdiction of editorial board comprising of myself, Ven Sreennivasan, Justin Moss, Jacob Tay, and three full time staff Richard Foo, Yvonne Lim and Christel Lee. With the increase in supervision and guidance, we hope to achieve “Zero Error” production with richer content over wider topic of interests. The full time staff under GM Richard Foo will be supported by Sales, Marketing and communications Manager Yvonne Lim, Communications Executive, Christel Lee, and sales and marketing officers, Yen and Jana will be able to carry their duty of sales, marketing and communications with full force. We are in the process of revamping our communications media. On 4 Dec 2014, we have launched a new format of electronic direct mailer. Jan/Feb Raffles Connection will have richer content better layout. By March we will revamp our website to make it a central source for integrated online information centre for all RCC activities. “KopiChat with members will take place but not until we have completed our members survey by January 2015 will be a quarterly feature for official feedback to improve RCC facilities and service. Increasing revenue to RCC will be done with a balance and Corporate Social Membership will be introduced to companies around Jurong and Tuas vicinities. Raffles Country Club is a members’ club. It will be as good as what our members would like it to be. I urge all of you to contribute ideas, give feedback, and offer constructive suggestions via proper channel to make RCC your preferred Golf and Country Club. On behalf of the Communications and Marketing Subcommittee, I wish all of you a Happy New Year, Prosperous 2015 and Gong Xi Fa Cai.
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Editorial Board Introduction
Alex Eow
Chairman of Communications & Marketing Subcommittee
Jacob Tay
Online Platform Advisor
I was elected to be Raffles Country Club’s General Committee on 19 September 2014 after serving in the Subcommittee for four years. I graduated from Imperial College, University of London and completed Postgraduate degree with University of Singapore. I started as engineer then to marketing and exhibition management with multinational companies. During last 20 years as corporate executive or my own business, I accumulated experience in publishing, marketing and PR & management consultancy. I volunteered to take on Communications and Marketing Subcommittee and revamp the editorial board hopefully to build up a positive image of RCC and communicate to all members and golfing fraternity of the value of RCC as “resort type” golf club. Jacob Tay graduated with a degree in Management Information Systems and worked as a programmer & systems analyst before venturing into business in 1991. Specializes in Information Technology for property industry, Jacob subsequently co-founded iProperty.com. He looks forward to working with a very competent team equipped with relevant experience under the leadership of Alex Eow to enhance the Information Technology aspect, enabling more convenience and communications amongst Raffles Country Club members.
Justine Moss is the Principal Consultant of Jay Jay Communications, an Asia Pacific communications and language consulting, training and coaching business based in Singapore, and has over 20 years of international experience in the communications and media industries. Her business experience encompasses communications training, corporate coaching, radio, journalism, education and English tutoring. Justine writes golf, feature and lifestyle articles for a number of publications including Business Times, GOLF, Golf Asia, Golf Vacations & The Clubhouse. Coming from the hospitality industry, I have had the opportunity to work with the CalSAE or the California Society of Association Executives, West Coast of USA in market research, and a Committee member of the HCTA or the Hawaii Chinese Tourism Association with the monthly publication of the Association’s monthly Newsletter during my tenure with the Hilton Waikiki Prince Kuhio Hotel. My recent past publications of Orchid Country Richard Foo Club and Aranda Country Club Newsletters and General Manager weekly EDM has assisted me to gain better insight and understanding of members’ expectations.
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Ven Sreenivasan Deputy Chairman
An editor with one of the leading newspapers in the Singapore Press Holdings group, and have been in the media business for almost 25 years. Prior to that I was with the civil service for about 5 years. I'm an avid golfer and try to get in at least one game a week at either RCC or one of the other clubs. I joined RCC in 2007 and have enjoyed being a member of this club. RCC is a raw diamond which has huge potential to shine, if managed properly. It has good staff, great facilities and two beautiful golf courses. All we need is visionary leadership to make this one of the leading "resort-type" clubs in Singapore. It is my hope that the general committee and management of this wonderful club devise and implement a workable roadmap to realise this dream. Members should also rally behind this vision. As a Subcommittee member, I am happy to offer my help in this effort.
Yvonne Lim
Sales & Marketing, Communications Manager
Glad to be part of Raffles Connection Editorial Board, being able to serve as the connecting dots between various departments. Sharing with you the fun memories members have created with the Club. Through this bi-monthly publication, we hope to keep you abreast on major club events, promotions and announcements. Look forward to your prompt participation in the upcoming events to help us spice up our bimonthly memory databank.
Events
Raffles Charity Day 2014
CHEQUE PRESENTATION Because We Care The Club hosted the Raffles Charity Day Cheque Presentation Day on Saturday, 6 December 2014. Every year, the Club organises one of its biggest events - Raffles Charity Day. The aim is to tap on golfers alike and Golf related Organizations to raise funds for Charity Homes and Bursaries for students within the Jurong vicinity. The tag line “Because We Care” says everything. The Cheque Presentation Ceremony is a Day where the beneficiaries receive the funds from the Club. A total of 9 Charity Homes and 12 schools attended the ceremony. The crowd was greeted with smiles and happy faces, especially from the school bursary recipients. In his speech, Organising Chairman of RCD 2015, Patrick Low, highlighted that the Club raised a record breaking of $380,000 in 2014 and mentioned that this record will be a benchmark for the current and future RCD committees to set their targets. The Club extends a big Thank you to the Organising Committee of 2014 for doing such a good cause.
