inside the industry
Peter Downie, the former director of golf at Clearwater Bay, has set his sights high at his new club – immaculate Sentosa
In Pursuit of Perfection
T
hat Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club is one of the most famous golfing venues in Southeast Asia is beyond doubt. Considered the most exclusive course in the city, the club, which first opened its doors 1974, hosts the annual Barclays Singapore Open, the continent’s richest national professional tournament, and boasts a membership that comprises a veritable who’s who of Singaporean high society. It is also a golf club in the true sense of the word. There are no tennis courts, spas or swimming pools to get in the way here. The Royal and Ancient game, played over the two championship courses, rules the roost, while two fine restaurants — offering Japanese and Italian fare — and a convivial terrace bar ensures that golfers are exceptionally well catered for post-round. To many, the setup is as near perfect as one could possibly hope for. But that list doesn’t include Peter Downie, the club’s director of golf for nearly 18 months. At least not yet. 50
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Downie, as members of Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club will attest, is a perfectionist. And the 47-year-old Scot, who was the club’s director of golf for five years, a period during which he oversaw the successful renovation of the spectacular seaside layout, is determined to raise the bar even higher at Sentosa. “We have awesome potential here,” he says as we sit enjoying a couple of bottles of Tiger on the terrace after a round on the highly impressive and notoriously tough Serapong Course. “The way the golf course was constructed and the resources we have here…we can take this and make it the best in Asia. It’s an incredible canvas to work with.” But according to Downie, who started his golf career as an assistant pro at venerable Gullane Golf Club in East Lothian, it’s still very much a work in progress. “You know, golf courses are always evolving. You always have to keep changing them and doing WWW.HKGA.COM
Sentosa-by-Sea: Surreal views of Singapore Harbour await those who play the Serapong Course. Here at the 5th
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Fun Finish: the 9th and 18th holes wrap their way around an imposing lake. Right: Downie on the Golfer's Terrace
little bits. My focus has been on transforming the Serapong and members should see a marked improvement from month to month, rather than nothing and then a flood of changes.” The “little bits” that he’s referring to have already proved significant. The addition of bunkers on certain holes—and the removal of bunkers on others—as well as lowering the tangly Zoysia rough and adding strategicallyplaced trees has so far proved a winner with both members and professionals alike. “Last year at the Barclays [Singapore Open], we gave the pros a feedback sheet,” remembers Downie. “Responses varied but there were some excellent suggestions. Darren Clarke was very meticulous and commented on every hole. Many of the changes are based on what they told us. “I didn’t want to know what’s good about the course. I want to know what’s bad. Critique me, fine, but let me know what’s wrong. I want negative comments. I can’t do anything with “good” comments. I can’t fix “good.” Now, I may not agree with your negative comment, I might let it just wash over me, but I will take it on board. And we listened.” Some of those comments surrounded the large, undulating TifEagle greens. While they are considered among the best-maintained in the region by regular visitors, according to Downie, that’s not good enough.
“They [the pros] wanted the greens far healthier so we could make them faster – they weren’t fast enough,” he explains. “The course is probably six out of 10 condition-wise. It’ll probably take us a year, maybe a year and a half to get it where we want it. 10 is unsustainable, especially in this environment and weather. I reckon we could get it to eight, maybe eight and a half.” One advantage that Sentosa has in helping to get getting their putting surfaces into pristine shape, aside from the abilities of its 100 greenkeeping staff, is its use of Subair. A nifty system installed under all the greens of the Serapong Course, Subair essentially sucks away the moisture out of the greens and then blows air into them, which helps keep them healthy and playable. “Within minutes of a downpour our greens can be dry again. It costs around US$100,000 to install each green with it but when you have visitors paying up to S$500 (approximately HK$2,500) for a round they should expect a well-maintained golf course.” A somewhat controversial practice that Downie has ushered into the club during his tenure has been the practice of auditing of members’ handicaps. “We randomly pick 12 members and check to see whether the number of cards they’ve submitted correlates with the number of times they’ve played,” he says. “We know how many
times they’ve played because they have to sign in. If the numbers don’t match then we fill in a card on their behalf. Whatever was the lowest card they put it that month we’ll match it. So it becomes public and the handicap is adjusted. Before it was pretty ridiculous: winners with 46 [stableford] points was common.” Needless to say, sandbagging is quickly becoming a thing of the past at Sentosa. When Downie speaks, whether it’s about his plans to install a pot bunker by the 1st green, to upgrade the Tanjong Course, the club’s second track, introducing caddies to the club, or simply ensuring that members’ handicaps are kept up to date, it becomes blindingly clear that he is not only exceptionally good at what he does, but he carries in his head the vision of what needs to be done for the benefit of all. The Japanese have a philosophy for what he epitomizes: Kaizen— continuous improvement. “I’ve done this for long enough, over 30 years, and it’s not a job. This is my life—and it’s a great life,” he says as we put down our glasses for the final time of the evening. “It’s a lovely way to come to work. When I get through these gates every morning I think, ‘Wow. I get paid to do this?’ “To tinker with a golf course…it’s something I’m passionate about. I come out here and say ‘OK, how do I make this place better?’”
