Jan/Feb 2012 - Hollandse Club Magazine

January / February 2012

TheMagazine A bi-monthly publication by the Hollandse Club

Visit us online @ www.hollandseclub.org.sg

Membership Writer’s Visit Satisfaction Paul van Loon Survey

Welcome

2012

Celebrations For

The New Year

events & Activities PUUR with Kristel Zweers Lion Dance Family Brunch

Sports Trial Lessons Morning New Hockey Section

F&B New Zealand Wine Tasting Valentine’s DInner

It’s New Zealand & Australian Month - Food & Beverage Promotions!

Contents

11

25

Kid’s Writer of Choice Paul van Loon

15 PUUR With Kristel Zweers

26 The Hilbrink Home

Members Talk - Membership Satisfaction Survey

President’s Message General Manager’s Message Events & Activities Members Calendar Food & Beverage Sports Library Club Information

2 3 4 18 21 29 34 48 49

Contacts MAIN COMMITTEE President Robert Gorter president@hollandseclub.org.sg Vice-President Jacqueline Lemmens vicepresident@hollandseclub.org.sg First Secretary Alex Lambeek firstsecretary@hollandseclub.org.sg Second Secretary & Sub-Committee Coordinator Catelijne Botterweck secondsecretary@hollandseclub.org.sg Honorary Treasurer Bas Winkel treasurer@hollandseclub.org.sg Member for Food & Beverage Jean-Paul Deslypere Member for Sports Guido Nieuwenhuijzen Ordinary Member Young-Min Bouman

Member for Commercial Affairs Joost van Baardwijk Disciplinary Committee Paul Stuart CLUB MANAGEMENT General Manager René Verhulst 6461 1103 gm@hollandseclub.org.sg Banquet Operations Manager Tan Boon Phang 6461 1137 banqmgr@hollandseclub.org.sg Banquet Executive Mariah Said 6461 1112 banquet@hollandseclub.org.sg Head of Membership & Marketing Evan Quek 6461 1139 sales@hollandseclub.org.sg Membership Executive Darma Jahari 6461 1111 membership@hollandseclub.org.sg

Marketing & Communications Executive Geoffrey Chia 6461 1117 marcom@hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation Manager Dean Chee 6461 1151 sportsrec@hollandseclub.org.sg

Operations Executive Jeeta Kaur 6461 1104 members@hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation Executive Lavina Sim 6461 1127 sports.exec@hollandseclub.org.sg

Public Affairs Bridget van Akkooi 6461 1161 pr@hollandseclub.org.sg

Finance Manager Vangel Neo 6461 1108 finmgr@hollandseclub.org.sg

Events & Entertainment Manager Elmer van Loon 6461 1110 events@hollandseclub.org.sg

Accountant Zoey Lee 6461 1106 a.r@hollandseclub.org.sg

Food & Beverage Manager Jan Faizal 6461 1118 fnb@hollandseclub.org.sg

Human Resource Executive Diyana A.B. 6461 1113 hradmin@hollandseclub.org.sg

Executive Sous Chef Remco van der Meer 6461 1118 chef@hollandseclub.org.sg

Administrative Assistant Regina Sim 6461 1160 adminasst@hollandseclub.org.sg

Executive Housekeeper Karrey Quek 6461 1114 housekeeper@hollandseclub.org.sg

The Hollandse Club Magazine is published bi-monthly and distributed free to members of the Club.

Views and opinions expressed may not necessarily reflect those of the Club, its committee or editorial staff. ©All Rights reserved. MICA (P) 156/04/2009.

22 Camden Park, Singapore 299814 | Tel: 6464 5225 | Fax: 6468 6272 | www.hollandseclub.org.sg Email: info@hollandseclub.org.sg | Court Bookings: reception@hollandseclub.org.sg

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 1

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “Another year full of Hollandse Club activities and initiatives is ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of you at any one of these events.”

Dear Fellow Members, Let me start by wishing all members and staff of the Hollandse Club a very happy, healthy and exciting New Year! Another year full of Hollandse Club activities and initiatives is ahead of us, and I’m looking forward to meeting all of you at any one of these events.

Looking back at 2011, it’s fair to say that the Hollandse Club is in relatively good shape. Our membership numbers are increasing again, despite the ongoing economic downturn.

We also introduced some exciting new facilities and events last year. A good example is the addition of the Club hotel rooms.

This has been a huge success so far, with good feedback from the guests that have stayed there, and an occupancy rate of 85% in the last 3 months of 2011.

As reported in the last magazine, our membership satisfaction survey in September showed that the overall satisfaction score stayed at the same level as in 2010 (3,65 on a scale of 1-5); with especially the quality of our sports facilities and activities continuing to receive very high scores. At the same time, we saw only slight improvements in the satisfaction scores on our Food & Beverage offering, and this is something we’re addressing this year. I’m happy to inform you that we’ve hired a new Chef – Remco van der Meer – who has ambitious plans to turn things around on the F&B front. It is also a pleasure to inform you that we found a new events manager, Elmer van Loon, who will be very actively running the huge number of events that have been planned for this year.

The Member for Commercial Affairs is a new position in the Main Committee as we feel that it’s crucial for the Club to look into additional revenues and maximising existing revenue streams. Although we’ve made quite some progress in 2011, in terms of cost savings and generating additional revenue, the Hollandse Club is not yet in a financial healthy situation. The Main Committee is looking to all aspects of the Club to address this situation, and as always we welcome your suggestions.

I hope you will enjoy reading this magazine, which is filled with all the wonderful events that are planned for the coming months. To highlight just a few: on 11 January, Paul van Loon, a famous Dutch children’s book author, will visit the Club for a lecture, organized in collaboration with the Hollandse School.

On Sunday 15 January, we will be organizing a Sports & Recreation trial morning, where all members (kids and adults) can try the various sports, that the Club has to offer. After the tremendous success of our last BBQ pool party in September, we will organize another BBQ pool party on 21 January. And on 28 January, we will be having our Lion Dance Family Celebration, to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Finally, on 25 February we will be organizing another Open House, to introduce the Club facilities to potential members. Our last Open House in September resulted in a significant increase in memberships, and I encourage all of you to promote the Open House to any friends and colleagues who might be interested in joining.

I hope to see many of you at one of our upcoming events!

On behalf of the Main Committee,

Speaking of change, we’ve seen quite a few changes in the Main Committee. In the last quarter of 2011, we said goodbye to our President, Albert Jan Hofman and our First Secretary, Kim van der Heeden, who have both played a pivotal role in shaping the Club’s future direction. I’m encouraged by the amount of interest from members to join the MC and its various subcommittees and I’d like to welcome three new members to the Main Committee: Bas Winkel as Honorary Treasurer, Alex Lambeek as First Secretary, and Joost van Baardwijk as Member for Commercial Affairs.

2 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Robert Gorter President, Hollandse Club

GM’S MESSAGE

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a very happy New Year.”

Dear Members, First, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our members a very happy New Year. By the time you read this, you have hopefully recovered from New Year’s Eve parties and/or jetlag from holiday travel. Long before the adults popped the champagne corks, the kids had their own big party, at this year’s Sinterklaas celebrations. Yet again, without fail, he brought presents for each and every well-behaved kid who came to welcome him at the Club. He sends his regards, thanking all of the Club’s children for making him feel at home during his short stay in Singapore and promises to be back again next year. A big thank you goes out to our volunteers, the Hollandse School and KLM for their support of another successful Sinterklaas arrival.

Chinese New Year As we roll into the start of 2012, our festivities continue with the Chinese Lunar New Year, on 23 January. As usual, the Club is organising the ceremonial luck bringing lion & dragon dances at the Terrace on 28 January. Don’t miss this traditional procession that happens only once a year.

New Chef & Events Manager Our Club food is always one of the most important areas of our operations. With anticipation and joy, we welcome our new Dutch Chef, Remco van der Meer who flew in all the way from Holland to inject some firepower into our kitchen.

He comes from a varied restaurant background in Montfoort near Utrecht, where he previously attained the level of Sous Chef. With exciting new goals of bringing international flavour to our new menu, we look forward to interesting things to come.

Another fresh face in the management team is our new Events Manager, Elmer van Loon who also joins us from the Netherlands. Coming from a hospitality background, he aims to work closely with our volunteer members and other departments, to create some memorable events in the year to come. Stay tuned for something exciting for everyone.

Bullying Incidents There have been recent complaints of some kids bullying others within the Club premises. The Hollandse Club would like to ask all parents to please pay attention to your kids and take the initiative to not let negative acts such as these to go unaddressed within our Club family. The Club is a welcoming place for all ages and races in Singapore, and the Club kids are no exception. Any further cases like this will be investigated by the Club’s management.

Membership Checks We would like to give a fresh reminder to all of our members to bring along your membership cards (yes, even if you are here everyday and we know your name and number by heart) when you use the Club. All the staff have been briefed to routinely ask for your membership card as a security measure. We are in the process of implementing automated procedures in the coming year and would sincerely appreciate your cooperation. Please also be reminded to sign in your guests at the Reception. These are not just security measures but it is also helpful to collect statistical information to see how many people use the Club on a daily basis in order to improve services.

Following many requests from our members, we have decided to subscribe to both Singtel Mio and Starhub to bring members full coverage of all tournaments and sporting events screened by both providers. So if you have ever wondered where to catch a big match live on TV, wonder no more. We will be updating our members about fixtures that take place via email and Facebook, so if you have not done so yet, please subscribe to the mailing list on our website or join our Facebook page.

Transformation of Serambi I am happy to inform you of the conversion of the current Serambi kitchen into a nice Alfresco Bar area (with smoking permission!!). Our popular Vietnamese cooks will move into the main kitchen, as they make way for the new outdoor bar to compliment the Terrace. We have yet to name this new facility, so if you have a nice catchy idea for a name that sticks, drop me an email at gm@hollandseclub.org.sg.

The new outdoor bar aims to be the perfect evening spot for our members to mingle after a ‘Hard Day’s Night’, although it will take a while before the newly ordered furniture arrives.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Club!

Sincerely, René Verhulst General Manager

Sports @ Tradewinds

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 3

Events & Activities

Sinterklaas 2011 Photography by Danny Tan On another glorious, hot day, Sinterklaas and his Zwarten Pieten yet again made it on time to Singapore, arriving just after 10 am at Marine at Keppel Bay. The Dutch community and other Sint fans were there to cheer him on land. Obviously, his decorated steamboat was loaded full of presents and yummy goodies for all the Dutch kids in Singapore, or at least those who have behaved themselves this year. The band played and the crowds sang as loud as they could to let Sint know they were glad he had made the very long trip here, despite being so busy back in the Netherlands.

6 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Events & Activities

Pepernoten, Schuimpjes and … Drop?