ts ent, presen Vice-Presid y La n oo B Tony Jiang, of a student a bursary to y ar im Pr n Garde
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Upcoming Club Competitions
Golf
JANUARY 2015 3rd Jan - Saturday
*Men’s A, B, C & Ladies Medals (Strokeplay) – PM @ Palm
10th Jan - Saturday *Chairman’s Trophy PM @ Lake Prize Presentation
February 2015
*Tournament Score Counting Game
7th Feb - Saturday
*Men’s A, B, C & Ladies Medals (Stableford) PM @ Lake
25th Feb - Wednesday
Ladies Flag Competition PM @ Palm
28th Feb - Saturday
March 2015
*Tournament Score Counting Game
*Men’s A, B, C & Ladies Medals (Strokeplay) – PM @ Palm
*Ang Pow Game AM @ Lake
7th Mar - Saturday
14th Mar - Saturday
RCC vs KLGCC inter-port game (Practice) PM @ Lake
15th Mar - Sunday
RCC vs KLGCC inter-port game (Official Game) AM @ Lake
21st Mar - Sunday
*Senior & Ladies Evergreen Medal (Stableford) - PM @ Palm Junior Medal (Stableford) PM @ Palm
*Tournament Score Counting Game
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Monthly Medals
Golf
Tiger Medals / November Medals Men's A Division Winner: 1st Runner-up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Patrick Lye Phoon Soo Hin Ju Kai Meng
Champion Score
42 PTS 40 PTS 39 PTS
42 PTS Patrick Lye
Men's B Division Winner: 1st Runner-up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Wong Hee Jit Vince Tai Siew Neo Sua Kim Yang Eddie
Men's C Division Winner: 1st Runner-up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Champion Score
43 PTS 42 PTS 40 PTS OCB
43 PTS Wong Hee Jit Vince
Champion Score
Kwek Khin Lian Perry 44 PTS Huang Ching Lien 39 PTS Thomas Meichl 38 PTS OCB
44 PTS Kwek Khin Lian Perry
Ladies' Division Winner: 1st Runner-up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Champion Score
Peggy Ang Ibolya Stark Quek Lee Tiam Judy
38 PTS OCB 38 PTS 35 PTS OCB
38 PTS Peggy Ang
December Medals
Champion Score 41 PTS Lau Wing Cheok
Men's A Division
Champion Score 45 PTS Tan Kheng Hoe James
Winner: 1st Runner-Up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Men's B Division Winner: 1st Runner-Up: 2nd Runner-Up:
Champion Score 40 PTS Ng Ah Huat
Lau Wing Cheok 41 PTS Song Lye Hock Sebastian 39 PTS OCB Chen Liang How 39 PTS
Tan Kheng Hoe James Low Yean Joo Lem Kean Su Victor
45 PTS 43 PTS 42 PTS
Men's C Division Winner: Runner-Up:
Ng Ah Huat Ang Say Heng
40 PTS 37 PTS
Champion Score 38 PTS OCB Yang Mee Lan
Champion Score 41 PTS OCB Tan Eng Suan Cindy
Ladies' A Division Winner: Runner-Up:
Yang Mee Lan Boo Geok Ching
38 PTS OCB 38 PTS
Ladies' B Division Winner: Runner-Up:
Tan Eng Suan Cindy Lee Yuke Lan
41 PTS OCB 41 PTS
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Golf
Monthly Medals
Ladies Rosebowl Competition WINNER Quek Lee Tiam Judy
Winner Quek Lee Tiam Judy
74 Nett
1st Runners-up Teo Ching Ching Maria
75 Nett OCB
1st Runners-up Teo Ching Ching Maria
2nd Runners-up Lew Siew Cheng Sara
2nd Runners-up Lew Siew Cheng Sara
75 Nett
Coming Up Aces
Hole - in - One Achievers
Hole-in-One Achievers
Liang Ming Juann Lake Hole 2, 106m 5 October 2014
Toshio Hirono Lake Hole 8, 148m 22 October 2014
Cheong Kok Loon Lake Hole 2, 106m 22 October 2014 10
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Ng Lian Moi Theresa Palm Hole 12, 92m 31 October 2014
Calendar of Events
Golf
January 2015 Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
1 New Year's Day
2 Yoga - 7pm
3 RCC Medals PM at Palm Course - RT
4
5 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
6
7 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
8 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
9 Private Golf Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake Course Yoga - 7pm
10 Chairman's Trophy PM Shotgun - Lake Course
11
12 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
13
14 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
15 Lake Course Closed AM Session Private Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake Course
16 Private Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake Course Yoga - 7pm
17 SGA Interclub Golf Tournament PM Palm Course
18 Private Tournament AM - Lake
19 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
20
21 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
22 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
23 Private Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake Course Yoga - 7pm
24 SGA Interclub Golf Tournament PM Palm Course
25
26 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
27
28 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
29 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
30 Yoga - 7pm
31
* Calendar subject to changes. Refer to RCC website for latest event calendar.
February 2015 Monday
Tuesday
1
Sunday
2 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
3 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
4 Private Golf Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake
Wednesday
5 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
Thursday 6
Friday
7 RCC Medals PM at Lake - RT
Saturday
8
9 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
10
11 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
12 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
13
14
15
16 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
17
18 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
19 Chinese New Year Palm Course Closed Whole Day
20 Chinese New Year
21
22
23 Lake Course Closed Whole Day
24 Palm Course Closed Whole Day
25 Ladies Flag Competition PM - Palm
26 Lake Course Closed - AM Only Private Golf Tournament PM Shotgun - Lake
27
28 Ang Pow Game AM - Lake
* Calendar subject to changes. Refer to RCC website for latest event calendar.
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Golf
M
embers are reminded to observe safety when playing on the course. The club is still receiving complaints of dangerous play after the recent incident involving a golfer getting hit on the forehead. Your discipline on the course is sought to minimise injuries or dangerous play complaints on the golf course.
Safety on the Golf Course
Rules to observe:
• Do not play your ball until any players ahead of you have moved out of range of your shot. If unsure, please move forward to check before hitting your shot. •
Shout a warning if the ball is in danger of hitting someone or if the ball steers to another fairway. The right term to use is “fore” to give a warning to the players who may be in danger of being hit by your ball.
•
Most importantly, exercise patience and caution at all times. After committing dangerous play, most golfers will claim “I did not hit you, so what is the big deal?” But what if the ball hits the person in the eye or causes death to another golfer? The consequences can be serious and unthinkable. So please don’t take the risk.
Be nice to one another and the club will be a pleasant playing ground for all.
