March-April 2009
Angler’s Dream:
Fishing at RCC in April RCC Newsletter gets a new look Get involved in your newsletter
Lee Ek Tieng, Chairman Robert Yap, Deputy Chairman
CONTENTS
Committees General Committee Kee Sue Gee, President Lek Seow Yam, Vice-President Tan Chin Huat, Captain Yap Giau Peck, Treasurer Peter Tan P K, Secretary Charles Lim A C, Member John Tan K S, Member Kay Kong Swan, Member Perry Kwek K L, Member Ven Sreenivasan, Member
Golfing Sub-Committee Tan Chin Huat, Captain Kay Kong Swan, Vice-Captain May Mak, Lady Captain Henry Chiam, Member Hoong Bee Lok, Member Lawrence Lee, Member Mark Higgs, Member Sng Cheng Kang, Member Tan Cheng Hai, Member
Finance Sub-Committee Yap Giau Peck, Chairman Ho Chye Hoi, Member Quek Eng Chye, Member
Audit Committee Charles Lim Aeng Cheng, Chairman Tan Hong Bak, Member Stanley Tien Lee, Member
House & Recreation Sub-Committee Lek Seow Yam, Chairman Perry Kwek Khin Lian, Vice-Chairman Henry Ho Kok Wai, Member Aurora Regacho, Member Ong Ho Kiat, Member Kelvin Tan Lip Kwang, Member
02
Food & Beverage Captain’s Message
Club News
04 06 07 08 09 10 plus Men’s Senior Medals 11 Anglers’ Dream
Revamping our newsletter
The Hole-in-One Feeling
Hole-in-One Achievements
December Monthly Medals January Monthly Medals
Men’s & Ladies’ Champion Medallists
Social & Recreation
12 14
Jungle Safari Countdown Party Lunar New Year Crooning
16 17
Specials at Golfers’ Terrace Shanshui Palace
Reciprocal Club
18 19
Meru Valley Golf & Country Club
Table of reciprocal and affiliated clubs
Calendar Of Events
21
Calendar Of Events
Instruction
23
Playing Palm 18
Reminisces
24
From Swamp Land to Pristine Courses
Club Information Club Officials
Handicap Sub-Committee
Peter Tan P K, Chairman John Tan Kheen Seng, Co-Chairman Ven Sreenivasan, Member Edmond Ang Eng Huat, Member Kelvin Mok Siew Kit, Member Paul Nalliah Jacob, Member
Golfing Wing Upgrading Adhoc Committee Kee Sue Gee, Chairman Hoong Bee Lok, Vice-Chairman Lek Seow Yam, Member Lau See Kiat, Member Loo Boon Kang, Member Ong Thiam Huat, Member
n T h e Cover
Corporate & Communications Sub-Committee
Chew Ming Sun proudly holds aloft his catch of the day.
O
Kay Kong Swan, Chairman May Mak, Member Mark Higgs, Member Lawrence Lee Beng Teck, Member
Captain’s MESSAGE
Captain’s Message Single golfers must also be aware that they cannot demand to overtake a slower group. If all golfers adopt a courteous attitude on our courses, we believe all users of our courses will enjoy their games more. largely transparent, unsegmented roundworms (pictured below). These nematodes live in the soil and feed on the roots of turf grass, greatly reducing plant growth by damaging the root system. As many as 20,000 individuals can be found in one pint of soil.
The heavy rainfall and wet weather for the most part of 2008 affected the greens on both courses. The unusually damp and wet conditions frequently caused outbreaks of nematode infestation, which affected some greens more than others. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that often live in the soil and attack a wide range of host plants. Most nematodes that attack turfgrass are microscopic, slender,
With the limited pesticides available, the treatment has been long and laborious. Many samples were sent abroad for testing and our maintenance programme had to be reviewed and revised. We
had to experiment with a variety of application rates that would allow a maximum intake of nutrients without damaging the turf. The experiments yielded positive results with a combination of foliar applications. The turf in return started to grow and positive results on the root system were seen. A variety of foliar applications were used on the greens daily. This means a substantial increase in expenditures on fertilisers and approved pest control chemicals. Recent tests have shown that the nematode count on all greens has been reduced and the drier weather conditions and bright sunshine since the beginning of 2009 has speeded up the recovery process. With RCC Golf Palm 18
Captain’s MESSAGE
healthy roots, the greens now display a healthy texture and lushness. With the new government smoking legislation, smoking will not be allowed in nearly all areas of the Clubhouse, except designated smoking areas. Though the golf course is not covered by this legislation, we would like to remind golfers that our Club’s Bye-laws allow smoking only on the tee boxes. This means you have to stub out your cigarettes before you leave the tee boxes. Please do this in the ashtrays on the tee boxes or in the buggies. In the current exceptionally dry weather, a lighted cigarette may cause a fire. Also, cigarette butts discarded on our courses are an ugly sight and leave a bad impression of our Club. Our Club’s current practice is to allow members to play 18 holes by themselves on weekdays when the courses are not crowded. Though
such golfers do not have rights, it would be courteous for slower groups of golfers to let such golfers pass. The single golfer must also be aware that he or she cannot demand to overtake a slower group. If all golfers adopt a courteous attitude on our courses, we believe all users of our courses will enjoy their games more.