Then it was off to the Hollandse Club for a packed out main hall celebration for young and old. Meester Joris hosted the show and did his best to keep those naughty Piets in line. Sint was looking for a Head Piet for here in Singapore and the kids were allowed to decide by clapping their hands. Extra tall Piet taught all the kids a new Sint song which involved a pot and a bad smell. Thanks, extra tall Piet! What do you expect of a Piet who doesn’t even know the difference between pepernoten and schuimpjes and licorice!

Luckily, all the kids clapped for shy, well-behaved Piet, who was their favourite instead. The Sint singers were belting out the songs to everyone’s delight. It was another great arrival and show thanks to the teachers from the Hollandse School and thanks as well to all the volunteers and staff from the Hollandse Club.

Sint ended the show by saying that all the kids were allowed to set their shoes that night, even though he already had a present and a chocolate letter ready for all the kids after the show. Wearnes Volvo helped him and all the Piets get all the gifts to the Club. Thanks to them for that!

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 7

Events & Activities

A Musical Cabaret Make ‘m Laugh 7 December 2011 What happens if you mix songs that are almost 100 years old, with a movie and television actress from the USA, a talented, young Singaporean jazz singer, a distinguished English gentleman, an upcoming musical theatre talent from New Zealand and add the sounds of Christmas. Exactly, you get an enchanting musical evening with a holiday season twist.

Make ‘m Laugh at Xmas is an original kind of musical cabaret. In their show, Cynda Williams, Dawn Ho, John Faulkner and Tim Garner took us time traveling through musical theatre history. There were songs from the legendary Cole Porter, dating back to the 1920s and ‘30s, as well as other hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s. The songs covered the broad spectrum of what musical theatre is about: love, romance, intrigues, hope, dreams and, in particular, humor. During the show, Cynda, Dawn, John and Tim proved that those ‘old’ songs are still relevant today.

The show started with ‘Another hundred people’, taken from the musical ‘Company’, which dates back to 1970. The song is about people coming from everywhere on trains, filling the city with strangers. It turned out to be a perfect song to introduce the performers and their pianist Jordan Wei. The driving force behind this cabaret is John Faulkner. He has been in the musical theatre business for more than 40 years and exudes all that experience on stage. As he always tells his students at his Musical Theatre School ‘musical theatre is all about the delivery of the song’. His way of delivering a song is using subtle movements that support the lyrics majestically. ‘She had to go and lose it at the Astor’ (1939) and ‘Bar on the Piccolo Marina’ (1955) two humorous songs, suit his style perfectly.

Starring next to him was Cynda Williams. John refers to her as being ‘the real thing’. Having acted in more than 30 movies and television shows, she has developed an amazing ability to make you forget everything around you as soon as she opens her mouth. Especially her performance of ‘Being Alive’ (1970), one of her favorite songs, sent shivers down the audience’s spines.

Next to these two highly experienced actors, the show starred two up and coming young talents. Tim Garner, born in New Zealand and trained at the LaSalle College of Arts in Singapore, blew us away with his amazing tenor voice. His performance of ‘I happen to like New York’ (1930), ‘And her mother came to’ (1924) and ‘I want you to be’ (1987) really made an impression. His vibrant, voluminous and full voice will long echo around the main hall.

Last but not least, there was the jazzy voice of Singapore born Dawn Ho. She and her amazing voice entered the musical scene just a few years ago. Her duet with Cynda of ‘Santa Baby’ (1953) lifted the Christmas spirits, especially those of the men in the audience...

Throughout the performance sensational solos were followed by brilliant duets, amazing trios and humorous quartets. ‘One step’, from the musical ‘Starting Here, Starting Now’ (1977) was performed brilliantly. In this song two girls and a boy are a bit nervous about a romance. During the song they gain, with each step they take, more confidence. The build-up in the song is fantastic, as is the distinction between the two female characters (Cynda and Dawn), taking the steps, and the boy (Tim), who is trying to give his own confidence a boost by confiding in his mirror. ‘Sit down, you’re rockin’ the boat’ (1950), performed by the full company, got many laughs from the audience, not only because of the funny lyrics, but also thanks to the hilarious performance of the quartet.

The show ended with that all-time favorite ‘White Christmas’ (1954). It is obvious that this version was much better than any of the ones you have heard at Cold Storage. Whether you wanted to or not, you just had to join in.

It was definitely a very entertaining evening. It was thrilling to see that John, Cynda, Tim and Dawn’s expressions made clear that they love what they do. Their enjoyment was infectous, leaving us thrilled, enchanted and feeling very Christmassy.

John Faulkner is the owner of the Musical Theatre School in Singapore, which provides adult classes in musical theatre (song and dance, no experience required). As of January 2012, he will also start classes for children aged 7 to 13 years old and 13 to 17 years old. For more information, please visit www.musicaltheatreschool.sg

By Aleid van der Schrier 8 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Events & Activities

A Spooky Halloween PARTY Once upon a time there was a wizard. His name was… well, nobody knew what his name was. He had lost his name and was really sad about it.

The wizard was the only brother of seven sisters, who were always teasing and trying to kiss and cuddle him. He alone played with balls and cars, while his sisters haunted him with their dolls and pink nail polish. That is why he decided to become a wizard, so he could turn his sisters into witches and send them away on their broomsticks forever!

The wizard read stacks of books on mixing magic potions and casting spells. Soon, he tried his magic on the mice in the house and, abracadabra!, they flew away as bats! “It worked!” he cried, “I am a real wizard now.” He called his sisters one by one and turned them into witches, who flew away on their broomsticks, never to be seen again.

At first, the wizard loved that his sisters were gone, but then he began to feel very lonely. Suddenly, he realized something terrible.

The magic spell had not only sent away his sisters, but also made him forget what his name was. He asked everybody what his name was, but nobody could remember it.

For many years, the lonely, old Wizard searched his magic books to find the magic formula that would give him back his name. One day, he found a very old, dusty book that held the secret. What he need was the help of 165 children, all dressed up as witches, superheroes, monsters and other scary things. Luckily, he found them at the Hollandse Club Halloween party. The wizard asked the kids to visit his witchy sisters who were in every corner of the Club with some fun and gruesome tasks, like crawling through a spider’s web and a pitch black maze, fishing out scary spiders from some horrible ‘bloody’ spaghetti, making ghosts and bats and dancing at a spooky disco.

All the children visited each of the seven scary sisters and got one letter of the wizard’s name. The children had to rearranged the letters to break the spell and reveal the Wizard’s name.

At the end of the party, all the witches flew back to their brother in the main hall. No matter how hard they tried, the witches and the wizard could not find the right order of the letters. Luckily, the children were all there to help. One witch got a cold flying back on her broom so fast! She sneezed very loudly, “HATCHOO!“ The children all screamed out. “Hatchoo?” said the wizard. “That’s it” he yelled, “that is my name.”

“My name is Hatchoo!” The children all got a huge bag of Halloween candy to take home as a reward. The wizard, his sisters and all the children who helped find Hatchoo’s name all lived happily ever after.

A big thank you to all the volunteers, all the witchy sisters and the parents who guided the kids around, who helped to make this year’s Halloween party the biggest one in Hollandse Club history. Also a big thank you to all the HC wizards and witches who used their magic to turn the Club into a scary haunted house and cleaned it up again afterwards.

10 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Events & Activities

Kid’s Writer of Choice Paul van Loon Paul van Loon’s most famous character, Dolfje (in Dutch) or Alfie (in English) Werewolf, was just voted the greatest children’s book hero

by Dutch kids this autumn. No wonder, as a major motion picture starring this ordinary boy by day, werewolf by (full moon) night packed out Dutch cinemas at the end of 2011. The Hollandse Club, in cooperation with the Hollandse School Ltd. and KLM, will be welcoming Paul at 8:00pm on Wednesday, 11 January to come and talk about ‘Dolfje’, his 102 other books and his status as Holland’s favourite kid’s novelist. The evening will be all about increasing your child’s reading pleasure, something Paul’s books certainly help with. This Dutch language event will give you the opportunity to meet and ask Paul about his award winning books and the smash hit film.

Creepy Reading Both kids and parents love Paul’s brand of funny and slightly creepy horror for kids 5 years and up. Many a reluctant young reader has discovered the joy of reading thanks to Dolfje and Paul’s other heroes. The heroes and heroines in his novels are not unrealistically strong or brave, but are ordinary kids who do heroic things despite being scared. One year before the first Harry Potter novel was published, Paul published the first Dolfje novel, about an ordinary boy who wakes up on his 7th birthday to find out he is a werewolf.

Every young reader can relate to just wanting to fit in when you feel so different to others. There is no chance of that if hair is growing all over your body and all you want to do is eat the neighbour’s chickens.

Sunglasses At Night All Paul’s novels are a great mix of comedy and creepiness, just like Paul himself. It’s a mystery why this unmistakable figure; tall, dark sunglasses and pale skin is instantly recognizable to all Dutch kids, but not world wide. There are several theories about why he is never without his dark sunglasses. Van Loon family legend has it that as a baby Paul cried in his crib until his mother got him a tiny pair of shades. He hasn’t been without them since. Others believe Paul might be a vampire who can’t go out in daylight without them.

Whatever the truth is, dare to meet the man himself on 11 January.

Many thanks to the HSL and KLM for their support in this event.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 11

Events & Activities

Comedian Bert Gabriël

Ending Belgian month in style What a nice way to end the Club’s Belgian month, with a performance by well-known Belgian stand-up comedian and TV personality, Bert Gabriëls. It was his first visit to Singapore and he chose to tailor his show somewhat to his Dutch-Flemish speaking expat audience.

The Flemish vs. the Dutch With the audience fairly even divided between the two nationalities, which comedian could resist have a jab at the cultural differences between these two countries? This being his first visit here, Bert tried to get some information from his audience about what it is like to live here. Imagine his surprise when those usually ‘loud mouth’ Dutch audience members didn’t want to respond to his inquiries.

Usually, they love putting their two cents in during his shows. Bert’s dexterity with the Flemish language is amazing, as he seems to think of word plays and wry observations on the spot. The jokes about the differences between the Dutch and Flemish languages really captured the essence of the differences between the nationalities.

Plain Silliness He’s currently working on a new show called Busy, Busy, Busy. No wonder he is a rising star, as this instantly likeable Belgian entertained with a good line up of jokes, critical observations, funny remarks and plain silliness. It was great to have an evening of humour from the Low Countries. Some jokes can only be cracked in Dutch, …oops I mean Flemish. Let’s have some more soon!

If you loved Bert Gabriels, make sure you catch Dutch comedian Kristel Zweers on Saturday, 25 February (Dutch language event).