Local Rule
150 meter pole at the Lake Course – Extracted from Decisions on the Rules of Golf 2012-2013
T
here are some confusions over the movable obstruction rule applied to the 150 meter pole. These poles were introduced in April 2014 to the Lake Course after the upgrading project of the Lake greens. The poles are to replace the old tee ball distance markers. This is the Course Maintenance Team’s effort to improve aesthetics rating category of the Golf Digest ranking for the course. To ensure fairness to golfers, the 150 meter poles are categorized as “Movable Obstruction”. A player may take relief, without penalty, from a movable obstruction as follows: a. If the ball does not lie in or on the obstruction, the obstruction may be removed. If the ball moves, the ball must be replaced at the original position where the obstruction laid. There is no penalty, provided that the movement of the ball is directly attributable to the removal of the obstruction. Otherwise, Rule 18-2a applies.
dropped, or on the putting green be placed, as near as possible to the pot directly under the place where the ball lay in or on the obstruction, but not nearer the hole.
c. The ball may be cleaned when lifted under this Rule. When a ball is in motion, an obstruction that might influence the movement of the ball, other than equipment of any player or the flagstick when attended, removed or held up, must not be moved. With the introduction of the movable obstruction rule to the 150 meter pole at the Lake Course, we hope golfers are not penalised unnecessarily and thus, make the game more enjoyable for the golfers.
b. If the ball lies in or on the obstruction, the ball may be lifted and the obstruction removed. The ball must through the green or in a hazard be
Movable Obstruction 12
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Golf
James Fu Wins Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship
James Fu shares his experience at AsiaPacific Senior Amateur Championship 2014
T
he recently concluded Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship 2014 held in Hong Kong on 19-21 November 2014 at Discovery Bay Golf Club, Hong Kong, saw Singapore came in 10th position. James Fu shot an average of 78 throughout the 3 rounds competition and won the best nett champion for Singapore. The annual event attracted some 140 contenders from 20 countries with Australia being the unbeaten yearly winner for the last few years. Fu commented at his maiden participation of such high profile tournament: “I have been playing on this course many times and there was never an easy moment. It is a mountain course and very narrow. We were also playing in windy conditions and it was tricky. Every shot had to be carefully taken as players with Handicap +1 or +2 were playing quite badly. You can hence imagine the mental and physical challenges contenders battled with as they negotiated the wind conditions on the course.” He adds, “Watching the retired professional players negotiating the course was nerve-wracking. But what mattered most was to remain calm, careful and respect the course. I am delighted to represent Singapore for this major event, and to win the gross champion is an achievement for me!”
A pleasant surprise!
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Golf
SGA ICL 2015 – Team RCC Contributed by John Yam SGA ICL 2015 League Captain
Its time again for the Annual SGA Inter-Club League Tournament. Some of the attributes to fit :
1) Proficiency in the respective Handicap Divisions
Men
Premier Div - A Div - B Div - Senior Div -
HI up to 4.9 HI between 5.0 to 9.9 HI between 10.0 to 15.0 (Must be 55 years or older as at 1 Jan 2015)
Ladies
A Div - HI up to 11.0 B Div - HI between 11.1 to 18.0 Evergreen - (Must be 50 years or older as at 1 Jan 2015) 2) Passion – Sportsmanship, Support and Participation in RCC Organized Events 3) Commitment – Attendance in all team practices & push up your playing form during the 7-months from April to October 2015 Participants would be required to play in the selection trials which consist of 4 best games out of the available 6 games. The new season unfolds a different set of tournament nature. Golfers need to be accustomed to partnership strategy as there would not be anymore single matches. More than just playing ability, teams need to form a cohesive pair to synergize and win. With the inclusion of the Ladies Evergreen category, the ladies demographic group is being stretched to have a larger pool of players. Besides honing our skills, it’s the achievement which will be forged as a team that is rewarding.
Celebrating victory at the 19th hole!
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Golf
Up close with Lady Captain
With Tour Professional Justin Rose at The Trump National
Prize Presentation at the Audi quattro World Final Gala Night
Raffles Connection (RC) catches up with the Club’s newly-appointed Lady Captain, Ms Cheong Yoke Keng (CYK) on her plans for RCC. RC: You are the first GC appointed as lady captain. How do you feel?
RC: What plans do you have to bring lady golfers in RCC to new height?
CYK: If indeed, it is an honour first and foremost to be able to serve. It is also an opportunity for us lady members to have our views and opinions shared to the GC directly and from within. As in any team dynamics, diversity breeds creativity. The club has a good proportion of ladies holding principle memberships so it is about time I feel.
CYK: On the ladies social golfing scene, we have a Wednesday Buddies programme helmed by Ms Lee Yuke Lan currently and previously by Ms Cindy Tan. This is an ongoing mission to introduce and integrate new lady members into our club at the onset. I hope to kick off a similar one for the working folk on a Saturday or Sunday. With more encouragement and opportunity to play we will surely improve our game. Practice makes perfect. When I joined RCC 3 years ago I was a 26 handicap. Now I hover at 17. Work in progress as always. And my suggestion to the ladies would be to participate as much as possible in the golfing activities, get to know your fellow members, learn the rules and most importantly enjoy the after golf camaraderie. We celebrate Birthdays after every Monthly Medal. Join in.
RC: Is it a plus or minus to be a lady captain and GC? CYK:So far I can only see pluses and possibilities. Both are leadership roles. As leaders we strive to make good decisions for the club to bring forth betterment for its members. We need to envisage what we want for the club and help management execute efficiently and creatively. As a lady captain in GC, I would like to contribute by providing the ladies' perspectives. We would also be able to leverage the energies of the ladies to do more for the club. Team RCC will be more interconnected going forward.
RC: You have won in international golf tournaments. How is that going to add value to your newly appointed portfolio? CYK: In 2013, I was fortunate enough to have participated and won in the local Audi Quattro Greensome tournament with my team mate Mr Thomas Aw. Together we managed to win the first leg and then won again in the playoff and emerged as the Singapore winning team and went on to fly the Audi Singapore flag at the World Final held at The Trump National Golf course in Los Angeles. This annual event was attended by more than 50 countries and I am glad to say we successfully up the ante to finish with a podium second placing in Division B.
RC: For SLGA league what is your plan? CYK: It is already in the works. My objective is to build a team with strong commitment to compete as well as to support one another. Good team spirit can do wonders. It is about the journey more than the destination. We should not lose sight of having fun and enjoying the process. And it is a win when we know we have done our best.
