Non-renewal of golf course leases not a surprise to some

Members express disappointment; some wonder how it will impact the sport here

- Kimberly Kwek

For over three decades, the Garden Course at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC) has been a constant in Mr Daren Lim's life.

He played golf there as a teenager, and, today, it remains a place where his family spends time together, enjoying the nearby facilities.

So, when it was announced on July 7 that the lease for TMCC's Garden Course would not be renewed after it expires in 2035, Mr Lim was disappointed, but also took a pragmatic view.

The 44-year-old said: "Just to know that 10 years later it'll be gone, I don't know what to say about it actually."

But he noted that TMCC will still have its Tampines Course, adding: "If I were to think of it rationally, it's not the end of the world. It's just that we don't have that plot of land any more. If the Government puts it to good use, that's fine."

The golf coach at TMCC, where he has been a member for 31 years, said members had long been aware the lease had a set end date, though they had hoped for a renewal or that only part of the course would be taken away.

The 18-hole course is one of several impacted by the Ministry of Law's July 7 announcement that leases for certain golf courses will not be extended.

Mandai Executive Golf Course, Warren Golf and Country Club and Orchid Country Club (OCC) are also affected.