American comedy fans should look out for a VIP performer we are currently in the process of planning. More information soon.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 13

Events & Activities

16 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Events & Activities

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 17

Extending a warm welcome to our:

New Club Members ADRIAAN GERARD BUITER & MARIA J. BUITER-HERTOG ANTONIO EDUARDO & CATHERINE MELGAR BAUTISTA KORAH CHAKASARIL, ELIZABETH & TARUN MOHAN DAVID KEITH & NICOLA MARIE GILBERT RICHARD BERNARDUS & JUDITH KUIPERS LOK CHI GEORGE FREDERICK LUEDER & FLORENCE LIAN ANDREW CAMERON & ANNABELLE MCDONALD MICHAEL DAVID PEEVEY & OZLEM ATMACA

• • • • • • • •

ORE AP

a

Holl

ALBERT & SYLVIE STEVENS KOENRAAD MICHAEL VAN HUFFEL & ISLE VAN ROMPAEY SAM & ALISON VILO ANDREW EDWIN & JULIE MAY WILSON SIMON THOMAS & SHEENA ABRAHAM MARCO & WENDY KLEUTERS THEO DE ROND & GISELA BROUWER HARJIT & JASWINDER SINGH GILL

Winners of Gorgeous Orchid Painting sponsored by Arete Culture Lucky Draw Contest The winner for the November lucky draw will get the Gorgeous Orchid Painting worth $850.

Congratulations to Mary Fox. Be sure to look out for our next lucky draw at the Reception.

5 Year Service Award

Resident Fitness Instructor Ashraf was presented with the 5 Year Service Award in the month of December. In recognition and appreciation of his dedication to the Club, he will receive the 5 Year Service Award Certificate and cash reward of $500.

18 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

b

Clu e s d n

SINCE 1908

• • • • • • • • •

IN SING

Members

Members

The Dynamic DUO

In December, it was somewhat of an invasion of the blond Dutch men, as the new Head Chef, Remco van der Meer and new Events manager, Elmer van Loon, coincidentally both from Holland, started their respective positions at the Club. With all the great expectations of these two young and dynamic professionals, let’s find out more about where they come from and what their plans are for the Hollandse Club.

Chef van der Meer Singapore first timer, Remco van der Meer stepped off the plane and straight into the Club, where he’ll be staying until he finds a place of his own. Already change is in the air, as Remco plans to revamp the Terrace menu and atmosphere. He’s already started with a breath of fresh air in the kitchen, as old favourites are brought up-to-date and some of his specialties added to become your new favourites. Chef isn’t afraid of hard work and already he’s scrubbing the kitchen and spending all hours there. With an average of 100 hours a week in the kitchen at his last job, no wonder this bachelor didn’t have much time for romance at home.

Asian Delights This 30 year old from Montfoort, near Utrecht in the Netherlands, recently decided to leave Castle Montfoort and the Gouden Leeuw, fine dining restaurants in his home town, for a new challenge abroad. Remco travelled Asia 6 years ago, but never made it further south than Malaysia. Now, he wants to master the Asian delights on the Club menu as soon as possible. He is studying what goes into the woks in the kitchen. His signature style, however, is French cuisine with an international twist. While studying at the Hotel school, he was asked to join their Star-chef classes, with extra haute cuisine courses in skills such as sushi making, patisserie and confectionary work, wine tasting, fish and poultry preparation.

Remco will be filleting the local catches himself to get the best bone-free fillets.

Better Krokets Already, Remco has made many little changes to improve the taste and nutrition of Terrace food. Vegetables are not an after-thought to him, with all greens leaving the kitchen hot and well-seasoned. He aims to improve the quality, presentation and taste of the dishes, as he keeps a watchful eye on every dish that exits the kitchen. What about those controversial krokets and bitterballs? Remco has experience with these little Dutch delicacies and he immediately saw room for improvement by using flavourful meat, a secret recipe breadcrumb coating and proper seasoning for better structure and taste.

Remco has a long-term vision for the Terrace, so keep an eye out for his improvements as they happen. He’ll be working on making the menu more concise and clearly structured.

Let’s hope our taste buds are tickled by him.

Events with Elmer van Loon With the former events organiser, Nele Cornelis, leaving the Club for new challenges at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, we were left with quite some (high-heeled) shoes to fill, especially before the busy holiday season. In stepped Elmer van Loon, an experienced events manager from the Netherlands, who has been in Singapore since September. Elmer and his wife, Esther, moved their two children to Singapore for her work at the online hotel reservations website, Booking.com. Esther travels throughout the region to set-up new Booking.com offices all over Asia. Now, Elmer has settled his children in (Viktor 5 yrs. and Hannah 11 months) he is ready to take on organising the many different events that the Club holds.

1000 Chinese and Elmer Elmer is not new to the hospitality industry in Asia, having spent 3 years in Shanghai doing Sales and Banqueting at the Okura hotel, starting in 1999. Elmer worked for this Japanese hotelier there and in Amsterdam for over 5 years. In China, he was the only Western employee in a staff of 1000 Chinese and a hand full of Japanese managers. Being the only Western employee in such a large hotel meant he had to understand Asian culture quickly. He has experienced every part of the hospitality industry, from the kitchens to the front desk, during and after his studies at the Hotel School in The Hague. Hopefully, this experience will be invaluable here at the Club.

After returning to the Netherlands, Elmer spent two more years with the Okura hotel in Amsterdam, before moving to the Krasnapolsky hotel, across from the Dutch queen’s main palace on the Dam. This famous hotel is one of the biggest conference hotels in the Netherlands and he was responsible for many huge events and conferences there. Since the birth of his children, Elmer has been a devoted father, consciously making the decision to look after the kids more while his wife furthered her career.

European Cup Football 2012 The Hollandse Club just felt like the right place for him to work in Singapore. From his first visit here, Elmer loved the atmosphere and the feeling that being at the Club is like being at home. Comedy Night is his favourite event here, but now he has just organized his first without any hitches. Elmer is looking forward to a fun-filled events calendar with a diversity of events catering to members of all nationalities and ages. He is also really looking forward to the 2012 European Football Cup this summer, when he plans to organise all kinds of events around the matches; too bad about the time difference. That won’t stop Elmer, as he is planning to stay up late for all the Holland matches. One event he is a little unsure of is the ladies only Fashion Show. He could do with some feminine input here. Luckily, this event is only at the end of the year, so he has some time to prepare. Elmer jokes that a men only fashion show might be a success.

One can’t help but wonder what the models might wear… We wish Elmer a lot of success and many wonderful events in the future.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 19

Calendar 1 SUN

2 sun MON

3 TUES MON

4 WED Tue

5 THURS wed

6 FRI thu

7 sat fri

8 SUN

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions • Thai set meal (T) • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions • Wagyu beef (J) • Terrace Promotions (T) • Thai set meal (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions • Wagyu beef (J) • Terrace Promotions (T) • Thai set meal (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions • Wagyu beef (J) • Terrace Promotions (T) • Thai set meal (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions • Wagyu beef (J) • Terrace Promotions (T) • Thai set meal (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

• Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

• Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

• Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

• Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

Events

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

10 TUES

11 WED

12 THURS

13 FRI

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

9 MON F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

14 sat F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T) Events

• Comedy Night (MH) • Woodenshoe Hockey Tournament @ Sengkang Hockey Stadium • Golf Social • Veterans Squash Tournament

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B) • Chicken Shawarma (T) • Poffertjes & Chicken Satay (P) • Weekend BBQ promotion (P)

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

• Mums & Tots (R)

Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Main Events in January 2012

11th Visit of the Writer Paul van Loon 14th Comedy Night

Woodenshoe Hockey Tournament @

Sengkang Hockey Stadium

Golf Social

Veterans Squash Tournament 15th Sports & Recreation Trial Day Legend:

T: Terrace TL: The Lounge TB: Triple B

AR: Amsterdam Room BR: Brabant Room TWB: Tradewinds Bar

20th New Zealand Wine Tasting

Oliebollen Tournament 21st Welcome Back Poolside BBQ 27th Friday Fun Night Tennis 28th Lion Dance Family Brunch

Celebration

MH: Main Hall B: BUN P: Poolside L: Library R: Rotterdam Room CR: Chill Out Room

Events • Writer’s Visit Paul van Loon (MH)

15 SUN

16 MON

17 TUES

18 WED

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

Events • Veterans Squash Tournament • Sports & Recreation Trial Day

19 THURS

20 FRI

21 sat

22 SUN

23 MON

24 TUES

25 WED

26 THURS

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

Events • New Zealand Wine Tasting (TL) • Oliebollen Tournament

Events • Welcome Back Poolside BBQ (P)

27 FRI

28 sat

29 SUN

30 MON

31 TUES

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

Events • Friday Fun Night Tennis

Events • Lion Dance Family Brunch Celebration (T)

1 WED

2 sun THURS

3 FRI MON

4 sat Tue

5 SUN wed

6 MON thu

7 TUES fri

8 WED

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B F&BPromotions promotions

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

Events

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

10 FRI

11 sat

12 SUN

13 MON

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

9 THURS F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B) • Chicken Shawarma (T) • Poffertjes & Chicken Satay (P) • Weekend BBQ promotion (P)

NEW ZEALAND

MONTH • Thai set meal (T)

• Terrace Promotions (T)

Events Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B) • Mums & Tots (R)

Kids’ Summer Holiday Programme

Main Events in February 2012

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

• Wagyu beef (J) • Thai Terrace Promotions (T) • set meal (T) • Beef Bun noodle set meal (B)

Events • Comedy Night (MH)

11th Comedy Night 14th Valentine’s Dinner 25th Dutch Comedy with Kristel Zweers

14 TUES

15 WED

16 THURS

17 FRI

18 sat

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

Events • Valentine’s Dinner (TL)

Legend:

19 SUN

20 MON

21 TUES

22 WED

23 THURS

24 FRI

25 sat

26 SUN

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

T: Terrace TL: The Lounge TB: Triple B

AR: Amsterdam Room BR: Brabant Room TWB: Tradewinds Bar

MH: Main Hall B: BUN P: Poolside L: Library R: Rotterdam Room CR: Chill Out Room

Events • Dutch Comedy with Kristel Zweers (MH)

27 MON

28 TUES

29 WED

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

F&B promotions • Terrace Promotions (T)

AUSTRALIAN MONTH WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 21

Members November/December Issue Colouring Contest for kids Winners of

What did this child say to Santa Claus?

Santa Claus would like to thank all the participants for adding colour to his wonderful Christmas last year.

I Love You Santa!

Oliver Heth H659

A Dog for Christmas Jordan Fenn F0208

Yay! A Present Naomi Huth H457

Congratulations to the 3 winners for the colouring contest. We came across this winner who wrote his wish for a dog in the speech bubble, and made a lot of effort in colouring as neat as possible. Dear Jordan Fenn, sorry to say that we are unable to give you a real dog, but you won the Lego Duplo Police Officer with a Dog Figurine. We hope you like it.

