TMCC member Tang gives thumbs-up after organising week’s outing at reciprocal clubs in Japan
It has been a tradition with Tanah Merah Country Club to be very selective of reciprocal clubs. In fact, TMCC’s pioneering chairman Sim Kee Boon believed in the club’s exclusivity and used to scrutinise applications from other clubs here and abroad keen on reciprocity.
That was why when member Christopher Tang was sold the idea by the club’s marketing department of forming a group to make a reciprocal trip to Japan, he bought it straightaway.
Tang knew that it would be a good offer, and so with seven other golfers embarked on a trip that eventually turned out to be a “dream”.
The party had a group structure, namely Tang (chairman/ organiser), Jeffrey Chua (captain/format of games, team composition/handicap adjustments), Masuda Yusuke (chief entertainment officer to handle all restaurant needs and logistics), Cheng Cheng Miang (treasurer to handle all green fees, meals and incidental expenses), and drivers (Roland Tan, Cheng, Masuda and Amos Tan). The others were club members Low Yeow Boon and Aaron Tan.
Five of them had TMCC membership ranging from one to 12 years and three were guests. Their ages ranged from 60 to 65, handicap indexes from 12.5 to 24 and all were retired, semi-retired or working. They were bankers, ex-real estate professionals, SME bosses and investors.
Tang emphasised that this was not a club trip but one privately organised to test out the reciprocal arrangements with the Shinwa Group.
The idea to have an Autumn golf trip (from 6-12 Nov) to Japan Osaka/ Kyoto blended in with the marketing department’s suggestion because during a post-game drinking session at TMCC Tampines last April when the party agreed to fly to Japan once Covid-restriction rules in the country were lifted. Said Tang: “Some of us had played in Japan before Covid and had thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The rest were eager. All were golf-travel starved by the Covid restrictions.
“The hiccup was that there was no clarity on when Japan would open up. We booked our air tickets and hotel feeling sure that the country would open by November and were rewarded.
We do not know Japan courses well. We also took a bet that any reciprocal clubs with TMCC, will be of a high standard, and settled to play all four games with the Shinwa Group courses in Hyogo and Shiga prefectures. They were excellent courses
Tang heaped praise on Samantha Leong, the club’s assistant golf operations manager, who he said was excellent in liaising with the Shinwa Group for most of the arrangements, especially the administrative details.
The group played at Golden Valley Golf Club, Cherry Hills Golf Club, Shigaraki Golf Club (Tashiro course) and Shiga Golf Club, all of which was described by Tang as “beautiful and well maintained, with good clubhouse facilities and F&B.”
Tang singled out Golden Valley Golf Club as “pretty and breathtakingly picturesque” while he described the mountainous Shiga Golf Club as “challenging and engaging.”
Japan has always been a favourite destination for Singaporeans because the food, culture, and climate (particularly, in autumn and spring) are appealing. Also, the courses are quite easily available and affordable.
Even though this was a private trip, Shinwa Group representative Teppei Tani was on hand to receive the group at Golden Valley GC, which is located about an hour and a half’s drive from Osaka to the course.
The reception at the clubs was very warm and it was smooth going all the way as the registrations were done well beforehand, the locker keys all prepared in advance and laid out.
Cherry Hill
Shiga
Golden Valley
Shigazaki