The SGA Inter-Club League will be starting soon. We thank members for coming forward to represent the Club and we wish you every success in your games.
TAN CHIN HUAT Captain
Condolences On behalf of the Raffles Country Club and all its members, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to Mrs Wendy Oh and her family on the passing of her beloved husband, Philip Oh. I got to know Philip well when he served in the Golfing Committee from 1996 to 2005. His warm personality won him the respect of staff and members of the Club. He contributed much in his own quiet way, always generously supporting our annual Raffles Charity Open through his sponsorship. We have lost a good friend and Philip will be dearly missed. RCC Golf Palm 17 Tan Chin Huat
CLUB NEWS
Revamping our newsletter If you have reservations about some of our new features, please let us know. We would welcome new ideas for features. You can approach any of the members from the Corporate and Communications Sub-Committee with your feedback or email us. The success of our newsletter depends on you. We hope you will engage with us as we head down this new path. RCC Golf Palm 18
This March-April issue kicks off a new editorial format which we hope will enable members to engage more extensively with the Club and fellow members. All our usual features like Club news, Social and Recreation news as well as news about the Food and Beverage options within the club will carry on as per normal. In this issue, for example, in our Club News section, we feature the opportunity to do a spot of fishing at RCC in April, while in our Social and Recreation section we present a picture spread of the that highlights our Jungle Safari Countdown Party. We regard these items as our staple offerings which have kept and will continue to keep members updated on what’s happening at the Club.
However, starting from this issue we introduce some new features which we hope will add to your knowledge of the Club as well as your fellow members. Some of these new features require your feedback to be sustainable. For example, we F & B Dept hope to have more comprehensive coverage of holes-in-one by our members. Instead of just telling us how you felt when hitting the hole in one, we want more information from you - such as who you were playing with, what were the wind conditions at the time, how did your golfing partners respond to your hole in one and so on. It’s important to capture these moments for posterity because they tend to be quite rare amongst golfers.
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CLUB NEWS
Another new feature is tips on how to play some of the 36 holes in Raffles Country Club. In this newsletter, we feature the tricky Hole 18 on the Palm course. Our tips are derived from a consensus of a few regular golfers at RCC. Your feedback on the tips provided are welcome, especially if you have found a better way to play any particular hole we are featuring. Next, because our Club turned 20 last year, we feel it’s an opportune time to do some reminiscing. We kick off our Reminisces feature briefly looking at the early days of the Club, when the land was barren and the hills around SAFTI Military Institute completely dominated the landscape. We hope that some of you will be compelled to share your reminiscences with us in the months to come and also provide us with some old photographs, if possible, to remind everyone of days gone by.
To end, we would like to stress that our publication belongs to every member of the club and you have a say in what goes into the newsletter and what doesn’t. If you have reservations about some of our new features, please let us know. We would welcome new ideas for features. You can approach any of the members from the Corporate and
Communications Sub-Committee with your feedback or email us. The success of our newsletter depends on you. We hope you will engage with us as we head down this new path. Thanks, The members of the Publications Committee
RCC Golf Palm 17
We feel that our reciprocal clubs deserve a re-airing and we are starting our reviews of these golf clubs with Meru Valley Golf & Country Club in Ipoh. We don’t expect many of you have played there and we hope that this review gives you food for thought about going there to play. Finally, we are starting a Classified section this month for members to buy, sell or barter their golfing goods. We introduce this service in this newsletter and hope there is interest amongst our members. Please note that the requests for entries into the Classified section can only be made by members. But we would welcome entries by members on non-members’ behalf. You can send your entries via email to: classified@rcc.org.sg.
CLUB NEWS
The Hole-in-One Feeling “All luck, very little skills.”
—— John Tan Liong Loh
“I hit a beautiful shot. The ball landed on the green and rolled into the hole. What a feeling!” —— Chia Kam Chew Oi Leng Gumpert, who hit a hole-inone on Hole 3 of the Palm Course on January 18 enthused: “I thought I would never achieve it. I used a 7 iron to play short on the 107-metre hole so I wouldn’t get into the bunker like my flight mates had just done. But the backwind was so strong that it brought the ball to the pin. 18 must be a lucky number for me. What a way to start a new year.”
You need a lot of luck and skill to hit a hole-in-one in golf. You can probably talk to golfers and the overwhelming majority will tell you they have never hit a hole-in-one in their lives. Still, the odds of making a hole-in-one are not as high as people think. According to US Hole In One, a leading provider of holein-one insurance for golf outings and tournaments, the odds of an amateur golfer making a hole-in-one on a par 3 hole are roughly 12,500 to 1. Further, it says the odds of a professional golfer making a holein-one on a par 3 hole are closer to 2,500 to 1.