The other 2 winners - Oliver Heth and Naomi Huth have won the Playmobil Special Figurine each.

We will have another upcoming colouring contest for Chinese New Year. So for all kids out there, do your best and you may be the next lucky winner.

Upcoming Contest

22 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Members

Members Talk is our forum section where you can write about anything under the sun.

Topic starter of January / February

Should we obey the rules?

Firstly, I want to thank the people who sent their reactions and suggestions after my first article. One of the questions was a very interesting one; how does the non-smoking policy in bars work in reality in the Netherlands? Indeed, if you return to Europe after so many years of living in Singapore, you have to get used to the general acceptance of the Dutch people that rules are there to be broken.

The general consensus seems to be that testing new rules introduced by the government is a game worth playing. The fun is fuelled by a strong desire to test if the new law in question really can be imposed on the people or not.

A funny example is Clement Meerts, a lawyer in the Netherlands who was against the fact that you have to pay for your ID card. He wanted to test this by claiming that a person only needed an ID card because a new law was introduced in 1994, stating that people should be able to identify themselves at all times. This lawyer spent 7 years of his life in court cases against the Government. He believes that if the Government made carrying an ID card mandatory, it should not enforce any payment for it. He won in the highest court.

Suddenly, ID cards were free and people rushed to town halls to get one (you know the Dutch can’t resist something free….). The rush was also caused because everyone knew the Government would quickly find a way to close the loophole, which they did in 4 weeks with a change to the law. Needless to say, Clement has already announced that he will fight the new law too.

Another example is that it has been illegal to sell alcohol at petrol stations since 2000. Does this law stand up to public testing? Four weeks ago, one petrol station owner announced in the press and on television that he was going to sell beer at his petrol station. He invited the police to come, check and fine him. That will trigger a friendly court case in order to test if this rule will stand up in court.

Now to the subject of the smoking of tobacco in public places. To be clear, the smoking of substances other than tobacco is totally excluded from this and, in the Netherlands, that is a really important detail. It all started in 2004, when the right to a smoke free working environment was introduced. Everybody seemed to agree, so there was no resistance whatsoever and ashtrays were banned from the office environment. Large ashtrays were placed in a small open area outside buildings.

Of course, bars were not a work place and were therefore excluded. In 2008, the system realised that bars and pubs were a work place for bar staff and a no smoking policy was officially introduced in Europe and therefore, also in the Netherlands.

I stopped smoking… but a ban really tests your will power.

Let the games begin! It started when the owner of Café Victoria in Breda, Tony van Haperen, won his court case in 2009, based on the fact that he had no employees in his cosy, little pub. Other rulings followed and the game was a lot more fun.

Everybody was talking about it and the Government announced that they would stop checking small cafes. They even announced a kind of guideline that smoking was allowed in pubs smaller than 70 m².

Of course, the Government found their ‘smoking’ gun, when the High Court decreed, in the summer of 2010, that the smoking ban was also legal for one-man businesses, as the ban is meant to protect all working people no matter their circumstances. The Government wins? No, the owner of the café in Breda announced that he would go to prison rather than pay the fine. Other small cafes started to pay the fine and continue smoking. I have personally seen two cases where customers collected the fine on the spot, paid the controller and sent him packing. However, the Dutch political system is not all smoke and mirrors, as they won the game with a last brilliant move.

In 2011, it announced that it will make an exception for all cafes smaller than 70 m2 without employees. And that is still the case!

A nephew of a friend of mine recently used one of these small bars to kiss his first girl and to smoke his first cigarette, all on the same day. He hasn’t had time for tobacco since.

Remco Muzerie lived in Singapore for 9 years (2000 – 2009) together with his wife Margo and his children Isabelle (15 years) and Olivier (12 years). Reactions and suggestions are highly appreciated and can be sent to remcomuzerie@yahoo.nl

24 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Members

Membership Satisfaction Survey Thanks For Your Opinion!

I would like to thank all our members who took the effort to fill out our yearly satisfaction survey in October 2011. This online questionnaire was sent out to all known members’ email addresses in the last week of September. Within 2 weeks, we managed to get 170 respondents to complete the questionnaire; a great result! A very large segment of the respondents have children (85%), and have been members for an average of almost 6 years. This number of respondents was sufficient for reliable results.

Ambitious Goal The overall level of satisfaction is comparable to last year (2010), with 68% of our members feeling satisfied to very satisfied, with an average satisfaction score of 3,65 (on a scale of 1-5). However, we did not reach our quite ambitious goal of 80% of satisfied members.

Obviously, more work is necessary to reach this goal.

Sports Are Our Strength Similar to last year, the Club still scores very good (>4 on the 1-5 scale) on the quality of our sports facilities and services, such as the swimming lessons, gym, tennis, and bowling. We, and our great service providers, really stand out on that! We have high scores (>3,5 on the 1-5 scale) on many other aspects too, amongst them the service staff, our festive events and the communication tools we use (such as our e-newsletter and this magazine).

Food Quality Still A Weakness Of course, this research is done to get feedback on areas of the Club that we need to improve. Not surprisingly, we found lower scores (≤3 on the 1-5 scale) for the playground and the Chillout Room. Unfortunately, our members are not very happy with the taste of some menu items, the healthy food options and the kids’ food options. The rate of satisfaction with ‘level of change in the menu’ has gone up slightly, but still not enough. We all know that the quality of the food is very important for our members, and although there are positive as well as negative remarks on this, the overall quality of the food still can and will be improved. This is, and will be, an ongoing process with the highest priority.

Action!

Interestingly enough, none of the subjects on the questionnaire had a score lower than 2,95 (3 being neutral on the scale of 1-5), so this means that on average, members are not really dissatisfied with anything the Club offers. We found a great amount of written answers and reactions and this enabled us to fine-tune the results even more.

The Main Committee decided, as a direct result of the Satisfaction Survey, to put the playground and the stroller/wheelchair accessibility in the ‘high priority’ list of the investment plans for 2012. Also, the MC is working on plans for renewing the multifunctional court, the tennis pavilion and the area where BUN (Vietnamese restaurant) is now located. Most importantly however is to further improve food quality. The Club therefore hired a new chef from Holland; Remco van der Meer, who has already started working in December. Let’s all welcome him and give him the opportunity to try out new things. There were a lot of good and interesting suggestions from our members in the research, all of which are being seriously discussed. Just a few examples are film nights, live music events, cooking lessons, summer camp and all kinds of food suggestions for the menu.

We, the main committee, are a group of Club members who want to make the members’ experience at the Hollandse Club as good as possible. But to do that, we need the other members too! So if you have good ideas, some spare time or both, please contact anyone of us. Your help is very much appreciated.

Catelijne Botterweck Second Secretary and Subcommittee Coordinator Main Committee Hollandse Club

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 25

Members MEMBERS at Home

The Hilbrink Home Photography by Olivia Kwok

It’s the end of an era, as Events Committee chair, Nancy Hilbrink will be leaving the Hollandse Club and Singapore this January.

She’s off to conquer Hong Kong, where she will definitely make her mark on the social scene, just as she has done with HC events since she became involved in 2009. Nancy and her husband Marcel joined the Club after they attended many of the events Nancy helped sponsor through her employer Asian Tigers Mobility. Everyone who knows and loves her will miss the style and glamour she brought to many great HC evenings, such as the sell-out Fashion Show. “I’ve been involved in so many great events, but what I am most proud of has to be the yearly fashion show. The ladies-only dinner, with different fashion shows in between each course, is a fabulous and fun night. Its also a truly international event, with fashion and women from all over the world,” Nancy explains.

Sunset Boulevard Who could resist an invitation to visit her at her beautiful home in expat favourite, the Sunset neighbourhood, off Clementi Road. As a relocation specialist since 2007, Nancy’s expertise in helping others feel at home here, helped her find her own stylish, ground floor garden apartment. The attraction was the lovely, leafy views and a large sun terrace, where she and her husband dine, while their three dogs Chilli, Scotty and Spiky play. Their condo is a little older, but Nancy prefers the atmosphere you get in an old place to the sterility of the newer condos. It may be an apartment, but it has more of a house-like feeling, with two separate floors. You never feel as though you are surrounded by other apartments.

Like Nancy, her home is warm and feminine. Even though she is an extremely busy PR executive, she always uses her feminine strengths to their best advantage. She’s usually dressed in sophisticated black and white. This colour palette dominates her home too, with splashes of red to add some colour. The effect is anything but cold or sterile. “Marcel and I have such busy lives and jobs. Our home is a place to rest and escape the hustle and bustle. Black and white create calm. Marcel travels a lot and this is the place where we come together and relax,” explains Nancy.

26 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Members

Romance In The Air It’s surprising that such a high-powered businesswoman has so many soft and romantic touches in her home. There are silk flowers, lacy details and a strong touchy, feely quality to her soft furnishings. Nancy adores the cushions she bought from a friend, Barbara Fritschy, who recently started an interior design business, Asian Dock. Barbara put together Nancy’s look with gorgeous items from her collection. Her throw pillows are from Stapelgoed (STGD), available on Barbara’s website.

This brand’s products have a unique and contemporary look and feel. The products are made from truly original fabrics, such as old mailbags and other ‘vintage’ fabrics in wool, cotton and linen, giving every product its own distinct character. Barbara has helped Nancy decorate the apartment where she has felt so at home for the last 8 months. For details of other great products or how to reach Barbara for advice on home styling surf to her website www.asiandock.com.

East Meets West Nancy’s favourite piece in her home is a painting by a Dutch artist, Loes Maier Reudink, who lived and worked in Indonesia and Brunei in the 1990s. The culture and atmosphere of these countries strongly influences the subjects of Reudink’s work. She combines Eastern and Western techniques, motifs and colours, such as in the batik material present in each of her paintings. Women, mostly Indonesian, form the central subject of most of Loes’ work. Nancy fell in love with the painting when it was displayed at an exhibition held at the home of the former Dutch ambassador. The combination of Asian motifs and the red Dutch tulips was an instant hit. Imagine her surprise when Marcel presented her the painting totally out of the blue. It is a great symbol for the couple to take to Hong Kong to remind them of their happy years and good friends in Singapore. We wish them both the best of luck and hope to see them soon at a Hollandse Club event when they visit.

Finally, a huge thanks to Nancy for all her assistance and support with Asian Tigers Mobility sponsoring for the Club and her dedicated work on the Events Committee over the years.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 27

Mums & Tots @ Hollandse Club

This activity is catered for mothers and their infants (newborns to 3 years old). This popular fun activity is held every week, and also a great opportunity for the mums to mingle with other parents and share tips & experiences.

