News
'Future of golf in S'pore took a hard knock': Golf club members 'frustrated, sad & disappointed' at news of lease expiration
Memories.
July 09, 2025, 03:00 PM
Warren Golf & Country Club has been a special place for Glenford Tan since he was a child.
His father was a member of the club when it was at Folkestone Road in the 1980s, and Tan started as a junior member of the club.
He became a full adult member when he turned 21, and now, at 49, his children are also junior members of the club who are active in the club.
His 14-year-old daughter plays table tennis with some adult members and would participate in inter-club competitions.
His son picked up golf at Warren when he was four years old. Now at 15, he is part of the Singapore Golf Association's Junior Development Squad.
So, when he heard the news that the Warren Golf & Country Club's lease would expire on October 31, 2030, and would not be extended, Tan expressed a mix of disappointment and frustration.
"It is unfortunate that the future of golf in Singapore just took a hard knock," he said.
Fond memories
Other members of the club expressed their sadness and disappointment upon learning the news.
Speaking to Mothership, another member, Rex, expressed his frustration.
Having been a member of the club since December 1990, Warren Golf & Country Club was a place where he created friendships.
He shared that his group was the first to tee off when the course opened in Chua Chu Kang in October 2000, and it was a great memory for him, holding special significance as two people from that group are no longer around.
Rex added that he also formed lasting friendships at the club, where they would meet once or twice a week to play and engage in banter.
"We will lose this, and how often will players meet once our common meeting place is removed?"
Rex and his wife will be 70 when Warren closes, and they would have been members for about 40 years.
"Worth every cent buying the membership and paying monthly subs."
3-generation team
Another Warren Golf & Country Club member, Nazir Alsagoff, pointed out that he always looked forward to Sunday morning golf and hanging out with the guys after the game, noting that it was the best time.
Tan shared that when he first took up the game seriously in his 30s, his father wrote him a card expressing his joy at having his son join him on the course.
Now, with Tan's son playing the game, Tan would play golf with his father and son on Sundays, forming a three-generation team in one flight.
Future of golf in Singapore
However, Alsagoff felt that offers for lease renewals should have been made to most of the golf clubs for another five years.
Rex also feels that the eventual closure of the golf courses says something about the state of sports in Singapore.
He noted that Warren Golf & Country Club has its own driving range, which is open to the public and is always full on weekends.
However, with the club set to shut in 2030, it would take away another facility in the heartlands for Singaporeans looking to play golf.
Tan added that the closure of the club was a "flagrant disregard for communities and bonds that have been built up over time."
Additionally, Tan opined that the state of junior golf in Singapore is weak, as there is insufficient access to golf courses for juniors.
With the few golf courses set to close by 2035, he opined that it is "all but guaranteed" that junior golf in Singapore will be "sacrificed", and in his view, "eventually golf itself."
Leases for golf courses are publicly known
However, Tan acknowledged that the needs of many outweigh those of a few, especially as the current site of Warren Golf & Country Club has been earmarked for residential use under the Draft Master Plan 2025.
The Ministry of Law said on Jul. 7 that the leases of golf courses are for a fixed term with an end date that is publicly known, allowing both operators and golf club members to make informed decisions.
"This also ensures that land occupied by golf courses can be returned to the State and redeveloped for more pressing national needs in a timely manner," added MinLaw.
Clubs set to close
Warren Golf & Country Club is among the six golf courses whose lease will expire before or by 2035 and are not up for renewal.
Warren Golf & Country Club's lease will expire on Oct. 31, 2030, and Orchid Country Club's lease will expire on Dec. 31, 2030.
Both golf courses have been earmarked for residential use in the Draft Master Plan 2025.
In response to Mothership's query to Orchid Country Club, a response was given via an NTUC Club spokesperson.
The spokesperson shared that the Labour Movement is working closely with the government to ensure the union members and workers continue to enjoy access to golfing facilities.
In addition, they will endeavour to continue to make golf an affordable and accessible recreational option in Singapore.
SGA statement
The Singapore Golf Association (SGA) stated that the closure of the golf course "will be deeply felt across the golf fraternity."
"While we acknowledge the government's important responsibility to manage Singapore's limited land resources to meet national needs, we understand the sense of loss this brings to our vibrant golfing community."
SGA shared that currently there are over 140,000 golfers playing on the courses, with another 75,000 players that play in alternative formats like indoor golf and short courses.
"Golf is an evergreen sport that support health and wellbeing, fosters social connections, promotes biodiversity through green spaces, and builds national pride," SGA added.
Three other golf courses
Additionally, three other golf courses with leases expiring before or by 2035 will not be offered lease renewals, as the land is slated for future development.
The golf courses are Tanah Merah Country Club (Garden course), Keppel Club (Sime) and Singapore Island Country Club (Bukit course).
The lease for Mandai Executive Golf Course, which had been extended till Dec. 31, 2026, cannot be further renewed.
The Ministry of Education will use the land for the development of an Outdoor Adventure Learning Centre.
Public golf course
Following their expiry on Dec. 31, 2030, the land on which Keppel Club (Sime) and Singapore Island Country Club (Bukit course) will be reallocated for a dedicated 18-hole public course.
Another part of the site is also being considered for allocation to be run by the Labour Movement for its members, taking into account the expiration of Orchid Country Club's lease. This is being studied, and further updates will be provided in the future.
The lease for Tanah Merah Country Club (Garden course) is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2035, and will not be offered for renewal.
MinLaw stated that with the golf course's proximity to Changi Airport, the land is being studied for uses that have "synergies with the airport to support economic growth."
More details will be announced closer to 2035.
MinLaw assured that the government will continue to ensure public access to golf facilities in the long term.
Centre of excellence
The National Service Resort & Country Club, in partnership with the SGA, will establish a Centre of Excellence to provide enhanced training opportunities for the Singapore national golf team and promote golf among young people.
This will be in addition to the Centre of Excellence established at the Keppel Club (Sime) to develop youth golfers in Singapore. The new centre will complement the existing weekly training conducted by SGA in other clubs.
Su Chun Wei, Chief of the High Performance Sport Institute, stated that Sport Singapore (SportSG) would collaborate closely with SGA to develop the sport of golf and support elite golfers in achieving excellence on the international stage.
While the closures of courses will present challenges, SGA said that it is committed to supporting the community through the transition.
"We will continue to work closely with Sport Singapore, government agencies, golf clubs, and industry partners to explore sustainable and innovative models that ensure golf remains accessible, resilient, and forward-looking in Singapore."
Singapore has produced professional golfers who play on the international stage.
It even led to the first Singapore golfer to ever qualify for the Olympics.
In 2024, then 20-year-old Shannon Tan became the first female golfer to secure a spot in the Summer Olympics.
Tan had made her professional debut in January 2024, and a month later, she became Singapore's first winner on the Ladies European Tour.
In June 2025, she won her second Ladies European Tour title at the Amundi German Masters.
She currently ranks 95th in the world.
Top photos courtesy of Rex & Warren Golf & Country Club/Facebook