Here are more interesting statistics from US Hole In One: You may have heard of two players making a hole in one on the same hole in the same event. It says the chances of this feat happening are very slim, at roughly 32,000 to 1. Meanwhile, the odds of a golfer hitting two holesin-one in consecutive par 3 holes are miniscule at nearly 156,250,000 to 1. Such an event would be cause for a massive celebration at RCC. Our seven members who hit holesin-one in RCC between December and January appreciate that their achievements are rare in golf.
John Tan Liong Loh was very realistic about his hole-in-one effort in Hole 17 of the Palm Course on January 11, when he said it was “All luck, very little skills.” Chia Kam Chew who hit a hole-in-one on the same hole just five days later was more forthright. “I hit a beautiful shot. The ball landed on the green and rolled into the hole. What a feeling!” he declared. A few weeks earlier, on Boxing Day, Sammy Lee Chee Kin, hit a hole-in-one on Hole 12 of the Palm Course and he will never forget the moment the ball slipped into the hole. “What was supposed to be a casual game with my golf kakis to round off an eventful 2008 turned up this surprise hole-in-one. It was my first after 17 years of golf. I felt I struck the ball well and trained my sights on the ball as it floated into the air. I saw it land with one bounce and roll softly into the hole. I will never forget the lovely sound of the ball hitting the pin on its way in,” said Sammy.
CLUB NEWS
Hole-in-One Achievements “I thought I would never achieve it. I used a 7 iron to play short on the 107-metre hole so I wouldn’t get into the bunker like my flight mates had just done. But the backwind was so strong that it brought the ball to the pin. 18 must be a lucky number for me. What a way to start a new year.” —— Oi Leng Gumpert
James Liew
Course : Lake Hole 8 Date : 05/12/2008
John Tan Tiong Loh Course : Palm Hole 17 Date : 11/01/2009
Sammy Lee Chee Kin
Course : Palm Hole 12 Date : 26/12/2008
Chia Kam Chew Course : Palm Hole 17 Date : 16/01/2009
Sara Lew
Course : Palm Hole 12 Date : 29/12/2008
Oi Leng Gumpert Course : Palm Hole 3 Date : 18/01/2009
Chor How Jat Course : Lake Hole 16 Date : 04/01/2009
CLUB NEWS
December Monthly Medals The December Monthly Medals were keenly contested. Held on December 8 last year, the winner of the A Division was Pak Hong Kong (left top), who later came in runner-up in the Champion Medallist competition. He pipped both Leong Kong Yon and Liang Ming Juann by a single stableford point. Kong Yong took the runners-up position on countback.
Pak Hong Kong ‘A’ Division
The B Division competition of the Monthly Medal saw the winner Lee Beng Chye (left below) finish three points clear of his nearest rival Koh Yau Chai. A further two points back was the second runner-up Chiang Woon Seng. Both the A Division and B Division monthly medals were played on the Palm course. There was no C Division competition in December.
A Division Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
2nd Runner-Up
Player
Pak Hong Kong
Leong Kong Yon
Liang Ming Juann
Stableford
41 Pts
40 Pts (ocb)
40 Pts
Handicap
11.5
10.9
8.9
Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
2nd Runner-Up
Player
Lee Beng Chye
Koh Yau Chai
Chiang Woon Seng
Stableford
42 Pts
39 Pts
37 Pts
Handicap
13.9
14.7
14.8
B Division
Lee Beng Chye ‘B’ Division
The December Monthly Medals for Ladies were contested on December 13 last year at the Lake Course. Played under the Stableford format, both A and B Division competitions were close. Wendy Soh (left above) pipped Nonita Chand in the A Division competition on count back after both players amassed 37 Stableford points. In the B Division, winner Lim Boon Eng (left below) scored 36 Stableford points, pipping Ruth Wee by two points.
Ladies
A Division Best Nett
Runners-Up Nett
Player
Wendy Soh
Nonita Chand
Stableford
37 Pts (ocb)
37 Pts
Handicap
12.6
1.7
Best Nett
Runners-Up Nett
Player
Lim Boon Eng
Ruth Wee
Stableford
36 Pts
34 Pts (ocb)
Handicap
21.2
16.7
B Division
CLUB NEWS
January Monthly Medals The A and B Division competitions for the January Monthly Medals for Men were played at the Lake Course on January 10. This time around it was held as a Strokeplay competition. In the A Division, the winner was Kevin Chan Kim Wai (left top), with a nett score of 66. He pipped Ng Pak Thiang who hit a nett 67. The player with the best gross score was Kang Yong Chiang with a 76. The B Division winner was Ng Kok Sen (left centre) with a nett score of 69. He came in 4 strokes ahead of Maung Yu Swan who finished with a nett score of 73. The player with the best gross score on the day was Ben Low who hit 89 gross. The C Division competition for Men was played a week later, on January 17, at the Palm Course. It was also conducted in a Strokeplay format. The player with the best nett score was Loh Kum Chuen (left bottom) who hit 65 nett. The player with the best gross score was Heng Jee Yong, who hit 97 gross.