Day – Every Tuesday Time – 10.00am - 11.30am Duration – Weekly Venue – Rotterdam Room Price – Members: - $5.00 (1 kid) - $7.50 (2 kids) - $10.00 (3 kids) For general enquiries, please feel free to contact Eveline Dolleman at 9642 8542.

Food & Beverage

BEVERAGE PROMOTIONS January / February

Featured Beers PURE BLONDE BEER

$8.00 per Bottle / $30.00 per Bucket

This summer, Pure Blonde is set to paint Australia white with the launch of Pure Blonde White Lager - a premium aromatic wheat beer that delivers a refreshingly smooth full flavour.

Wheat beers are traditionally renowned for being heavy in flavour. Pure Blonde White Lager is brewed longer to reduce the carbs and deliver a beer that is easy drinking yet still big on flavour with the added bonus of no artificial preservatives.

A translucent golden colour, this full strength beer has a creamy white head when poured. On the palate, Pure Blonde White Lager has a light hoppy character enhanced by subtle notes of citrus and spices and a smooth clean finish. It’s a thirst quenching and full-flavoured brew.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 29

Food & Beverage

Grilled Lamb

Accompanied by pears poached in red wine and spices, served with creamy mashed potatoes and a mint sauce.

$14.80

NEW ZEALAND SPECIALS January Promotions

Smoked Chicken Salad

Kiwi Cocktail

Thinly sliced red onion and grape salad served with toasted bruchetta and a lime dressing.

With fresh fruits and vanilla crème fraiche

$10.80

$6.80

TERRACE PROMOTIONS

Aromatic Fried Seafood Udon Noodles

Thai ‘Pandan’ Chicken Set

With prawns, squid and mussels topped with sliced carrot and spring onions.

Chicken wrapped in pandan leaves served with vegetables and steamed rice.

$10.80

$9.80

30 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Food & Beverage

Grilled Ribeye Steak

Accompanied by creamy potato and turnip mash and seasonal vegetables.

$18.00

AUSTRALIAN SPECIALS February Promotions

Creamy Butternut Squash and Potato Soup

Fresh Banana in Chocolate Sauce With baked sugar almond flakes and nuts.

Scented with lemongrass.

$6.80

$13.80

TERRACE PROMOTIONS

Sweet & Sour Pork

Nasi Ikan Penyat

$9.80

$10.80

Served with red & green capsicum, onions, baby corn and steamed rice.

Deep fried whole promfret fish, accompanied by vegetables served with scented steamed rice.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 31

Sports & Recreation

MARTIAL ARTS JUDO

FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 YeaRS AND ABOVE

BY GERARD LIM / MELVYNNA TAMBUNAN

Judo, which is translated as the “gentle way”, teaches the principle of flexibility in the application of technique.

Skill, technique and timing, rather than the use of brute strength, are the essential ingredients for success in Judo. For example, in Judo classes you may learn how to give way, rather than use force, to overcome a stronger opponent.

Day/Time: Monday – 11 sessions Wednesday – 12 sessions 4.00pm – 5.00pm (Children’s Novice Class) 4.00pm – 5.00pm (7 years and below) 5.00pm – 6.00pm (7 years & over Reserve class) 5.00pm – 6.00pm (8 years and above) Saturday – 13 sessions 9.00am – 10.00am (7 years & under) 10.00am – 11.00am (7 - 9 years) 11.00am – 12.00pm (9 years & over) Start Date: 4th January 2012 End Date: 31st March 2012 Term Fees: Member $32.50 x number of sessions, Guest $39.50 x number of sessions Min to Start: 6 pax

TAEKWONDO

BY RAYMOND

Taekwondo is one of the most systematic and scientific Korean traditional martial arts, that teaches more than physical fighting skills. It is a discipline that shows ways of enhancing our spirit and life through training our body and mind. Today, it has become a global sport that has gained an international reputation, and stands among the official games in the Olympics.

Day/Time: Saturday – 13 sessions 3.00pm – 4.00pm Start Date: 7th January 2012 End Date: 31st March 2012 Term Fees: Member $279.50, Guest $312.00 Min to Start: 6 pax NEW TERM – REGISTER NOW To Register: Complete S&R Registration Form at the Club’s Reception. Contact Lavina, S&R Executive at 6461 1127 for more information.

BODY WORKOUT WITH ANN YANG CARDIO SCULPT

Combining cardiovascular and muscle sculpting exercises, it is a great class to attend if weight loss is an objective.

This activity increases fat-burning while the strength training increases muscle mass, which in turn increases the body’s metabolism.

Day/Time: Monday – 11 sessions Friday – 12 sessions 9.00am – 10.00am 9.00am – 10.00am Start Date: 9th January 2012 End Date: 30th March 2012 *No class on 23rd January 2012 Min to Start: 6 pax Term Fees: Member $14.00 x number of sessions, Guest $20.50 x number of sessions

STEP AEROBICS

Step Aerobics is distinguished from other forms of aerobic exercise by its use of an elevated platform. The height can be tailored to individual needs by inserting risers under the step. Step aerobics classes are offered at many gyms and fitness centers which have a group exercise program.

Day/Time: Wednesday – 12 sessions 9.00am – 10.00am Start Date: 11th January 2012 Term Fees: Member $168.00, Guest $246.00

End Date: 28th March 2012 Min to Start: 6 pax

PILATES

Pilates is a body conditioning routine that seeks to build flexibility, strength, endurance, and coordination without adding muscle bulk. It uses controlled movements in the form of mat exercises or equipment to tone and strengthen the body.

Day/Time: Tuesday – 11 sessions Thursday – 12 sessions 12.00pm – 1.00pm 8.00pm – 9.00pm Start Date: 10th January 2012 End Date: 29th March 2012 *No class on 24th January 2012 Min to Start: 6 pax Term Fees: Member $16.00 x number of sessions, Guest $22.50 x number of sessions 34 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation

GROOVE IT

DANXERCISE

BELLY DANCE FITNESS

BY SOHEILA FORUGIAN

The Middle Eastern dance (or belly dancing as known in the west) is collection of natural movements performed to the beat of exotic and relaxing music. Unlike jogging or aerobics, belly dancing is a low-impact form of exercise which means that you can enjoy applying the dance movements without placing undue stress on your knees, joints, and feet.

Day/Time: Friday – 4 sessions 10.30am – 11.30am Start Date: 13th January 2012 End Date: 3rd February 2012 Term Fees: Member $94.40, Guest $107.20 Min to Start: 6 pax

LATIN AEROBICS

BY MEERA NAIR

Latin Aerobics is a cardio-based fitness class that consists of both high and low intensity coupled with infectious Latin music. It is an easy rhythmic workout which targets your abs and aback and increases your agility and strength. Engage in a one-hour absolute blast of calorie-burning and body-energizing movements that will get you hooked to working out!

Day/Time: Monday – 7 sessions 11.30am – 12.30pm Start Date: 9th January 2012 End Date: 27th February 2012 *No class on 23rd January 2012 Term Fees: Member $196.00, Guest $231.00 Min to Start: 8 pax

NEW TERM – REGISTER NOW To Register: Complete S&R Registration Form at the Club’s Reception. Contact Lavina, S&R Executive at 6461 1127 for more information.

DANCE DANCE DANCE ZUMBA

BY ZURI KURMALY

Zumba fitness program is an exciting, effective, Latin-inspired, calorie-burning dance fitness-party. The program blends red-hot international music, created by Grammy Award-winning producers, and contagious steps to form a “fitness-party” that is addictive. I am a Certified Zumba Trainer and have been in the fitness industry for over 20 years, teaching in Australia, Thailand, Cyprus, Vietnam and Singapore. I love teaching Zumba classes, because every class feels like a party! Come join me and you’ll see what I mean.

Day/Time: Tuesday – 11 sessions 6.30pm – 7.30pm Thursday – 12 sessions 10.30am – 11.30am Start Date: 9th January 2012 End Date: 29th March 2012 Min to Start: 10 pax Term Fees: Member $20 x number of sessions, Guest $25 x number of sessions

CAPRIOLA DANCE CLASSES

BY LILIAN BROEKHUIZEN

Dance is a great way for children to refine and enhance their gross and fine motor skills while enjoying a variety of music. Besides fundamental ballet moves there is also room for creativity and free expression. Classes will be conducted by a professional dance teacher educated in the Netherlands.

3.30pm – 4.15pm: Ballet / Street Dance, 6-7 year old Combination between a ballet warming up and a dance routine on popular music. During the warming up we will focus on posture as well as flexibility. The street dance part will be movements like you see on television.

4.15pm – 5.00pm: Ballet, 4-5 year old Basic ballet movements will be introduced. The class consists of a warming up and a little dance routine. The last 10 minutes will be used to develop the dancers’ own creativity. We will as well be focusing on flexibility and posture.

5.00pm – 5.45pm: Street Dance, 8-10 year old Popular music and fast dance moves!!! Some dance experience required.

Day/Time: Tuesday – 13 sessions 3.30pm – 5.45pm Start Date: 6th December 2011 End Date: 27th March 2012 Min to Start: 6 pax Term Fees: Member $20 x number of sessions, Guest $24 x number of sessions WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 35

Sports & Recreation

HOCKEY The Hollandse Club Hockey Teams are looking for new players!

Don’t be surprised that the Hollandse Club has its very own group of hockey players who gather for regular trainings.

We have two men’s teams and two ladies’ teams playing at various levels of the Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) leagues. The teams have both Dutch and non-Dutch players! We have hockey training sessions at a Hockey Pitch close to the Botanical Gardens every Wednesday. Beside Hockey, we organize social events and tournaments. Yearly, we play in the well known ZOAT tournament. In recent years this has been held in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Jakarta.

The SHF competition starts in February 2012 and our upcoming event is the ‘Woodenshoe’ Tournament held on 14 January 2012.

We welcome hockey players (especially ladies) of all standards, shapes and sizes. If you are interested in being part of the Club’s hockey team simply approach our listed hockey personnel or Sports & Recreation department or email: marion.schram@gmail.com

Dutch Youth Hockey

Every Sunday between 9.00 and 12.00 am, almost 90 children get together at Hockey Village (but will be moving location). 6 to 13 year olds all play hockey there with great enthusiasm. 14 trainers coach the children in the latest hockey skills. In the meantime, parents drink coffee on the sidelines and discuss Saturday night events with each other.

August to December saw training being given every week. In the meantime, the children played a number of matches against teams from the Stingers, Tanglin Trust and Hockey One. In the new year, there will also be matches played in the CHL (Community Hockey League).

During Sinterklaas, the hockey kids were also treated to a visit from 3 Zwarte Pieten. The youngest youth team even played a game against the Piets. It is no surprise that our talented youngsters won!