RC: If you have a free hand to do what you want to do what would that be? CYK: A club is only as good if we have member participation in its activities. Hence I would like to engage our fellow members with more exciting club events. I hope to see more member interaction and smiley happy people all around.
The experience gave me the exposure of competing alongside other country teams, on unfamiliar turfs and helped me gained that extra mental mile in face of adversity and intense competition. Incidentally I won our RCC Ladies Intermediate title around the same period last year. I feel these experience are tremendous motivation for my personal pursuits in golf and they definitely augmented my confidence to lead in the golfing arena. With regular Sunday kakis at RCC 16
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Golf
MARDAN Wins
Manila Masters at Age of 47
Straits Times article on 27 Nov 2014
Mardan Mamat, a former Jurong Country Club caddy and sponsored professional golfer under Raffles Country Club since early years, became the oldest winners on the Asian Tour when he turned back a vintage performance to win Manila Masters on 23 November 2014, his first victory in 2 ½ years. This earned him US$180,000 (S$234,700), more than seven times his total earnings of US$24,953 from 16 events this year. The article in Straits Times on 27 Nov 2014 highlighted that Mardan’s determination to defy Father Time, “ I know I still have something left inside me to be competitive”. Here are some of the replies to the Q&A :
Q. Our heartiest congratulations on your success at the recent Resorts World Manila Masters. What were your first thoughts upon learning about your achievements? A. Never put high expectations.
Q. In such a high-profile competition, were you looking forward to pit against any particular players? A. No. It was just me and the golf course.
Q. In this competition, what would you say was your biggest challenge? And how did you overcome it?
A. To stay present. By playing one shot at a time.
Q. You walked away victorious and glorious, what was your takeaway at this event? A. Patience and good memories.
Q. Whom would you attribute your success to? A. The support from my wife and good people surrounding me.
Q. Any last messages for our readers? A. Learn to enjoy the game of golf.
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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FeatureD ARTICLE
Eagle Ridge Golf & Country by Justine Moss
Since Raffles Country Club entered into a reciprocal agreement with Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club in 2012, it has become an increasingly popular destination for members and their guests. Located in a hilly area in the Province of Cavite, about 20-30km south of Manila City, it is just a 30 minute drive from the town of Tagaytay which overlooks Lake Taal. This sprawling club, which opened in 2000 has hosted the Philippine Amateur Championship, features four courses designed by Isao Aoki, Andy Dye, Sir Nick Faldo and Greg Norman. And, with four exceptional layouts which will challenge all playing abilities, one can easily spend a few days here playing all four a couple of times. It also has a number of excellent facilities to enjoy including a clubhouse, pro-shop, function room, hotel, restaurants, tennis and badminton courts, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, bowling, and gymnasium. Aoki has taken advantage of the topography to create a championship course which does present some challenges for all golfers. He has, however, deliberately designed the 18 holes for the weekend golfer with its wide-open fairways and negligible rough. The course, which has a distinct Japanese flavour with its fishponds and sushi bar located in the clubhouse, is not that heavily contoured or bunkered but some of the greens could display a problem if you end up on the wrong side of the pin placement. The Dye course is quite spectacular with it winding through its natural surroundings – the canyon has been fully utilized to enhance the design of each hole. It is truly a risk and reward layout. It was originally laid out to maximum advantage of the spectacular natural canyon winding through the course from "tip to tip" using traditional and classic golf design with the fundamental elements of risk and reward decision in shot making and its execution. The entire 18 holes wor together in harmony, offering unlimited, balanced and complimentary shot selection, creativity and mental discipline. It offers significant advantages in distance and angle of approach over the shots played wide and safe of the canyon. Sir Nick Faldo has created an up and down course that will present a test to golfers of any level – while there are a number of both wide and tight driving holes, he has thought out the bunker placements. A wellstruck drive, however, will most certainly be rewarded. The greens will 18
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
FeatureD ARTICLE
Club test both your approach shot and putting touch as some will slope radically away from the line of play. He has crafted a golf course of masterful dimensions, one that is both natural in appearance and dramatic in scope. The Norman course has been designed for the avid golfers looking to play a serious game and therefore a good understanding of golfing strategy when playing this course will enable you to see the way the holes should be played. It promises to be one fair test of golf bereft of the design gimmicks that sometimes plague modern golf courses. A good understanding of golfing strategy will enable you to see the way the holes should be played in order to score well.
Barangay Javalera Gen. Tias Cavite
Ph: +632 985 2294
How to get there
A number of airlines fly to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport, in addition to other major airports including Clark International Airport, MactanCebu International Airport, Francisco Bangoy International Airport and Zamboanga International Airport. These airlines include Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific Air and Tiger Airways.
When to visit
November to February are the coolest months while the March to May period is classified as hot and dry. June to October is rainy, with the months between July and September characterized by typhoons.
Currency
Aoki Club House Registration:
The currency is the Peso (PHP) and the Centavo. One Singapore dollar is worth around 34 Pesos.
Dye Club House Registration:
Where to Stay
(+6346) 686-6759 (+6346) 419-2844
Main Club House (Faldo/Norman) Registration:
(+6346) 419-2838
info@eagle-ridge.com.ph www.eagle-ridge.com.ph
Metro Manila and its surrounds have an excellent pool of accommodation to suit all budgets from five star chains to budget hotels. However, with Eagle Ridge’s hotel right there, it makes sense to make use of it and not have to travel to and from the club.
What to Eat
Philippine cuisine has many influences which include Malay, Spanish, Chinese and American. Probably the number one dish to try is Adobo – Mexican in origin and consisting of chicken or pork with vinegar, salt, garlic, pepper, soy sauce and other spices. Lechon is another popular dish (whole roasted pig) in addition to Sinigang (hot and sour soup), Tapa (slices of dried marinated beef with fried egg and garlic rice), Chicken Inasal (marinated in lemongrass, calamansi, salt, pepper, garlic and achuete oil), and Lumpia (Filipino-style spring rolls).