The Ladies also played for the Monthly Medals on the Palm Course on January 17. It was held in a Strokeplay format. The winner of the A Division for Ladies was Elvina Wong (left top) with a nett score of 70. Michelle Ang had the best gross score of 82 on the day. In the B Division competition, Tan Joo Ee (left below) won the honours with a nett score of 67. The player with the best gross score in the B Division was Ruth Wee with 100.
A Division Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
Best Gross
Player
Kevin Chan Kim Wai
Ng Pak Thiang
Kang Yong Chiang
Stroke Play
66
67
76
Handicap
7.4
3.0
9.6
Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
Best Gross
Player
Ng Kok Sen
Maung Yu Swan
Ben Low
Stroke Play
69
73
89
Handicap
14.5
14.3
13.3
B Division
C Division Best Nett
Best Gross
Player
Loh Kum Chuen
Heng Jee Yong
Stroke Play
65
97
Handicap
22.1
26.6
Ladies
A Division Best Nett
Best Gross
Player
Elvina Wong
Michelle Ang
Stroke Play
70
82
Handicap
9.2
4.0
Best Nett
Best Gross
Player
Tan Joo Ee
Ruth Wee
Stroke Play
67
100
Handicap
22.4
16.9
B Division
CLUB NEWS
Men’s & Ladies’ Champion The Men’s Champion Medallist for 2009, Teo Keow Seng (left top), is no stranger to golf competitions. He came in runner-up in the 19th Singapore Open Senior Amateur Championship at Laguna National Golf and Country Club in December last year. The Ladies Champion Medallist is Leong Yoke Ping (left below). Runners-up in the Men’s Division was Pak Hong Kong, while Michelle Ang was runners-up in
Teo Keow Seng
Medallists 2009 the Ladies Division. The competition to decide the Champion Medallists was held on the Palm Course of RCC on January 3 and based on stroke play. We saw two very close contests for the top spots in the competition. Both Keow Seng and Yoke Ping won on countback after their Nett scores were tied with Hong Kong and Michelle respectively.
Men’s Division Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
Player
Teo Keow Seng
Pak Hong Kong
Stroke Play
67 Nett (ocb)
67 Nett
Handicap
7.3
10.4
Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
Player
Leong Yoke Ping
Michelle Ang
Stroke Play
73 Nett (ocb)
73 Nett
Handicap
14.1
1.7
Teo Keow Seng
Ladies’ Division
Leong Yoke Ping
Men’s Senior Medals On December 27 last year, the Men’s Senior Medals were played at the Lake course. Like the A Division of the monthly medals earlier in the month, the competition was fierce. At the end of the competition, Ong Eng Seng (left) managed to hold off the
Ong Eng Seng
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competition and win by a single stableford point from KY Leong and Loh Kum Chuen. KY pipped Kum Chuen to second place on countback. The Men’s Senior Medals marked an exciting month of competition at RCC.
Best Nett
Runner-up Nett
2nd Runner-Up
Player
Ong Eng Seng
K.Y. Leong
Loh Kum Chuen
Stableford
41 Pts
40 Pts (ocb)
40 Pts
Handicap
19
12
24
CLUB NEWS
Anglers’ Dream
I
t is a rare opportunity to savour the lush, serene surroundings of our golf course without thinking of how to play your next shot or cursing a bad shot that lands in the water.
Fishing will be back at RCC on April 13. This most novel of activities for a Singapore golf course was last held in January, off Hole 12 on the Palm course. This time, anglers can try their luck at Holes 2 and 5 of the Lake course. You can either walk or use a buggy to get to these fishing locations. It is a rare opportunity to savour the lush, serene surroundings of our golf course without thinking of how to play your next shot or cursing a bad shot that lands in the water. Fishing is open to RCC members only. You must bring your own equipment including rods and bait, as these won’t be provided by the Club. Bait used must only be those for Tilapia, Aruan and Toman. Don’t fish for Grass Carp as you will incur a fine of $50 if you do so. We hope you enjoy your day out.
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SOCIAL & RECREATION
Jungle Safari Countdown Party Raffles Country Club roared on December 31, 2008, as our members, their families and guests welcomed the New Year in the Jungle Safari Countdown Party. Members and their guests quickly eased into the festivities and it turned out to be a fantastic night. There were competitions for adults and children alike, as well as some onstage performances that had the audience reeling with laughter. The Lucky Draw generated a lot
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of interest, especially as the top prize was a Samsung LCD TV. Group photos were taken and as the midnight hour approached, the sense of excitement grew. More people strutted their dance floor and cries of “Yam Seng� reverberated across the dining hall. Then, the midnight hour came, hugs and kisses were shared, and a spontaneous burst of Auld Lang Syne rang through the hall. 2009 had arrived.