The hockey season is traditionally ended with the End of Year Tournament on Sunday, 11th December. This year saw a great battle for prizes. All the kids received a medal and the best teams even got to take home a beautiful cup. Mr. Boon and his colleagues made the morning even more of a success with yummy poffertjes and watermelon.

All that remains is to thank the trainers who are wide awake (in most cases) and ready on the field for the children every Sunday morning.

Super! We will start the new session on Sunday, 5th February 2012 will be the start of the new season at CCAB, 21 Evans Road. If your children wish to take part in hockey, please contact us. Our email address is: Dutchyouthhockey@hotmail.com We wish you a healthy and sporty 2012!!

36 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation The International Hockey Masters Tournament

By Sander Scheepens From 28 October to 5 November, Singapore was the proud host of the International Masters Hockey Tournament, which is the de facto world cup for veteran’s hockey. 42 teams from all over the world participated in various age categories (Women 35+, Men 40+, 45+, 50+,55+, 60+). The tournament was organized by the Singapore Veterans’ Hockey Association (SVHA). Many Hollandse Club hockey players are active members of the SVHA and also two members are represented on the board (Sascha Roosen and myself).

The Hollandse Club made a big contribution to the success of the tournament by hosting the Gala Dinner. The two tennis pitches in front of the tennis pavilion were converted into a great party location. Mr Boon and the Hollandse Club team did a fantastic job yet again, as it is not an easy task to organize a buffet for more than 900 people!

As no team from the Netherlands was able to participate, the SVHA invited a men’s and a women’s team from the Hollandse Club to participate. The Women’s team participated in the 35+ tournament. Other teams in this competition were from Hong Kong, Singapore and Korea. The Hollandse Club team won the bronze medal after beating Singapore and scoring a draw against Hong Kong. The Korean team was the clear winner. This team consisted of many players who represented Korea during the Olympics in 1996, when they won the silver medal!

The HC men’s team participated in the 40+ age competition, which is the main tournament. 12 teams signed up: New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Austria, England, Scotland, Ireland, Indonesia, India and the Hollandse Club team. The Hollandse Club team was ranked 12th and were put in the group with New Zealand, Malaysia, Scotland, India and Ireland. The Dutch team preparation well with friendly matches against Singapore (1-1) and the Australia 45+ team (4-2 win!!). Expectations were, therefore, high! The team lost narrowly against Malaysia (2-1), had a heroic fight against New Zealand (5-0 loss), were unlucky against the Scots (2-0 loss) but had spectacular victories against Ireland (4-2) and India (3-0). The Dutch team ended 4th in the Group and had to play for 7th place against Austria. This game was scheduled after the Gala Dinner. The Dutch team was not quite on top form as many players were too tempted to show Singapore night life to other teams. This was not the best preparation for the final match against Austria. The Dutch team lost and ended 8th.

With the good performances from both teams and the great organization of the Gala Dinner, the Hollandse Club had a lot of positive exposure to a very international crowd and also towards the Singaporean community. The Hollandse Club Hockey Section has reinforced its status as great ambassadors for the Club and the Netherlands in Singapore.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 37

Sports & Recreation

GYM New in the Proshop

If you’re a nutrition-savvy athlete, you’re already well aware of the benefits staged proteins and slow-burning carbohydrates provide.

The protein primes muscles for rebuilding after the breakdown of training or competition, and the carbohydrates fuel your efforts.

Optimum Nutrition’s Wholly Oats bars offer a delicious alternative to a bowl of oatmeal and protein shake – an alternative that can easily be taken along to the gym, the competition or wherever your busy day takes you. It makes a great between meals snack too.

Available Flavours: ON WHOLLY OATS CHOC PEANUT BUTTER 77G ON WHOLLY OATS Strawberries & CREAM 79G 100% Whey Crisp Bars complement what Gold Standard 100% Whey does for pre-workout priming and post-workout recovery. With 25 grams of fast-acting whey protein and carbohydrates from both fast and slow sources, you can power up for a great workout or recover and replenish immediately afterward. Of course, you always have the option of enjoying a crispy high-protein snack anywhere, anytime. Take a bite out of your daily protein requirements with the only all-whey bar made with crisps.

Available Flavours: ON 100% WHEY CRISP BAR DBL RICH CHOC 70G

True Strength; show us what you’ve got.

ON 100% WHEY CRISP BAR MARSHMALLOW TREAT 70G

New Golf Balls

New Wilson DX2 golf balls with the Hollandse Club logo is now available at the Proshop!

FOR GYM USERS TO ALL “EARLY BIRDS”

From 6:00am to 7:00am the last gate going down to the Tennis Court will be opened instead of The Rooms side gate.

Please note that staff will only be on duty from 7am.

GYM ETIQUETTE & HYGIENE

• Kindly return weight plates and dumbbells back to the rack after use • For hygiene reason, please clean the equipment with disinfectant after use • A towel on the bench and mats will definitely be a cleaner option than bare sweaty body!

GUEST USAGE

All Guests are to be accompanied and signed-in by a member at the Gym Reception.

A $20 charge will be billed directly to the Member’s account for the daily guest usage. *Only applicable to overseas guests.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 39

Sports & Recreation

TENNIS TENNIS What’s on

The Davis Cup 2011 The Davis Cup is always the tennis highlight of the year! That’s the feedback the tennis committee received from many players before the tournament started. Each year, the fight for “ownership” of the cup is serious, but fun always has the upper hand. As the teams consist of many different levels of players, you never know who you’re going to play. Even with the various captains’ serious strategies, it is hard to predict the results of the game.

This year, there were 7 teams and it was a challenge to create a good format so everyone would play a enough great matches. Of course, the fun started far before the first service was hit, with captains sending each other e-mails about secret training camps and jokes about each other’s team colours.

The Friday night games were quite competitive and the after-tennis-drinks party was very subdued due to the early Saturday morning start of the teams.

Half way through Saturday there was already a team that had far more points then the others. Team “Rest of the World”, who (modestly) nicknamed themselves to “best of the world”, proved indeed to be the best that day and walked away with the cup after the traditional christening with champagne. Too bad the rain then reached the club and we had to cut the tournament short. However, there were great prizes to be won in the lucky draw. We all had a great time and I think that once again we can look back on another “tennis highlight of the year”!

Thanks to all the enthusiastic players, supporters and organisers. Keep training!

Jan U14 Champion of Singapore 2011 After competing for the Singapore Junior Title six times, Jan van den Berg became the U14 Champion 2011. For the first time, he overcame the quarterfinals, played his best tennis in the semi-finals and won the finals with 6-1 7-5.

His 2007 switch from soccer to tennis has paid off. He started playing tennis at the Hollandse Club with SAVITAR. In 2008, he won the Hollandse Club Junior Championships and in May 2011, he became the Hollandse Club Champion in the Senior Championships.

Now he is the Singapore Junior SPEX Champion, preparing for his next challenge: competing in an ITF (International Tennis Federation) Tournament. Being asked for the National Elite Training Squad of the Singapore Tennis Association, has driven his ambitions to the next level.

40 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation Tennis Events Oliebollen Tournament Youth – 20th January 2012 Friday Fun Night – 27th January 2012 Doubles Tournament (Member-Member/Member-Guest) – 3rd March 2012 Club Championships – 18th - 20th May 2012 Junior Club Championships – 1st - 3rd June 2012

WEEKLY SOCIALS AND CONTACT PERSONNEL Monday Wednesday Friday Friday Saturday Sunday Sunday

Ladies’ Social Mixed Socials Internal Ladies’ Competition Junior Social Mens’ Social Mixed Socials Family Courts

9.00am – 12.00pm 7.00pm – 9.00pm 8.30am – 11.00am 5.00pm - 7.00pm 2.00pm – 5.00pm 4.00pm – 7.00pm 9.00am – 12.00pm

4 2 3 2 3 2 2

Courts Courts Courts Courts Courts Courts Courts

Maja Duyverman Valdo David Janna van Duyn Frances de Haas / Ineke Hollman Robert de Bruin Valdo David Book a court via Club’s Reception

9750 9109 9642 8499 9234 9109

7124 2856 1190 5471 / 9771 0604 7965 2856

TENNIS COMMITTEE Marianne Doele (Convener) Barbara Drenth Young-Min Bouman Patrice Plet

9852 8431 8160 9833

6435 7556 1179 4038

Want to be sure to get all information on tennis activities?

Send an e-mail to: tenniscommittee@hollandseclub.org.sg and we will put you on the mailing list.

Coaches’ Corner We are often asked as coaches what age should our children start tennis.

As young as possible, right?

Well yes, and no. Clearly getting an early start in any activity allows a participant to have more skill mastery by the time their peers join them a year or two later. We only have to witness child musicians to be impressed by their skill mastery at such a young age. However, the big question is how quickly did these skills develop; would they have developed even faster if the child was held back a year. For example kids below and around 4 have great difficulty tracking a bouncing ball. They work well in the 2 dimensional plane e.g. a rolling ball. Actually, the ability to track a 3 dimensional object such as a bouncing tennis ball comes about a year later in most children. A major point is to avoid the experience of feeling like a failure. It doesn’t matter how funny, nice or knowledgeable a coach is, at the end of the day, the experience of feeling failure is a very strong force linked to motivation. Too many failure experiences result in a failure to connect with the activity and a loss of enjoyment. How many adult athletes have given up tennis who were great ralliers, but unable to correctly perform the serve. The failure experience leads, through pressure, to anxiety, embarrassment and then finding another activity that is more comfortable.

We need to manage failure and transition our kids carefully through to appropriate activities for their stages in motor skill development.

As parents and coaches, we have to find a balance. Although we would like to fast track all of our kids to perfect technique, the risk is of feeling like a failure is too great, particularly if the techniques are too complex for their age and stage of learning.

Tennis coaching has undergone a major change in methodology over the last decade. It has moved away from model based learning to principle based learning. In short, gone are the days of 200 back hands down the line in a row. In its place is what is called the game based approach. The game based approach is based on getting kids playing the game from their first session. We use modified court sizes, and mini nets to avoid the failure experience and increase the positive experiences and success rate. Even the balls that are used are low compression to bounce at a suitable height and two tone coloured to get kids observing the ball and the spin. Methods are principle based, such as “low to high” swings rather than “copy my perfect model over and over again”. If the ball goes out, we talk about adding topspin, etc. If the balls go into the net, we talk about lifting. Tennis is now an open activity we play; we learn through principle based comments, and we challenge. Previously we learnt, we learnt, we learnt again, and many would drop out of programs before they reached the challenge or master stages.

Here at the Hollandse Club, our coaches are a highly qualified team of professionals who keep their skills up to date with workshops, reading and professional development programs. You may not notice it but that fun, crazy game your coach may be playing with catching or throwing, or those modified courts could be the perfect prescription for developing the fundamental motor skills needed to correctly perform that tennis skill coming up in the furture. As we begin the new year, I encourage all families to stay active and keep the motor skill development of their kids progressing during the holiday period, even while off the court. Enjoy games that involve running, throwing, catching and decision making and watch your kids tennis take off when the new season commences.

