Fewer courses, higher stakes: What golf’s shrinking footprint means for Singapore’s players and clubs

[SINGAPORE] The announcement this week that the government will not renew the leases for six golf courses in Singapore could lead to an increase in club membership prices over the next few years, say industry watchers.

“There’s no panic, but people are paying attention,” said Lee Lee Langdale, owner of golf membership brokerage Singolf Services.

“Some are asking if now’s the time to sell; others are thinking about buying, but no one is rushing. There are too many ifs. What will happen to prices? How much will they go up or down? It’s hard to predict.”

She believes that demand for clubs will hold in the long term, especially as the number of private club memberships remain limited.

“Clubs are not issuing new memberships. The older members will eventually give theirs up – whether for age or health reasons – and new members will come in. That cycle will continue,” she said. “And with fewer private courses, prices will likely appreciate.”

She welcomed the government’s move to turn the land now occupied by Keppel Club (Sime course) and Singapore Island Country Club (Bukit course), which sit side by side, into an 18-hole public golf course after their respective leases expire on Dec 31, 2030. Currently, only private clubs have 18-hole golf courses.

“That’s a good thing. It gives younger golfers and people who don’t belong to clubs a place to play,” she said. “It’s good for foreigners too. Overall, this helps grow the sport and open it up to more people.”

The Ministry of Law on Monday (Jul 7) announced that four golf courses will close permanently by 2035 to make way for other land uses. This move would leave Singapore with 12 courses.

The tenancy for Mandai Executive Golf Course, Singapore’s last remaining public golf course, expires without further extension on Dec 31, 2026. The leases of Warren Golf & Country Club and Orchid Country Club (expiring in 2030) and Tanah Merah Country Club’s Garden Course (2035) will not be renewed.

Fion Phua, the owner of membership brokerage Tee-Up, said she viewed the changes as an inflexion point rather than a decline.

“In 2030, Warren, Orchid and Keppel will be gone. Then by 2035, it’s Tanah Merah and SICC. That’s your window,” she said. “Buy now, because next time, there won’t be anything left to buy.”

Phua expects the closures to drive consolidation in the market and boost the prestige of owning a golf club membership.

“Golf isn’t going away, it will become more exclusive. With fewer clubs, golfers will cluster and prices will rise. It’s like in Seoul or Hong Kong,” she said.

“Green fees will go up too. Playing casually won’t be cheap anymore. If you are serious about the game, a membership makes economic sense.”

She advises younger players to consider non-transferable, limited-term memberships. “Old-timers go for the transferable ones, but young people can start somewhere and upgrade later,” she said.

For Nicholas Fang, a long-time SICC member who also plays at the National Service Resort & Country Club and Sembawang Country Club, the news – while not unexpected – still affected him.

“We have been hearing whispers for years, but it’s still disheartening,” he said. “Giving up Keppel for the Southern Waterfront was one thing. But Tanah Merah? That surprised me. I thought being near the airport made it safer.”

While recognising the state’s obligation to optimise land for public benefit, Fang – the founder and managing director of Black Dot, a communications advisory firm – notes the impact on player access and sport development.

“Golf is an Olympic sport. It’s one of the few that spans generations. Handicap systems level the playing field. It’s outdoors and it’s healthy. There’s a lot going for it,” said the former national athlete who represented Singapore in fencing and triathlon.

Even with murmurs of declining interest, he added that demand remains robust.

“Getting a tee time during the pandemic was hard. It still is. The closures won’t make that easier,” he said.

He also flagged the emergence of golf simulators as a potential, if imperfect, substitute.

“The rise of indoor facilities might be a sign of things to come. But it’s not quite the same – the turf, the walk, the environment. Still, they’re popping up all over. Maybe that’s where the sport is headed,” he said.

Singapore’s regional geography, he said, provides some relief for golfers.

“We are lucky to have Batam, Bintan and Johor nearby. But for the local scene, this is a shift. For the next generation of golfers, it may be harder to get started,” he said.

“We need to find ways to make sure the sport remains accessible, not just to the elite.”