SOCIAL & RECREATION
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SOCIAL & RECREATION
Lunar New Year Crooning We held our Lunar New Year Karaoke Nite in the Albatross Lounge on February 7. Even as we were having dinner, the microphones were passed around tables so that everyone could present their karaoke skills among family and friends. So, the Albatross Lounge resonated with unique and sometimes delightful renditions of a variety of songs. It was a multilingual performance by our partygoers, capped off with good food and drinks. It was a fine way for RCC to welcome the Year of the Ox.
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SOCIAL & RECREATION
15
Food & Beverage
Spe
cial
e s at G c a r o l f e r s ’ Ter
Specials at Golfers’ Terrace
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As ever, the Golfers’ Terrace has prepared some new dishes to whet your appetite before or after your game. Our Kong Bak Pau comprises fatty pork in a rich braised sauce. The fatty pork is marinated with dark soy, light soy, hoi sin sauce, oyster sauce, star aniseed and garlic. Priced at $6.50, it is served with buns and makes for a heavenly dish that simply melts in your mouth. Another special for this period is Chicken Chop with Teriyaki Sauce and Rice. This dish has a Japanese theme though teriyaki is found in many different types of cuisine these days, even in Mexican and Western dishes. Teriyaki is simply a way of Japanese cooking which incorporates grilling or broiling. While teriyaki sauce can be bought in bottles these days, it can also be made with soy sauce, mirin and sugar. Also priced at $6.50, the dish expands the type of cuisine that the Golfers’ Terrace brings to you. A dish that you can share with your golfing kakis is Deep Fried Chicken with Seaweed. Priced at $10 for 10 pieces, this is another dish that comes from Japanese cuisine. It’s a nice bitesized dish to have at the centre of the table. Finally, the Golfers’ Terrace is offering a Chicken with Mushroom and Sausage Rice in a Claypot as a hearty meal. Sometimes, after a hard game, golfers may get a hankering for something rather substantial and this dish, priced at $12, fits the bill. It can also be shared by more than one person.
Food & Beverage
Shanshui Palace Restaurant Promotion
鲍翅粉丝虾套餐 Double Boiled Superior Shark’s Fin & Prawn Set
潮式特价精选套餐 Teochew’s Special Set 每位 $ 23.80 / Person
每位 $ 48.80 / Person 最少三位 / Min. 3 Persons 海台酱露笋玉带 Scallop & Asparagus in Seaweed Sauce 松菇菜胆鸡炖鲍翅 Double Boiled Superior Shark’s Fin with Chicken & Shitake Mushroom 奶汁粉丝虾 Prawn with Vermicelli & Milk in Clay Pot 白花竹笙伴北菇 Bamboo Pith with Prawn Paste & Mushroom 麻婆豆腐捞饭 Fried Rice Spicy Bean Curd 黑糯米雪糕 Black Glutinous Rice with Ice Cream
最少三位 / Min. 3 Persons 卤鹅伴卤水豆腐 Teochew Sliced Goose & Bean curd 明火煲靓汤 Soup of the Day 烧汁百花豆腐 Deep Fried Bean curd with Prawn Paste 鲜菇炒凉瓜 Bitter Gourd with Mushroom 芝士奶油焖鱼茸面 Fish Meat Noodle with Cheese & Butter 金瓜芋泥 Sweet Yam Paste with Pumpkin & Gingko Nut
鲍翅羊扒套餐 Double Boiled Superior Shark’s Fin & Lamb Chop Set 每位 $ 48.80 / Person 最少三位 / Min. 3 Persons 番茄什菜伴奇酱珊瑚蚌 Coral Shell with Vegetable in Kiwi Sauce 冬瓜松菇蟹肉炖鲍翅 Double Boiled Superior Shark’s Fin with Winter Melon & Crab Meat 黑椒香煎羊扒 Pan Fried Lamb Chop with Black Pepper Sauce 上汤百杞鲜露笋 Asparagus with Herbs in Superior Stock 鹅丝炒鱼茸面 Fish Pasta with Shredded Goose Meat 香蕉珍珠露 Banana Sago Cream
• Price subject to 10% Service Charge & Prevailing GST • Menu subject to change
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Reciprocal Club
Meru Valley Golf & Country Club Ipoh’s legendary food
Rolling landscape of Meru Valley (Copyright: gilagolf)
Important Club Information Meru Valley Golf & Country Club Jalan Bukit Meru Ipoh, Perak 30020, Malaysia Office: 02 05 529 3333 Fax: 02 05 529 3387 How to get there by car: The club is located about 14 km north-west of Ipoh. From the NorthSouth Highway, take the Jelapang exit and head west of Jalan Jelapang. Follow the signs to Meru Valley. Meru Valley Golf and Country Club is located in the Ipoh area of Perak state not too far from the highly rated Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort. The holes in Meru Valley are memorable, with undulating fairways and greens which are in good condition. Elevated tees provide great vistas and the scenery is beautiful across the course. The course is set in a valley with mountains in the distance. It does get humid but that tends to be the case for golf courses built in valleys. Meru Valley is a relatively short course. Longer hitters can drive the greens on some par 4s and at least two of the par 5s can be reached with two good shots. There are three nines in the property – Valley, Waterfall and River.