2012 Junior Tennis Coaching Program The tennis coaching team would like to welcome all members back from the holiday break. Any parents wishing to enrol their children in one of our specialized programs or begin individual lessons can contact the Tennis Director, Scott Johnston on 9038 9348 or email at scott.johnston@savitargroup.com Savitar’s Junior Tennis Program’s goal is to provide a pathway for participation and development, whilst creating a fun environment in which to learn. Savitar will cover the entire development cycle from pre-tennis ‘Skill Builders’ to advanced squad coaching. Players can proceed through each structured program, building their skills and enthusiasm for the game at each level. All programs are conducted

by Savitar’s team of certified professionals in a positive and safe environment. In addition, Savitar’s successful Tennis Camps are an excellent way to make use of holiday periods to develop your game further.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 41

Sports & Recreation

SWIMMING HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL HOLLANDSE CLUB MEMBERS THE AQUADUCKS TEAM WISHES YOU GREAT HEALTH, PEACE AND JOY FOR 2012. IT WILL BE YOUR BEST YEAR YET. Awards Swimming November 2011 We had over 160 children swimming for their awards. Well done to all the children and coaches!!

Whether you are a Duckie, Distance, Proficiency or an A, B, C award winner; all the children deserve a big round of applause. A big thank you goes to the parents for letting your child join in, as motivating your child is much easier if they follow an award swimming program. Regardless of which level the child is swimming at, parent’s positive reactions really count. The more the child is being celebrated, the better and faster the child will learn and progress in swimming. See the pictures below of an awesome award swimming in November 2011. There was sunshine, rain and all the while the show went on!!

Looking forward to an even greater year in 2012; in which the children will enjoy their swimming lessons, learn fast and understand the meaning of teamwork.

For new members who are interested in swimming lesson please fill in a registration form at the reception and we will get back to you asap. Come and Join the fun!

Calendar 2012 Note These Dates: 19 February - Neptune League hosted by Southern Cross Dragons 29 April - Neptune League hosted by British Club 13 May - Hollandse Club Championships 27 May - Neptune League round 3 hosted by SICC 10 June - Biathlon 16 September - Neptune League Round 4 hosted by Hollandse Club.

24-28 September - 4 Day Swimming Event 4 November - Neptune League Round 5 hosted by Swiss Club There will be two rounds of award swimming dates, to be confirmed later, probably in the first weeks of June and December to avoid other events and public holidays. Please note that these dates might be subject to change. Therefore always be attentive to emails send out.

Note: taking part in the Neptune League swimming competitions is by invitation only.

Other events are for all to join in!

Do email us at hollandse.aquaducks@gmail.com if you have any enquiries or questions.

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 43

Sports & Recreation

SQUASH Lets start the year with a Bang!!!

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same We now find ourselves in a new year and a new set of challenges and competitions.

The Squash Section with the unflinching support of the Main Committee is moving ahead with new and improved delivery of leisure product. Stick with us and you will not regret it.

The new National Squash League season starts in 02/12 and if you are thinking of playing in league come and try out with us from the 20 of Jan when we will conduct trials for team places. Bruno – our Club Captain, Paul – Chairman of Selection and Maree – Ladies Captain are the arbiter to grades.

Yes this is not a typo. This year we will have a ladies team representing our club in competition – this is a huge leap ahead and we welcome their participation.

There is a full calendar for 2012 and there are many events you can participate in either individually or with your family. Our internal league is a system which brings everyone together around squash and it is not only a good game of squash but also a good social event.

The first event is the Veterans tournament which will be on the 14 and 15 of January and if for people over 40. This will be a big weekend and will kick start the year.

Our members have actively participated in tournaments outside the club and increasingly find themselves linked in with players from other clubs and around the region. It has been one of our major successes in 2012 as clubs not just in Singapore but in Asia know who we are and want to play us.

Young talent “If they are good enough they are old enough” – Sir Alex Ferguson In the 2012 NSL season we will include for the first time a 15 year old. He is an amazing talent and we hope he will ignite the spark of interest and blaze a trail for the other youngsters to follow. It is unusual for us to have youngsters coming trough but when they do it is really exciting to be involved in their development.

Perhaps in a few year he will be too good to play us but by then we hope he will have fond memories of the Hollandse Club where it all started for him.

44 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Sports & Recreation Junior Squash – The Academy We are pleased to announce the commencement of the Junior Academy which will start in Jan 2012. This will represent a major step forward in activities offered to children which will grow over the course of the year.

The essence of the programs will be that the Juniors have to enjoy learning and developing squash skills. The challenge for what is an individual sport is to develop skills within a group and create a “team” atmosphere.

Whilst we would like the Juniors to develop their skills quickly we will not pressure them; what we will do is to expose them to competition and get them to play the senior fraternity. We will get them to participate in external junior competitions, mini leagues, internal leagues and boxes. This exposure will allow the kids to develop while they are learning basic skills through formal coaching Leading the coaching for the Academy will be Mark Liew – Coaching Director and Mark Pickard both gentlemen are experienced in coaching Juniors.

The Academy will be overseen by the Squash Committee.

Coaching Mark Liew – Lead Coach Mark has extensive experience in coaching both juniors and seniors and has been actively involved the set up and developments of Squash Academies in Singapore.

His coaching methods are inclined to the modern game with a focus on stroke play and court movement. He looks to get the best out of his students and is focused on getting them to reach their full potential.

Mark will conduct the organized group events and also be available for private coaching Mark Pickard A native of Huston, Mark is a part time coach and his interests are to develop junior coaching. He has a holistic approach and he is interested to see his student compete in leagues and competitions.

Yeo Kian Bee Mr Yeo has been with the Club for some time now and he has a traditional approach focused on technique.

Mr Yeo is available for private coaching

2012 Squash Calendar January

July

• 14/15 Hollandse Club Veterans Open Tournament • Play off for the Internal League • 20-31 Trials for NSL team

• Hollandse Club Open • Annual Exchange with Singapore Cricket Club - Oranje Bowl

Feburary • National Squash League Starts • Start of Internal Ladder/Boxes

March • NSL • Internal Ladder/Boxes

April • NSL • Internal Ladder Boxes

August • Start of COSMO league • Annual Exchange with Warren Golf and Country Club

September • Start of the Internal League • Annual Tour to Manila

October • Hollandse Club Junior Open Competition

November

May

• Hollandse Club Ladies Tournament

• NSL Conclusion • Royal Air Force (UK) Tour

December • Play Off for Internal League

June • NSL Individual Graded Competition • Annual Squash Tour to Jakarta

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 45

Sports & Recreation

GOLF Saturday morning at 7 am on 10 December, 15 golf enthusiasts were waiting outside the Hollandse Club for the buses that would take them to Johor Bahru.

The beautiful golf course at Horizon Hills was their destination for December’s Hollandse Club monthly golf trip. The first tee off was shortly after arrival at Horizon Hills. The “Texas Scramble format” ensured there was interesting golf for beginners and more advanced players alike. After playing, there was lunch in the club house and everyone agreed that all were winners that day. It was such a pleasure to play golf with each other and to make the day a successful one together.

A big thank you to the organizing committee and especially to Dean Chee, who did a great job with all the logistics.

By Frank Esser

The final Hollandse Club Golf Social outing for the year took place on Saturday, 10 December at Horizon Hills in Malaysia. Fifteen golfers set out bright and early to experience Malaysian customs efficiency at its best and arrived at the impressive Horizon’s Hills Club House, an hour later, ready for action.

This month, we played a ‘Texas scramble format’. This is a very social version of the game, where the best shot from each team is chosen and all players hit from that spot. Given that you have four chances at every shot, lots of low scores were achieved, with two groups sharing the top spot with a respectable 6 over, off the stick. The course was a little wet under foot – given all the recent rain - but was an impressive challenge. Several Par 5s forced smart play rather than just blasting down the middle, with water and lots of bunkers testing each team’s ability to the maximum. On the greens, the speed got the better of some of us and had our caddies shaking their heads in disbelief. Even with four chances to sink a putt from the same spot, we all still missed. What a disaster! Back at the club house, we spent a pleasant hour or two replenishing our fluid levels. We discussed the shots that should or could have been and got excited about doing battle with the Tuas second crossing all over again.

We have had some great outings during 2011. There were many trips to Batam, a great day at Ria Bintan, one of the region’s top courses, and a pleasant Friday afternoon round at Warren Country Club here in Singapore. The common theme throughout all these outings is that it is all about the FUN of the game. No one cares if you are a single figure golfer or a beginner struggling with the game. Each month, there are at least 10 golfers – men and women – looking forward to testing themselves against a new course and most importantly, enjoying a few drinks and a bite to eat at the 19th with new friends.

So if you are a golfer, of any standard, look out for the notices in the magazine and at the reception and come and join us in 2012 for a round or two.

Merry Christmas and we hope you get many birdies in 2012 .

The Golf Committee

Upcoming Golf Social Event January 14th

Location to be confirmed, look out for more details

February 11th

Location to be confirmed, look out for more details

For general enquiries, please email your interest to Dean Chee, Sports & Recreation Manager at sportsrec@hollandseclub.org.sg

Reciprocal Club: 1. Orchid Country Club 2. Sembawang Country Club - Special Golfing Privilege: Every Tuesday – Friday, 18 holes $160(GST inclusive) per flight of 4 players.

Price includes: • $5 meal coupon (redemption on the date of play) • Green & buggy fees • Twin sharing buggy *Promotion not valid if public holiday falls on the above days.

Booking allowed 3 days in advance.