What to Do
There is plenty to do in and around Tagaytay, and with its close proximity to Eagle Ridge, it’s easy to take yourself off and do some exploring. Check out the following:
Nurture Spa Village Our Lady of Manaoag at
Tierra de Maria
Café Veranda Cultural Show Tataytay Picnic Grove Sky Ranch Theme Park Taal Volcano Puzzle Museum Tagaytay Eye Ferris Wheel
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FeatureD ARTICLE
New alternative
People with myopia now have a new alternative to contact lenses nor Lasik. Dr Cheryl Lee of Pacific
T
he medical director of Pacific Eye Centre brings back with her more than 10 years of international experience in the field of Ophthalmology. She received a wide range of specialist training in England at Cheltenham,Cambridge and Bristol; in America at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami; and in France at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris. She notes, “There is the Implantable Contact Lens (ICLTM), which works like contact lens within your eye without the hassle of a regular contact lens. It eliminates the daily stress of removing/cleaning/ storing them, no more dry and red eyes while wearing it. Wearers are free to sleep, dive and fly without worries.” Dr Lee adds, “ICLs are made of Collagen, implanted into the eye behind the iris through a tiny self-healing opening (2.65 – 3.2 mm). Rather than altering the shape of the cornea by thinning the corneal tissue as in LASIK, the cornea (where light enters the eye) is kept pristine, therefore side effects sometimes found with LASIK such as dry eyes, glare and corneal flap complications are eliminated.” The ICL procedure is reversible with no damage
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to your eye. The Collamer Material provides UVprotection benefits as well. ICL corrects up to 600 degrees of astigmatism (散光). 1,800 degrees of myopia (short-sightedness) and 1,000 degrees of hyperopia (long-sightedness). As the principle of ICL™ is different from LASIK, patients who were previously turned away from LASIK such as those with thin corneas, dry eyes or extreme refractive error now have the chance of vision correction.
Multifocal Lens Implants (IOL)
For patients with Presbyopia (老花眼), who often face reading problems, IOL is a one-time treatment procedure that allows patients to do away with glasses for reading and distance vision. Reading problem suggests the start of the ageing and hardening of our natural lens which is the beginning of a Cataract growth. About 20,000 cataract operations are performed in Singapore every year. It is the most common surgery performed in the world which involves removing a person’s clouded natural lens and replacing it with an Intraocular Lens (IOL).
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
FeatureD ARTICLE
for improved vision
look forward to. It’s neither the old-fashioned Eye Centre tells us more.
In the past, the only IOLs available were monofocal lenses which provide excellent vision but only at one set distance. This means you would still need to wear reading glasses. Multifocal IOLs that correct both your distance vision and your presbyopia (老 花眼) after cataract surgery are now available. For the vast majority of patients, having a multifocal IOL means that you will be able to see far and up close without being dependent on glasses. After the surgery, you will likely find that you can drive, watch television, and read without having to wear glasses. As your brain will learn to adjust the focus by a reflex change in the size of the pupil with the IOL, there is no need to adjust the position of your eye to see far and near just like when you are wearing your progressive glasses.
Your Eye Health Remains Pertinent!
When choosing an option to get rid of glasses, you should choose the one that does not increase your risks of eye problems. The most important suitability criteria for these procedures are that your eyes must be healthy and a series of assessments will be performed prior to your surgery to ensure that.
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Lifestyle
More than just Golf at RCC…..
Lifestyle and Social sub-committee has planned to inject some lives in Raffles Country Club in our planned social and recreational activities with measured optimism. The intensity and frequency will depend on the response of members to the planned social and recreational program for the first quarter of 2015. The social golfing trips to reciprocal clubs have been planned in 4 locations for 2015, namely Eagle Ridge Golf Courses in Philippines from 29 Jan to 2 Feb 2015, then to Sun Island International Golf Club in Shanghai in mid April. The other reciprocal club visits for the second half of 2015 will be to Malaysia and Perth. To add more fun and variety, our committee will continue to enrich our lives at RCC with the following programs: 1. 2. 3.
Photography workshop Yoga for Golf Popular fishing at our own ponds
Please refer to our Raffles Weekly eBlast for updates and Raffles website www.rcc.org.sg for more information. To add festivities to Chinese New Year, we shall organize Ang Pow Shotgun Game on 28 February 2015. Lunch will follow at the Stamford Suite. Please support our social and recreational program to make Raffles Country Club a more wholesome “Resort” Club for you and your family. Report by: Yong Kah Teck Chairman. Lifestyle and Social Subcommittee
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Events
New Members Night Raffles Country Club hosted a cocktail for our new members on 21 November 2014 at the Albatross.
Mr & Mrs Anderson Lars Anders
A short introduction of the upcoming events were presented to give our new members an insight to the Club’s regular golfing events, facilities and other happenings. A warm welcome to our new members
October 2014 Mary D/O Bachoo Singh Wong Chong Yin Yasuji Kida Vishal Rathee Alejandrino Eduardo III Dagondon Chan Chik Wai Shinde Vipinkumar Ramchandra Amit Ranjit Sinha Tang Peng Wah Lim Ai Chen Tatsuya Kitayama
Mr & Mrs Tan Kwang Kherng & Mr Wang Qinan
November 2014 Lim Kian Joo Saraswati Sreenivas Kua Soo Chong Charlie Huang Zhiliang Tan Seng Giap
Amitabh Sarkar Ng See Teck Phua Poh Cheng Lim Lai Chon Mr Chan Chik Wai & Mr Patrick Lye
Mrs Srinivasan & Madam Tan Serene
Mr Thong Tuck Seng, Mr Chan Chik Wai, Mr Lim Chee Khan & Mr Chua Ching Hwa
Mr Hendricks Aloysius
Mr Takeshi Ohara & Mr Okuno Kenichi
Mr Victor Lem & Mr Patrick Lye
Mr Chai Koh Chin & Mr Delvin Kwek
January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Lifestyle
RCC Quarterly Fishing Palm Course
Monday, 8th December 2014 Excited participants filled the Atrium and Golf Reception, waiting for registration. After the buggies were allocated to the members and their guests, stacking them with fishing equipment such as rods and baits, off they went into Palm Course. The Quarterly Fishing is organised by the Lifestyle and Social Subcommittee. This is the Club’s last Quarterly Fishing for 2014. Mr. Cristo Fong, Manager for F&B/Lifestyle and his team were present to carefully monitor the safety of members and their guests throughout the fishing activity. The participants have to be patient themselves for their catch under the sun. However, with much enthusiasm and perseverance, the wait was worth it. There were lucky participants to catch tilapia, arun, toman fish, snake head fish. No matter how big and small their catch, everyone was having fun, bonding with family and friends, having refreshments together under the shade, driving around the Palm Course. Later in the afternoon the weather was not cooperative and all of a sudden it poured with rain which resulted in the earlier closure of the Palm Course than expected, “better luck next time” as they say.