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This is how golf website where2golf describes the course: “The terrain throughout is generally quite undulating, with a few holes feeling rather tight from the tee – although you will discover that there is more space available than you first think. This well-maintained and nicely presented course includes many excellent and challenging holes, often given a stunning backdrop by the surrounding jungle-clad hills, and an audible dimension by the babbling streams. The slightly shorter River course, with more housing around it, is not as impressive as the other two nines, but still represents several undulating, testing and enjoyable golf holes.”
A good reason to head out to Meru Valley for a game of golf is that it will give you the chance to savour Ipoh food. From great cooks to authentic Ipoh trademarks, one of the highlights of any visit to Ipoh is to try the diversity of dishes available in Ipoh. Sar Hor Fun, a bowl of flat white rice noodles, served with prawns and shredded chicken, is an Ipoh trademark. So is the chicken with bean sprouts known as Nga Choi Kai. You can find these dishes elsewhere in the country but you could argue that it won’t taste as good when you eat the original fare in Ipoh. Other food like Hakka Noodles is also famous in Ipoh. Common types of food like Satay, Nasi Lemak or Banana Leaf Rice are also available anywhere for those seeking their comfort food. Legend has it that any food produced in Ipoh simply tastes better than other parts of Malaysia because of the high alkali content of the water in the city. It is also believed that the water content preserves the vibrancy of the human skin which makes Ipoh town folk fairer.
Green Fees Raffles Country Club Members can play at Meru Valley at just a cost of a buggy (RM30). If you plan to play with friends who are non-members, the weekday rate is RM80 and the weekend rate is RM150 (both excluding buggy fees). A handicap is required to play at the course. Weekday tee-times are easily
Reciprocal Club
Table of reciprocal and affiliated clubs RECIPROCAL CLUBS
AFFILIATED CLUBS
AUSTRALIA
ROBERT TRENT JONES II CLUB JAPAN
The Lakes Golf Club PO Box 545 Mascot, NSW, 2020 Australia Tel: +612 9669 1311 Fax: +612 9669 6206 Sanctuary Lakes Club Greg Norman Drive Sanctuary Lakes Victoria Australia 3030 Tel: + 613 9395 2888 The Vines Golf and Country Club Verdelho Drive, The Vines, WA, Australia Tel: 618 9297 3000
CHINA
BRUNEI
Macau Golf & Country Club 1918 Estrada de Hac Sa llha de Coloane, Macau Tel: +853 871188 Fax: +853 870011
Pantai Mentiri Golf Club Km 15-1/2, Jalan Kota Batu Peti Surat 1646 Bandar Seri Begawan BS8073 Negara Brunei Darussalam Tel: +673 02 791021, 792014 Fax: +673 02 790773
Mission Hills Golf Club Mission Hills Road Guanlan Town 518110 Shenzhen, China Tel: +86 755 802 0888 Fax: +86 755 802 4868 Quan Zhou Golf & Country Club Zimao Town Jinjiang, Quan Zhou City, Fujian Province, China Tel: +86 595 595 1999 / 595 1988 / 595 1711 Fax: +86 595 598 5302 MACAU
INDONESIA
INDONESIA
Rancamaya Golf & Country Club Jl. Rancamaya Utama, Ciawi Bogor 16720, Indonesia Tel: +62 0251 242 282 Fax: +62 0251 242 283
Finna Golf & Country Club Jalan Raya Barsari Prigen, Pandaan 67157 Indonesia Tel: +62 343 632 153/4/5 Fax: +62 343 632 156
AUSTRALIA
VIETNAM Long Thanh Golf Club National Highway 51 Tan Mai Hamlet Phuoc Tan Village Dong Nai Province, Vietnam Tel: +84 61 512510 / 512511 Chi Linh Star Golf & Counrty Club Sao Do Chi Linh Hai Duong, Vietnam Tel: +84 320 585617 Fax: +84 320 585618 MALAYSIA Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club No. 10 Jln 1/70D Off Jln Bukit Kiara 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel: +02 03 253 1111 Fax: +02 03 253 3393 Damai Golf & Country Club Damai Beach Jalan Santubong PO Box B203 93862 Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia Tel: +02 08 284 6008 Fax: +02 08 284 6044 Meru Valley Golf & Country Club Jalan Bukit Meru 30020 Ipoh Perak Darul Ridzuan, Malaysia Tel: +02 05 529 3303 Fax: +02 05 529 3387
Araluen Country Club Country Club Avenue Roleystone 6111 Westem Australia Tel: +61 08 9397 9000 Fax: +61 8 9397 9001 The Golf Club Kennedy Bay Port Kennedy Drive, Port Kennedy WA 6172 Australia Tel: +61 8 9524 5333 Fax: +61 8 9524 5444 BRUNEI The Empire Hotel & Country Club Jerudong BG3122 Negara Brunei Darussalam Tel: +673 241 8888 Fax: +673 241 8999 THAILAND Blue Canyon Country Club 165 Moo 1, Thepkasattri Road, Thalang, Phuket 83110, Thailand Tel: +66 076 328 088 Fax: +66 076 328 068
Kelab Golf Sarawak Petra Jaya 93050 Kuching Sarawak, Malaysia Tel: +082 440966 Fax: +082 441733
accessible if you contact the club in advance. During weekends, the course is usually busy with members and a slot or two may not be so easy to get. But do contact the club ahead of time to try your luck for a weekend game.
