Commentary: What does the loss of Singapore's last public golf course mean for the sport?

SINGAPORE: Over the 12 years I lived in Chicago, I always noticed the bustle each time I went by one of the city’s 10 public golf courses.

Families were having fun on the greens; there were players of all skills, ages, genders and ethnicities. People wore whatever they wanted. Revelling in fresh air and sunshine seemed as crucial as sinking a putt at par.

It shattered my perception of the sport, growing up in the country club heyday of 1980s and 1990s Singapore. One summer in America, I bought a cheap mismatched bag of second (or were they third?) hand clubs and took a gander, without any experience except self-taught driving range swings.

This could never have happened in Singapore, where golf is played by older, higher-income men in prestigious and luxurious settings, I thought then.

A few decades ago, country club memberships were one of the 5Cs chased by upwardly mobile Singaporeans, along with cash, car, credit card and condominiums. Now, with our larger population and a new generation shifting away from material pursuits, the era of the 5Cs has ended.

It looks like golf's days are numbered too, as Mandai Executive Golf Course will close after its tenancy expires on Dec 31. It will be the last of Singapore's three public golf courses to shutter - the other two being Champions Public Golf Course which closed on Dec 26, 2023, and Marina Bay Golf Course which will close on Jun 30.

The announcement shocked and disheartened local golf professionals. Mandai Executive Golf Course serves about 100,000 players a year, half of whom are juniors, and its welcoming pars 3 and 4 circuit is a haven for enthusiasts of all levels.

Coaches fear a significant drop in public accessibility and exposure to the sport, as well as a