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
CLUB NEWS
Honouring staffon their Day
To all staff: You are incredible and awesome. Great Team Spirit! Raffles Country Club Staff Day was held on 1 December 2014 at Stamford Suite and Universal Studios Singapore. A big THANK YOU to the Organising Committee and Sponsors who contributed and make this event a success! In the morning, the group had a fun and enjoyable stage games and Long Service Award Presentation. Eight staff members received their Long Service Award this year.
25 Years
RCC Staff Day at Universal Studios
Name Designation Salim Bin Ismail Golf Ops Supervisor Abdul Jalil Bin Pegi Senior Course Worker Abdul Wahab Bin Haron Golf Steward Grade 1 Pang Hui Ngim Manager (Internal Audit) Wong Kok Yong Johnny Senior Housekeeping Steward Ithnin Bin Awang Housekeeping Steward Grade 1
20 Years
Name Designation Siti Sarinah Bte Osman Senior Executive Secretary Johnny Wong receiving Long Service Award for 25 years from President, Dr Daniel Goh, (right), with Richard Foo, GM (left)
5 Years
Name Designation Lu Xiao Juan F&B Service Crew Grade 1 They have served the Club and spent many years working very hard to make Raffles Country Club the best it can be. Last but not least, most of our staff have walked away with lucky draw prizes, the 1st prize winner MOHD NASIR BIN SAIRI, Senior Course Worker, walked away with “Samsung Note 4”.
Abdul Jalil Bin Pegi receiving Long Service Award for 25 years from President, Dr Daniel Goh, (right), with Richard Foo, GM (left)
Finally, all staff proceeded to USS for the fun rides and exciting shows and experienced the biggest and most enchanting snowfall at Universal Studios Singapore. Management would like to specially thank the General Committee Members for taking the time to join the staff this special annual event. January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Lifestyle
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Common reasons why you did not receive weekly e-mail updates from Raffles Country Club <webmaster@rcc.org.sg> 1.
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2.
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3.
We do NOT have your Latest email address. Solution: Call membership at 6868 0812 or email feedback@rcc.org.sg to update us.
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HELP US ACHIEVE 100% OUTREACH AND READERSHIP TO SERVE YOU BETTER!
Raffles Country Club Members’ Satisfaction Survey It has been a long time since the Raffles Country Club conducted a members’ satisfaction survey. It is time to conduct one to find out how and where we can improve the facilities and services available at your club. Enclosed in this issue are the survey forms. Members are polled on Areas of Interest and Overall Satisfaction level on facilities and services. Please take a few minutes to fill out the survey forms and return them to the club. This survey is important as it will enable your General Committee and RCC’s management to gauge the level of members’ satisfaction, and identify areas for improvement. The GC and management will then study the findings of this survey and devise strategies to enhance the quality of services, products and delivery systems. One more INCENTIVE to respond to the survey:
50 Lucky Draw Gifts Of 12 Rcc Golf Balls Worth $48 To Be Given To Members Who Send In Their Survey Forms By 31 January 2015!
CLUB NEWS
Improvement to Facilities
Raffles Country Club is constantly striving to improve membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; experience through various improvement works within the premises. Emphasis has been placed on the aesthetics of the Club. Facilities will be working closely with Facilities and Estate Subcommittee to improve the various conditions within the Club to enhance your experience. Upgrading to serve you better!
Facilities Improvements Coming your Way
FRESH, NEW & SAFER ROOF DECK CARPARK Venue
: Multi-storey Car Park (Level 4)
Observations
: Water puddles on level 4 Multi-storey Car Park after heavy rain
Temp Solution : Carpark will be opened during peak period (weekend) Trained housekeeping staff & water clearing machines deployed daily to ensure excess water is cleared after heavy rain. Caution : Management would like to remind users of level 4 car park to exercise extra caution and care when making way to and from the lift lobby, when the ground is wet. Proposed Work : Proper leveling and drainage Expected Completion: February / March 2015
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Raffles Country Club â&#x20AC;˘ Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
CLUB NEWS
Coming Your Way Facilities Improvements Coming your Way SHOE WASHING BAY Venue : Observations : Proposed Work :
Two golf shoe wash areas Frequent drainage choked Work will be carried out in phases to minimize disruption to users. Install a Filtration System designed to prevent grass, soil and other debris from being flushed down the pipe. Air hose & water hose system realigned to simplify use. Shelfing for golfersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; personal belongings whilst shoes are being cleaned
Expected Completion: February / March 2015 ICE DISPENSER Venue : Golf Cart Staging Area (repositioned for your convenience) Work Done :
Water supply is filtered to ensure ice is clean. System in-placed for these filters to be changed regularly. Housekeeping staff will date-stamp the equipment as reminders to change filters. Sanitization and cleaning of the ice cube receptacle is also part of the routine in placed to ensure the hygiene and cleanliness of ice
NEW AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEM Venue
: Stamford I / II / Suites
Proposed Work : New system is essential as RCC play hosts to many Social and Corporate events. The proposed system will support all events In Stamford I /II or Stamford suites concurrently. This will generate more revenue for the club.
RECYCLING EFFORT (JOIN US IN SAVING THE ENVIRONMENT) The FESC has initiated a recycling exercise for RCC. The National Environmental Agency (NEA) is keen to support RCC in this movement and the Club will soon see recycling bins at strategic locations for the separation of Plastic, Paper, Glass and General waste etc. The FESC urge all members to take part in this National effort. Your earnest participation will go a long way to a better environment for the present and the generation after us.