Bio: From Scotland to Sentosa “I was a very late starter to the game. When I was 15 I had a handicap of 12. I wasn’t playing much but when I started taking lessons at Gullane with Jimmy Hume I thought ‘I’d love to do that job – be a club pro.’ I left school at 16 and Jimmy took me on. For the first three years I worked in the back shop and cleaned clubs. When I moved to the pro shop I thought I had arrived. I was selling clubs and selling Mars bars! There was a Hong Kong connection. Allan Murray (President of the Hong Kong Club and Shek O Country Club) would come home to Gullane to visit and he’d pay me 10 pounds to play a round with him. If he won he’d pay me 20 pounds. Years later, when I arrived in Hong Kong to work at Clearwater Bay, Allan was kind enough to take me to lunch to welcome me. I met so many people that day who were key contacts for me. My break came when I went to visit a friend in Florida. Whilst there, I heard that a new Jack Nicklaus course was opening as part of the Hyatt Regency Resort in the Cayman Islands and I was determined to get a job there. I was offered an interview but they wouldn’t pay for the flight. I had no money and was too embarrassed to call my mum and dad for money, so I pawned my golf clubs! Luckily I got the job and at the interview I asked them to sub me $300 to get them back. I was the assistant pro, then the head pro and then I became the director of golf. I stayed for seven years.
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When I was at the Hyatt, the general manager offered me the chance to go through the hotel management training programme. On the first day, I went to his office in a shirt and tie and was expecting to be put in a front office position. He told me to go to the uniform room and pick out a stewarding outfit. I ended up cleaning pots and pans for the next four months. I went through the gamut of hotel operational activities. I turned down beds, worked in food and beverage, and even spent time in engineering. That was where I learnt about desalination systems, which came in very useful when I worked at Dubai Creek and, later, at Clearwater Bay, where we installed the first open seawater reverse osmosis irrigation plant in Asia. Going through the hotel management programme was the best bit of career change I ever did. When the Dubai government contacted the European Tour to ask for a club pro who was also trained in hotel management, they turned to me. It helped me receive the PGA 5-Star Professional of the Year Award. Clearwater Bay was my biggest achievement. It wasn’t all plain sailing but it was transformational. Over a year before I left, I was asked to move to Sentosa, but I was determined to see the project through. A week after the course reopened I moved here. I loved what we had in Hong Kong—it was an incredible piece of property.”
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results
Club Information Despite its exclusivity, the club has limited tee times available seven days a week for visitors on both the Serapong and Tanjong courses:
Shinichi Mizuno, February Monthly Medal Winner, DBGC
Monthly Medal – Gross Section 21 February JOD Black won the Monthly Gross Section played over the New Course with 70.
Serapong Course Par 72. Yardge: 7,293 Designed by Ronald Fream (1982) / Bates Golf Design (2007) Visitor Green Fee: S$335-475 (HK$1,700-2400) Carts included
Monthly Medal – Nett Section 21 February B Kan won the Monthly Medal Nett Section played over the New Course with 64. Macwhinnie Cup Final 22 February T Ling won the Macwhinnie Cup Final played over the Old Course with +1. A Lau was the runner-up.