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Mission Hills Golf Club - China
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Calendar Of Events MON
TUE
WED
MARCH 2009
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
30
31
01
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am Only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm SGA Inter-Club League 2009 1st Leg Premier Division– Palm (Pm)
TAA Trust Fund Charity Golf - 144 pax, Palm (Pm)
RCC Golf Palm 17
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
RCC Dance Night
Men’s A & B Medals – Lake (Pm) Jackpot Bonus Nite Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Ladies’ Flag Competition -Lake (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
Men’s C & Ladies’ Medals – Palm (Pm) Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke/Social Dancing Night
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Lions Club of S’pore (Host) Golf Comp - 144 pax, Palm (Pm)
Lakeside Charity Golf - 144 pax, Lake (Pm)
Men’s Senior & Evergreen Medals – Palm (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
Jackpot Bonus Nite
Golfers’ 2nd Home Golf Game - 60 pax, Lake (Am)
Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Ayer Rajah CC Golf - 144 pax, Palm (Pm) RCC Dance Night
Golfing
20
Social & Recreation
Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
Events are current at time of publication
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Calendar Of Events MON
TUE
WED
APRIL 2009
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
01
02
03
04
05
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
RCC Dance Night
Men’s A & B Medals –Palm (Pm) Jackpot Bonus Nite Karaoke/Social Dancing Night
奶汁粉丝虾
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Public Holiday Good Friday
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Ladies’ Bogey Competition - Lake (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
Men’s C & Ladies Medals - Lake (Pm) Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Jackpot Bonus Nite UWCSEA Charity Golf - 144 pax, Palm (Pm)
Karaoke/Social Dancing Night
RCC Dance Night
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
SITF Golf Classic – 200 pax, Lake & Palm (Pm)
GAC SEA Asia 2009 Golf Classic – 100 pax, Lake (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
Men’s Senior & Evergreen Medals – Palm (Pm) Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
27
28
29
30
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Golfing
Social & Recreation
Events are current at time of publication
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Calendar Of Events MON
TUE
WED
MaY 2009
THU
FRI
SAT
SUN
01
02
03
Public Holiday Labour Day
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Men’s A & B Medals –Lake (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
Jackpot Bonus Nite Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
Mission Hills Golf Club - China
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Public Holiday Vesak Day
Timesheet Am/Pm
RCC Dance Night
Timesheet Am/Pm Men’s C & Ladies’ Medals - Palm (Pm)
TFWA Asia Pacific 2009 Golf – 100 pax, Lake (Am)
Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke/Social Dancing Night
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
Jackpot Bonus Nite Karaoke/Social Dancing Night
S’pore Airlines International Cup Friendly Golf - Palm (Pm)
METTA Welfare Assn Charity Golf – 200 pax, Lake & Palm (Pm)
RCC Dance Night
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Palm Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
RCC Dance Night
Joint Captains’ Game – Lake (Pm) Jackpot Fortnightly Draw Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
Lake Closed Whole Day for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Lake Closed Am only for maintenance
Palm Closed Am only for maintenance
Timesheet Am/Pm
Timesheet Am/Pm
STA Golf Comp 2009 – 120 pax, Lake (Pm)
Karaoke / Social Dancing Night
RCC Dance Night
Golfing
22
Social & Recreation
Events are current at time of publication
Instruction
Playing Palm 18 One of the most talked-about holes when we are sitting in the Golfers’ Terrace doing post-mortems of our games is the 18th hole on the Palm Course. It’s a par 4 hole, about 350 metres from the white tees. It’s also an Index 2 hole, which makes it one of the most challenging on the course. Palm 18 is a dog-leg left. When you stand on the tee-box, you can’t see the green. On the left of the tee box, across the cart path, is an island which is overgrown with lush vegetation and trees. In that jungle lies a brand new Honma driver which accidentally flew off one of our member’s hands as he was teeing off years ago.