46 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Golf Social Sponsor:

Sports & Recreation

Hollandse Club Classes index CLASS

DAY

TIME

A Aerobics (Step)

Wednesday

0900 - 1000 Rotterdam Ann Yang

6461 1127

Aqua Aerobics

Wednesday

1100 - 1200 Swimming pool Nancy Jansen

6461 1159 9225 7310

B Belly Dancing (Rythmnic Fitness) Friday

1030 – 1130 Rotterdam Soheila Forughian

6461 1127

1930 - 2300 Various

Franciska Ho

6259 3864

0900 - 1230 Various

Franciska Ho

6259 3864

0900 - 1000 Rotterdam Ann Yang

6461 1127

Tuesday

1530 - 1745 Rotterdam

Lilian Broekhuizen

6461 1127

H Hockey (Ladies)

Wednesday

2000 - 2100

CCAB Marion Schram

8101 8060

Hockey (Men)

Wednesday

2100 - 2200

CCAB

9651 5488

Hockey (Youth) Sunday

0900 - 1100

CCAB Madelon Delfos

9777 5544

J Judo (Children’s Novice Class) Monday

1600 - 1700 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Judo (7 & Over-Reserve class) Monday

1700 - 1800 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Judo (7 & Below)

1600 - 1700 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Saturday

0900 - 1000 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Judo (8 & Above)

1700 - 1800 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Judo (7 - 9 Years) Saturday

1000 - 1100 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

Judo (9yrs & above) Saturday

1100 - 1200 Rotterdam Gerard Lim

6461 1127

L Latin Aerobics Monday

1130 - 1230 Rotterdam Meera Nair

6461 1127

M Mahjong

Friday

0900 - 1200 Terrace Iris Karakashian

6468 8653

P Personal Training

By Appointment - Gym Ashraf

6461 1127

Bridge (Duplicate) Tuesday

Friday

C Cardio Sculpt Mon/Fri D

Dance (Ballet, Street, Baby Movement)

Wednesday Wednesday

VENUE

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT

Joost van Baardwijk

Pilates Tuesday

1200 - 1300 Rotterdam Ann Yang

6461 1127

Thursday

2000 - 2100 Rotterdam Ann Yang

6461 1127

S Squash (Training) Monday

1900 - 2100 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Tuesday

1900 - 2100 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Squash (Ladies Social)

1900 - 2100 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Squash (Internal League/Social) Thursday

1900 - 2200 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Squash (Social) Saturday

1400 - 1700 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Sunday

1600 - 1900 Squash court Gautam Mukerji

9088 5519

Mon-Sat

Various Swimming pool Nancy Jansen

6461 1159 9225 7310

T Taekwondo Saturday

1500 - 1600 Rotterdam Raymond Chin

6461 1127

Tennis (Free Family Courts) Sunday

0900 - 1200 Tennis court Reception

6464 5225

Swimming Lessons / Competition

Wednesday

Tennis (Junior Social)

Friday

1700 – 1900 Tennis court

Frances de Haas Ineke Hollman

Tennis (Ladies Competition)

Friday

0830 - 1100 Tennis court

Janna van Duyn

9642 1190

Tennis (Ladies Social) Monday

0900 - 1200 Tennis court Maja

9750 7124

Tennis (Men’s Social) Saturday

1400 - 1700 Tennis court Robert de Bruin

9234 7965

Tennis (Mixed Social)

1900 - 2100 Tennis court Valdo David

9109 2856

1500 - 1900 Tennis court Valdo David

9109 2856

Tennis Lessons Mon-Sat Various Tennis court Scott Johnston

9038 9348

Z Zumba Tuesday

1830 - 1930 Rotterdam

Zuri Kurmaly

6461 1127

Thursday

1030 - 1130 Rotterdam

Zuri Kurmaly

6461 1127

Wednesday

Sunday

8499 5471 9771 0604

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 47

LIBRARY

BOOKSHELF Jan / Feb 2012

English Books “1Q84“

by Murakami

“The Litigators“

by John Grisham

Murakami is like a magician who explains what he’s doing as he performs the trick and still makes you believe he has supernatural powers... But while anyone can tell a story that resembles a dream, it’s the rare artist, like this one, who can make us feel that we are dreaming it ourselves.

- The New York Times Book Review

Oscar Finley: street cop turned street lawyer. Wally Figg: Expert hustler and ambulance-chaser. David Zinc: Harvard Law School graduate. Together, this unlikely trio make up Finley & Figg: Specialists in injury claims, quickie divorces and DUIs. None of them has ever faced a jury in federal court. But they are about to take on one of the biggest pharmaceutical companies in the States. David gave up his lucrative career at Chicago’s leading law firm for this: the chance to help the little guy stand up to the big corporations. But if Finley & Figg have right on their side, why do his new partners feel the need to carry guns in their briefcases? David thought he was used to cut-throat law from his days at Rogan Rothberg, but this is something else.He knows he was right to get out.He just may live to regret his new choise of firm...

The year is 1984 and the city is Tokyo.

A young woman named Aomame follows a taxi driver’s enigmatic suggestion and begins to notice puzzling discrepancies in the world around her. She has entered, she realizes, a parallel existence, which she calls 1Q84 - Q is for ‘question mark.’ A world that bears a question.

Meanwhile, an aspiring writer named Tengo takes on a suspect ghostwriting project. He becomes so wrapped up with the work and its unusual author that, soon, his previously placid life begins to come unraveled.

As Aomame’s and Tengo’s narratives converge over the course of this single year, we learn of the profound and tangled connections that bind them ever closer: a beautiful, dyslexic teenage girl with a unique vision; a mysterious religious cult that instigated a shoot-out with the metropolitan police; a reclusive, wealthy dowager who runs a shelter for abused women; a hideously ugly private investigator; a mild-mannered yet ruthlessly efficient bodyguard; and a peculiarly insistent television-fee collector.

A love story, a mystery, a fantasy, a novel of self-discovery, a dystopia to rival George Orwell’s - 1Q84 is Haruki Murakami’s most ambitious undertaking yet: an instant best seller in his native Japan, and a tremendous feat of imagination from one of our most revered contemporary writers.

English Children’s Books

“The Smurfs“

by Peyo Smurfapalooza graphic novel.

“The Amazing Voyage“

by Geronimo Stilton Already the third trip to the kingdom of Fantasy for Geronimo Stilton.

“Steve Jobs“

by Walter Isaacson This book is not only for those passionate about technology and Apple.

“The Son of Neptune“

by Rick Riordan Hero Percy Jackson in another Quest.

“The Sixth Man“

by David Baldacci A story about a wrong man behind bars.

“One Day“

by David Nicholls A feel good novel about two people over twenty years, for anyone who ever wanted someone they couldn’t have.

Library Opening Hours Monday

10.00am - 12.00pm

Tuesday

10.00am - 1.00pm 3.00pm - 5.00pm

Wednesday

4.15pm - 6.00pm

Thursday

11.00am - 2.00pm 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Saturday

2.00pm - 5.00pm

Please Note: The Library will be closed until Sunday, 8th January 2012 Inconvienience much regretted.

Library Team

Closed on Fridays, Sundays & Public Holidays.

Library needs new volunteers, If you have time a few hours a week, please leave your name and contact number at the reception.

For more enquiries and information regarding all library matters you may contact library@hollandseclub.org.sg or pass your details to the Reception.

48 The Hollandse Club WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg

Club Information

COMMITTEE MEMBERS Festivities Committee Chairperson: Vacant Members: Vacant Kids Committee Chairperson: Eva Bell 9298 5924 Members: Vacant Membership Committee Alex Lambeek Young-Min Bouman Catelijne Botterweck

Mums & Tots Co-ordinator Eveline Dolleman 9642 8542 Library Committee Convenor: Hian Tan 6468 4004 Members: Liesbeth van der Hulst, Marianne Prahl, Corine Brouwer, Cora Smouter, Joossien Dessing, Angela Bowskill, Marie Mol, Sharan Gill, Cynthia Andrade.

Finance Committee Chairperson: Bas Winkel Members: Then Wee Lin, David van Peursen, Wietske Helle & Berend Deiters F&B Committee Chairperson: Jean-Paul Deslypere 9826 2598 Members: Patricia Butin Bik, Sytske Rijkens, Azaa Undeejav Jargalma & Nienke Nauta-Kuipers Sports Committee Chairperson: Guido Nieuwenhuijzen

FACILITY INFORMATION Club Opening Hours Sun - Thur 7.00am - 11.00pm Fri - Sat 7.00am - 1.00am

Squash Courts Mon - Sun

7.00am - 11.00pm

Court Bookings: reception@hollandseclub.org.sg

General Office Hours Mon - Fri 9.00am - 6.00pm Tel: 6464 5225 (Reception) Fax: 6468 6272

Swimming Pool Mon - Sun 8.00am - 10.00pm NB: Closure times for competitive swimming: Mon / Tue / Wed / Thur 5pm - 7.30pm (Two lanes will remain open) Last Friday each month 5.00pm - 7.00pm *At least two lanes will remain open on School Holidays between Monday to Friday

Lost & Found Items Please contact the Housekeeper Tel: 6461 1114 or Reception Tel: 6464 5225

Tennis Courts (Booking required) Mon - Sun 7.00am - 11.00pm Court Bookings: reception@hollandseclub.org.sg Child Minding Service 1 to 6 years Mon - Fri 8.30am - 12.00pm Tel: 6461 1150

Food & Beverage outlets The Lounge Mon - Sun 9.00am - Closing

(Last order 9.45pm) Reservations: Reception Tel: 6464 5225 or Email: rm@hollandseclub.org.sg (Closed on Monday) Bun at Serambi Tue - Thur

Fri, Sat & Sun

11.00am - 3.00pm 5.00pm - 10.00pm (Last order 9.30pm).

11.00am - 10.00pm (Last order 9.30pm)

(Closed on Monday) Terrace Mon - Sun

8.00am - 11.00pm (Last order 10.00pm)

(Beverages available until closing) Belgium Beer Bar Mon to Fri 8.00am - 12.00pm

6.00pm - 10.00pm Sat, Sun & PH 8.00am - 12.00pm

4.00pm - 11.00pm

For special opening hours for events, please ask at reception. During opening hours a limited menu is served.

Tradewinds Bar Sun - Thur Fri - Sat Eve PH & PH

11.00am - 11.00pm 11.00am - 1.00am 11.00am - 1.00am

Pool Bar Mon - Sun

10.00am - 7.00pm

Sports & Recreation Facilities Bowling Alley Tue - Fri Sat, Sun Eve PH & PH Closed on Monday

10.00am - 10.00pm 9.00am - 10.00pm

Gymnasium Mon - Sun

7.00am - 10.00pm

Library Mon-Thur Fri

Sat

11.00am - 5.00pm 10.00am - 12.00pm 4.00pm - 6.30pm 10.00am - 12.00pm 2.00pm - 5.00pm

Multi-purpose Sports Court Mon - Sun 8.00am - 10.00pm Please check availability with reception before using Sports Pro-shop (at gym) Mon to Sun 9.00am - 7.00pm

Mums & Tots Group Newborn to 4 years Rotterdam Room 10.00am - 11.30am The Puppy Club (For children aged from 1 to 6 years) Mon - Thur 12.00pm - 8.00pm Fri 12.00pm - 10.00pm Sat & PH 10.00am - 10.00pm Sun 10.00am - 8.00pm Juniors Room (For children aged 7 years and above) Mon - Thur 12.00pm - 8.00pm Fri 12.00pm - 10.00pm Sat & PH 10.00am -10.00pm Sun 10.00am - 8.00pm The Chillout Room (For children aged 12 years and above) Mon - Sun 10.00am - 9.00pm

WWw.hollandseclub.org.sg The Hollandse Club 49