S'pore Island Country Club introduces new & cheaper S$138,888 membership tier, members upset

The Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) has proposed a new tier of membership in 2025.

According to the club's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) circular on Jan. 14, the new social membership will be made available to Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) at S$138,888.

The transferable membership will exclude access to golf courses, driving ranges and practice facilities.

Some members have since voiced out concerns and rejected the proposal, reported CNA.

Proposed new membership to raise capital

The EGM was conducted on Jan. 14 for the management to address members' concerns and also get the members to vote from Jan. 14 to 23 on whether they agree to move forward with the proposed new membership tier.

According to the circular, the sale is supposed to be carried out for over two months, during which 40 limited social memberships will be offered.

The membership is set at less than half of the price of ordinary memberships, which are currently being listed with open market rates ranging from S$370,000 to S$900,000 on SICC's website.

Ordinary memberships can be transferred from current members to new members for a fee, and prices typically align with demand.

Besides the exclusion of specific facilities usage, social members do not have voting rights.

An email exchange between SICC and one of its member Justyn Jagger suggested that the introduction of the new tier was aimed at supporting the club's "capital expenditure" and "enhancement works".

If all 40 social memberships are sold, the club will be able to make S$5.1 million in total, without GST.

In an update on Jan. 10 about the club's financial health and sustainability initiatives, SICC also said the complete sale would generate around S$300,000 additional yearly revenue.

It also confirmed in an email response to another member's query that the club had not been issuing new ordinary memberships since late 1991 or early 1992.

Members unhappy

Some SICC members reportedly objected to the proposal.

According to CNA, one member said the club should have "conducted assessments and surveys" to "narrow down plausible methods" to raise funds before calling for a vote.

Another member who spoke to CNA lamented that having a second tier membership might take away the members' exclusivity and premium status.

Others cited concerns of overcrowding and an increase of social members potentially becoming a "louder voice", demanding voting rights.

However, SICC president Vincent Wee said in a message to members in November 2024 that such memberships are "inevitable" and that members "must accept that SICC needs social members".

The new vote on the social memberships will end on Jan. 18, provided at least two-thirds of eligible members have voted or officially end on Jan. 23 even if the two-thirds threshold has not been reached.

Plans to launch the sale of the social memberships will move forward if the majority of votes are cast in its favour.

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