NEW CCTV Venue : Driving Range, Common areas, Drive ways, Bag-drop area, Critical internal space, Function rooms, Multi-storey Car Park and at strategic locations along the perimeter fence. Proposed Work : Current system is more than 20 years old and overdue for change. New system provides clearer resolution for both day and night monitoring, better and easier recovery system, longer storage. Capacity and ease of operation for the entire Club. January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club â&#x20AC;˘ Vol. 28
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CLUB NEWS
Up Close with New HODs Going that Extra Mile Raffles Country Club extends a warm welcome to our new Sales, Marketing & Communications Manager, Ms Yvonne Lim. A Nanyang Technological University graduate with Honours in Mechanical Engineering, she is a dynamic and resultsdriven sales professional with a highly successful background in sales and client account management, combined with valuable expertise in quality, mechanical design and project management.
Yvonne Lim - Sales, Marketing & Communications Manager
In the years of her experience in Sales, there is one major takeaway. She shares, “Being near to our customers is of utmost importance. It allows me to better understand customers’ requirements and future directions. A good sales person will know “What’s in it for ME”- “ME” refers to the individual stakeholders in different departments. Product positioning is key, as stakeholders see the benefits of our product differently.” She adds that speed to market is pertinent in today’s sales age.
Nothing makes her days more than the sense of satisfaction from being able to help the customer. “One can be salesoriented, or customer-oriented. Both are interlinked and integral to success,” Yvonne notes. Some customers have become friends with her, something invaluable in Yvonne’s heart. “Sometimes, it’s what drives you to go that extra mile, apart from having to enjoy what you are doing,” she highlights. Yvonne enjoys travelling, water sports and cooking. She strongly believes for one to be successful in life, one has to work hard and play hard. Yvonne looks forward to meeting you at the Club soon!
Definition of Passion
Dollars & Sense
Going back 34 years brings our Manager for Food & Beverage / Lifestyle, Mr Cristo Fong, was nothing less than nostalgic. From international hotels to country clubs, Cristo has so much takeaway but he notes: “Understanding our co-workers’ strength and weakness is very crucial as it help us determine success and failure in any task we embark on. A leader’s role is not to control people or stay on top of things, but rather to guide, energize and excite.”
For a man who has been dealing with money for the last 37 years, to always wear a smile and maintain composure is rare. Anthony Low subscribes to maintaining his inner balance. While he advocates rational spending, he feels it (spending) is sometimes necessary to achieve certain overall objectives but should always value-add.
Cristo feels working hard for something one does not care brings Stress, but working hard for something one loves is called Passion. He highlights, “And when all our co-workers are passionate for their chosen profession, training, energise, motivated, and meticulous, co-worker are excited and being inspired by offering the best personalised service and going the extra mile to leave guests feeling satisfied. And promise to create memory for each and every guest without prejudice.” He recalls a sweet memory involving daily trips to get Arabic meals for the young Arab couple staying at the hotel for the whole entire week both lunch and dinner. The smiles on the couple was the ultimate gratitude Cristo. “The act of promising to be meticulous in offering personalised services and going the extra mile to leave guests feeling satisfied and inspired. Created a very memorable stays for the couple and l feel very rewarded by going the extra mile.” In his opinion, Food and Beverage has become too modern and infused with artistic trendy edge to the entire industry. Being trained in fine dining and personalised guest service for 8 years, Cristo remains am still very much in love with fine food not fast food or trendy fusion food. 30
Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Given any finance-related jobs which are known to be high-stressed, he notes, “Calm within any chaos” is my work motto and I sail through the day maintaining my direction. This way I remain objective and get work done.” He adds, “I always wear a smile and seek to be contagious with people around me. After all, Smiling Makes It Lots Easier, in all things. Thinking back how I bring a smile to someone at work makes me smile.” In the history of his professional tenures, he is known to maintain a good balance between logic and emotions. “My colleagues would say I work with my head and manage with my heart. I will take my time to listen, but quick to teach a point when needed. Anthony has worked six years in a statutory board, 17 years in an MNC, and 14 years in a golf and country club. He commands 10 years of experience in senior company management and 3 years in senior club management. His past work experience include logistics and warehouse operations, overseas market development in Thailand and Vietnam, and extensive club operations exposure.
Club Listings
Table of Reciprocal / AffiliateD Clubs RECIPROCAL CLUBS AUSTRALIA
Avondale Golf Club
New South Wales, Australia
Macquarie Links International Golf Club
New South Wales, Australia
Mount Lawley Golf Club
Western Australia, Australia
Yangzhou Prime International Vacation Club Co. Ltd
VIETNAM Chi Linh Star Golf & Country Club
Tianjin Fortune Lake Golf Club
Danang Golf Club
Tianjin Warner International Golf Club
Long Thanh Golf Club
Shanghai, China Tianjin, China
Tianjin, China
INDIA Oxford Golf & Country Club
Sanctuary Lakes Club
Pune, India
Sun City Country Club
INDONESIA Finna Golf & Country Club
Victoria, Australia
Western Australia, Australia
The Cut Golf Course
Western Australia, Australia
The Lakes Golf Club Eastlakes, Australia
The Links Kennedy Bay
Western Australia, Australia
East Java, Indonesia
Gunung Geulis Country Club West Java, Indonesia
JAPAN
Ashinoko Country Club Shizuoka, Japan