Tanjong Course Par 72. Yardage: 6,606 Designed by Max Wexler/Chris Pitman/Frank Pennick (1974) Visitor Green Fee: S$305-425 (HK$1,550-2150) Carts included
Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club Ladies Section
February Medal 4 February Division 1 Gross Winner: Felicia Louey (84) Nett Winner: Akiko Harada (71) Nett Runner-up: Pia Fung (76)
Contact:
Tel: +65 6275-0090 Email: sgcgolf@sentosagolf Website: www.sentosagolf.com
Division 2 Gross Winner: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up:
Around the Clubs The Hong Kong Golf Club
Desert Stormer
Peter's Pick: the par-4 3rd hole on the Serapong Course is Downie's favourite at Sentosa 54
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“In 1999, the Dubai Desert Classic was held at Dubai Creek. Being the director of golf, I was invited to play, and agreed despite my having played only with members. I shot 69 the first day, then another 69 the second day. I was in the final flight in the third round, playing with David Howell. He had a couple of bogeys. I had a couple of birdies, and found myself leading the tournament. On the range beforehand, Colin and Montgomerie and Mark O’Meara came up to me, slapped me on the back and O’Meara said, ‘Monty, who is this club pro who is kicking our asses?’ O’Meara was the reigning Masters and Open champion at the time. It was a funny moment. In the final round, I was paired with Paul McGinley, and we were level after 12 holes. Then I started thinking too much and got nervous. All my life I’ve taught people to stay in the present. But when you’re in that position, it’s very difficult. McGinley shot a 68 and finished third. I shot 78 and ended way down the list. Angel Cabrera also played in that tournament. I met him at the Singapore Open last year, and he came up to me and said, ‘I know you. You’re the club pro that did really well.’ It was a lovely touch but I’ll leave the tournaments to those guys. People ask me, ‘Why don’t you play more?’ You’ve got to realize your limitations. Having said that, I’ll be 50 in three years and may have a look at the Seniors Tour.”
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Captain’s Cup 15 February D Lie won the Captain’s Cup Final played over the Eden Course. J Inge was the runner-up.
HKGC v Clearwater Bay 17 January HKGC: 24 points CWB: 7½ points * Played over the Eden Course Lusitania Cup - Gross Section 18 January R Keys won the Lusitania Cup Gross Section played over the Eden & Old courses on with -7. C W Stone was the runner-up on countback with -8. D Moore placed third. Lusitania Cup – Nett Section 18 January P L M Cheng won the Lusitania Cup Nett Section played over the Eden & Old courses with +2. C W Stone was the runner-up with -1. Monthly Medal – Gross Section 31 January D Moore won the Monthly Medal Gross Section played over the Eden Course on with 75. Monthly Medal – Nett Section 31 January I Takemoto won the Monthly Medal Nett Section played over the Eden Course with 71. K J Woo Cup & Willie Woo Cup – Gross Section 1 February VWT Ma won the K J Woo Cup & Willie Woo Cup Gross Section played at DWB with 24 points. MA Choa was the runner-up with 22 points. K J Woo Cup & Willie Woo Cup – Nett Section 1 February RTY Chan won the K J Woo & Willie Woo Cup Nett Section played at DWB with 34 points. CSM Ip was the runner-up with 32 points. WWW.HKGA.COM
Elsie Mak (94) Fumiko Kataoka (72) Chikako Yabe (75)
February Stableford 11 February Division 1 Winner: Felicia Louey (37) Runner-up: Madoka Murayama (36) Division 2 Winner: Runner-up:
Nakako Honda (45) Liz Mangum (38)
Men’s Section
Captain’s Cup 21 February Gross Winner: Gross Runner-up: Nett Winner: Nett Runner-up:
Eugene Pak (78) Rodney Chung (84 C/B) James Fung (70) Michael Brown (72)
Chairman’s Cup 21 February Winner: Peter Ma (38) Runner-up: Nicholas Chan (37)
Discovery Bay Golf Club 2009 Ladies Matchplay Final Rungnapa Winchester def. Roberta Tan 2-up Monthly Medal 22 February Ladies Division Division A Winner: Roberta Tan (69) Division A Best Gross: Chisako Kubota (78) Division B Winner: Toko Takemoto (41 pts) Men’s Division Division A Winner: Division B Winner: Division A & B Best Gross: Division C Winner:
Shinichi Mizuno (69) SY Baik (70) Matajiro Nagatomi (81) Philip Lo (41 pts) HK GOLFER・APR/MAY 2009
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