If you play your second shot too far left, you will find your ball in a greenside bunker – it hugs the front left side of the green and is a sandy receptacle for any pulled shots. Meanwhile, if you slice your second shot, you may hear muted cries of “Watanabe” from your playing partners as the ball is certainly destined to land in the reservoir. If you want to be “two on” on this hole – that is, getting onto the green in regulation - your second shot must land towards the centre of the green and hold there. That is not an easy shot from 150 metres - you may need to practice playing a high cut that lands softly. If you’re short and the ball lands on the front end of the green, you could see your ball kicking and rolling into the reservoir at pace. For the faint-hearted, a safer play would be to lay up on the second shot towards the centre of the fairway further ahead – perhaps to your most comfortable distance for a pitch, say between 60 to 100 metres from the green. Hopefully, you can then one putt for your par.
The golfer’s drive off the tee box at Palm 18 has to be straight, accurate and directed at the bend of the dogleg. From the white tees, that’s about 200 metres with roll. If you hit your ball too short, your second shot will give you no angle to the green. If you hit it too long, your ball will likely come to rest among coconut trees and offer you a view of our beautiful reservoir. Nice scenery for sure, but your second shot will invariably be a pitch out to the fairway, and you’ll have to contemplate a lengthy third shot to the green. Landing your tee shot near the bend of the dog-leg puts you on a relatively flat surface so that you don’t have to contend with a troublesome downhill lie on your second shot. But even if you get your ball to the bend in one shot, the second shot represents another challenge. It is a good 145 metres to the green, which slopes down to the reservoir on the right.
Palm 18 has taken many victims and spoilt many a scorecard. But it is a very interesting hole and offers the golfer plenty to think about in each of his or her shots. That’s the least you could expect from any hole.
18
Tell us how you play Palm 18. Email us at feedback@rcc.org.sg with your advice, and we will highlight your thoughts in our next newsletter.
Reminisces
From Swamp Land to Pristine Courses Raffles Country Club holds a lot of good memories for many people. Last year, we commemorated our 20th year with a coffee table book. It charted the development of the Club from the time the plan to build it was first mooted by Jurong Town Corporation (now JTC Corp) in 1984. Many of the pioneer members remember those early days well. The area where the Lake Course would be was a flat, narrow piece of barren land adjacent to Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim. It was inundated with swamps, small trees and some wildlife. The land where the Palm Course would be built had a small hillock in one corner and a large variety of trees, including a smattering of fruit trees. But the landscape was mostly stark, with the hills surrounding the SAFTI Military Institute on the horizon, including the infamous “Pengkang” Hill, and the tiny Sungei Tengah meandering its way through the marshlands.
morning. In the 1970s, the residents of Tuas were resettled in public housing estates and Tuas began to be developed for industrial use. Land was reclaimed to expand the industrial area. By the time, RCC opened in 1988, about 6.5 square kilometers of land was said to have been reclaimed.
In those days, Tuas was quietly developing as an industrial estate. Many years before that, it was swamp land which was later cleared for squatter settlement. This, in turn, became a fishing village and it was not unusual to see as many as 200 fishing boats in Tuas every
But this brought about an unexpected situation for the Club. The balloting resulted in many non-golfers and non-members of clubs becoming club members for the first time. An education programme was needed and this included a workshop on golf rules and etiquette. There was a lot of hard work in those early days to get many of the new members ready to play on a proper 18-hole course.
The Club added much-needed colour and vivacity to an otherwise drab industrial area in the west of Singapore. There was a golf course boom at the time and it was an exciting time to start a new club. In the mid-1980s, memberships in golf clubs were viewed as an investment. Many golf clubs were being built in Johor, Batam and Bintan. Such was the popularity that there were close to 4,500 applications for membership at RCC. It was decided that about 2,500 memberships would be made available and selection was done by balloting.
Since then, RCC has kept its membership numbers steady around the 2,500 mark. Many of our pioneer members still play on the course on a regular basis. It has become like a second home to some. In a country where things change very quickly, having a constant in our lives like RCC is a great comfort.
24
Notices from the Newsletter Revamp Tell us your RCC stories Do you want to share your reminiscences of your times at RCC? Email us at feedback@ rcc.org.sg with your thoughts or ideas for our Reminisces column, leaving your name, membership number and contact number. We will contact you to flesh out a story. Who knows, you may see your story in the next RCC newsletter!
Classified Ads from May/ June Newsletter From the May/June issue we will be running a Classifieds advertisement section to help members and their friends sell second-hand items, preferably golf related. While we hope open this service to non-members of the Club, only members can submit advertisements. What we need from you to run a classified advertisement: • The item you want sell • How old it is • Brief description of the item • Selling price • Your contact number Each classified advertisement must be 50 words of less. There will be no charge for this service. The deadline for submissions for the May/June Issue is April 4, 2009. Please submit ads to the following email address: classified@rcc.org.sg.
CLUB NEWS
11
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