MACAU Macau Golf & Country Club
The Vines Golf and Country Club
Macau
The Western Australian Golf Club (Inc)
Selangor, Malaysia
Western Australia, Australia
Western Australia, Australia
Wanneroo Golf Club
Western Australia, Australia
BRUNEI Pantai Mentiri Golf Club Brunei Darussalam
CHINA BFA International Convention Center Golf Club Hainan Province, China
Guangzhou Foison Golf Club Guangzhou, China
Meishi Mayflower International Golf Club Hainan Province, China
Shanghai Sun Island International Club Shanghai, China
Kunshan Sun Resort & Club Jiangsu Province, China
Suzhou SunIsland
International Club
Jiangsu Province, China
MALAYSIA Glenmarie Golf & Country Club Kelab Golf Negara Subang Selangor, Malaysia
Kelab Golf Sarawak Sarawak, Malaysia
Kelab Golf Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Selangor, Malaysia
Kelab Rahman Putra Malaysia Selangor, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club
Da Nang City, Vietnam Dong Nai Province, Vietnam
The Montgomerie Links Vietnam Quang Name Province, Vietnam
AFFILIATED CLUBS AUSTRALIA Araluen Country Club
Western Australia. Australia
BRUNEI The Empire Hotel & Country Club
Negara Brunei Darussalam
CHINA Mission Hills Golf Club Shenzhen, China
Orient Pearl Golf Club
Beijing, China
INDONESIA Rancamaya Golf & Country Club
Ciawi Bogor, Indonesia
JAPAN Robert Trent Jones II Club MACAU Macau Golf & Country Club Macau
THAILAND Blue Canyon Country Club Phuket, Thailand
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Meru Valley Golf & Country Club Perak, Malaysia
Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club Sabah, Malaysia
RESTRICTED LOCAL RECIPROCAL CLUBS** SINGAPORE
Jurong Country Club Singapore
Tropicana Golf & Country Resort Selangor, Malaysia
PHILIPPINES Alta Vista Golf & Country Club Cebu City, Philippines
Eagle Ridge Golf & Country Club General TriasCavite, Philippines
Nanjing SunIsland Leisure &
Keppel Club Singapore
Orchid Country Club Singapore
Sembawang Country Club Singapore
Warren Country Club
Resort Club Co. Ltd
Jiangsu Province, China
Hai Duong, Vietnam
Singapore
Signed in 2013
Signed in 2014
**Booking via club balloting
For more information and assistance, please feel free to call the Golf Reception Counter at 68617655 or e-mail: golfrecep@rcc.org.sg January - February 2015 | Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28
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Club Facilities / Directory
Club Listings
GOLFING Golf Reception
Tel: 6861 7655 Fax: 6861 5563 Opening Hours: Daily 7.00 am - 6.30 pm
Golf Courses Opening Hours: Daily
Palm & Lake First tee-off: 7.14 am Last tee-off: 6.15 pm ( 9 holes)
Green Fee (Guest) – Lake Course Mon to Fri am $117.70 pm $171.20 Weekends & PH $235.40
Green Fee (Visitor) – Lake Course Mon to Fri am $171.20 pm $235.40 Weekends & PH $374.50
Buggy Fee / Golfer
$24.61 / 18 holes $13.91 / 9 holes
Driving Range
Tel: 6861 6563 Opening Hours: Mon 1.00 pm - 9.00 pm Tue to Fri 8.00 am - 9.00 pm Sat 7.00 am - 9.00 pm Sun 7.00 am - 7.00 pm PH 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Last issue of ball 45 minutes before closing time
Ball Fees
$1.45 / 30 balls $2.15 / 50 balls $4.30 / 100 balls
Pro Shop
Tel: 6863 3551 Opening Hours: Daily (except Mon) 7.00 am - 6.30 pm Mon (except PH) 7.00 am - 5.00 pm Rental of golf sets is available.
Halfway Houses Opening Hours: Mon to Fri Weekends & PH
9.00 am - 5.30 pm 8.15 am - 6.00 pm
Changing Room Opening Hours: Daily
SPORTS & RECREATION
Key Contacts
Recreation / Reception
Tel: 6861 7649 Fax: 6862 3965 Opening Hours: Daily 8.00 am - 9.00 pm
Jackpot Room
Mon – Sun 11:30am - 8:45pm (Inclusive of public holidays)
Card / Mahjong Room Opening Hours: Daily Table Fee Guests
8.00 am - 9.00 pm $5.35/5 hour/session $10.70 per entry
Fitness Centre Opening Hours: Daily Members Guests
8.00 am - 9.00 pm FOC $5.35/guest /day
Sauna
Opening Hours: Daily Members Guests
8.00 am - 9.00 pm FOC $2.14/guest/day
Tennis / Squash Courts Opening Hours: Daily Court Fee*
8.00 am - 9.00 pm $3.21/hour
Badminton Court Opening Hours: Daily Court Fee*
8.00 am - 9.00 pm $10.70/hour
Swimming Pool
Opening Hours: Daily 8.00 am - 9.00 pm Members FOC Guests (Mon to Fri) $1.07/guest/day
Operation hours for Karaoke: Close on Monday Sun, Tue, Wed & Thur: Friand Sat:
5-9 PM 5-11 PM
*No guest rates.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
7.00 am - 8.00 pm
Golfing Reception Ms. Maszni Bt. Mamat Golf Administration Officer maszni.mamat@rcc.org.sg / 6861 7655 Tournament & Corporate Booking Ms. Nurjannah Bt. Ahmad Redzuan Sales & Marketing Officer jana@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0839 Golfing Operations Mr. Hamzah B. Ahmad Executive (Golf Operations) hamzah.ahmad@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0826 F&B / Banquet Mr. Martin G. Canlas Executive (F&B) martin.canlas@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0833 Lifestyle Mr. Joeness Lamban Executive (Operations) joeness.lamban@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0823 Membership Ms. Sau Man Ling Membership Officer manling.sau@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0812 Housekeeping Mr. Richard Aung Senior Executive (Housekeeping) richard.aung@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0873 Accounts Ms. Magdaline Chin Assistant Manager (Finance/ Membership) magdaline.chin@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0808 Communications Ms. Christel Lee Executive (Communications) christel.lee@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0816 Golf Course Maintenance Mr. Chua Kiat Beng M&E Superintendent kb.chua@rcc.org.sg / 6861 2725 Human Resource Ms. Jane Fok Assistant Manager (Human Resource) jane.fok@rcc.org.sg / 6864 0818
Golfers’ Terrace
Tel: 6862 8765 Opening Hours: Mon to Fri 7.00 am - 8.00 pm Weekends & PH 7.00 am - 9.00 pm Open to members and golfers only
The Albatross
Opening Hours: Tue to Sun & PH 4.00 pm - 9.00 pm Fri & Sat 4.00 pm - 11.00 pm Mon Closed Open to members and guests only Available for private function booking.
Shanshui Palace Restaurant
website: www.rcc.org.sg email: feedback@rcc.org.sg
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Raffles Country Club • Vol. 28 | January - February 2015
Tel: 6862 1838/9 Opening Hours: Daily Open to public
11.30 am - 3.00 pm 6.00 pm - 10.00 pm