Uncle Lau was at Sembawang Golf Club...

I remembered clearly the year was 2003 when i stepped on a golf range mat in Sembawang GC, my late friend Osman Latiff placed a MacGregor 8 iron in my hands.....he ask me if i want a Tee....my answer...

" Yes please, with milk and a cube of sugar will do .."

That was how i got started golfing, in the most humble way...no golfing pro, no fanfare, wearing slipper...just lots of encouragement from a friend, my buddy ...the late Mr Osman Latiff(And that was RDG motto since we started, encouragement to golf).

Playing in SGC was a joy as that's was the only course myself and Uncle Donald able to play with our mickey mouse PC...and when we join SGA (office still in United Square) that where we started playing in OCC and RCC....

Myself, Osman and Donald spend many games there, enjoying the lush primary forest, thick cow grass where you have to chunk in just to get the ball airborne...we laugh, cried and even spend countless hour in the clubhouse drinking beer, satay, chicken rice and their signature chicken chop...we even had a History tour provide by the staff of SGC on the History of Golf in Singapore, looking at a photo of Mr Lee Kuan Yew teeing off in SGC in 1968...priceless memory

Playing in SGC then 2003 to 2005, you can just whacked the ball into limbo, i always enjoyed hitting a gong on a long par 5 up and down hill just to let the back teebox golfers know you are clear so that they can hit their drives. Another hole hitting across the service road where just we waited for any cars to passed by before we teeoff across the road but 90% we just land on the safety net or on the road itself..

I visually can remembered most of the holes in SGC.....where i played so long ago and most importantly, it hold a very special bond to Osman, my 1st golf buddy...Thank You bro Osman, i know you are golfing in Heaven..

August 2012, a cloudy morning, driving in with my arsenal of weapons, 14 golf clubs and my old faithful ...ball picker stick...and i got lost in even in the carpark...the road to the bag drop have changed, the carparks are narrower, lesser tree as i remembered. Walking into the golf reception area was refreshing as it now wider. My first instinct was to looked for the Hole in One Plaque on the wall....yes i can still see Osman two hole in one and his brother Omar 1 hole in one....i could feel Osman smilling at me and saying..." your hole in one will be soon...."

Formerly was the Kitchen, now becomes the Men and ladies Changing room. And who can forget the Changing room attendance asking for a deposit of $10 for the locker key if you are not a member. The changing room now fashion like SICC Sime course with U shape arrangement, wooden oak like lockers. The shower room have a hotel like feeling but i felt that the lights are too dim for i still see lots of older golfers walking around.

The Buggies are relatively brand new, painted white, same type in NSRCC but very new as the tyres can still see the side rubber like needles like sticking out. The bag drop and buggies huts still the same, but with the new buggies, going down the very sleep slope to the holding area was a pleasure..

Looking around from the 1st teebox, i felt painful as i do not see any more lush, thick forest, dark coloured cow grass, all i see was light carpet bermuda grass like most of the Singapore course, lesser trees (feel like kranji), Starter blabbing the rules of golf, repairing divots, repair pitch mark, buggy on course but do not drive over wet area. Many area now becomes large pond, man make lake just to feed the water needs of the new course...to me another piece of Singapore Golfing HERITAGE was gone forever...i know my friend Osman is in a much much better place golfing...

I also experience for the first time...a reverser in golf layout, once was the teebox, now becomes the green...once was the green, it now a patch area to teeoff...

Don't get me wrong, i enjoyed myself playing the new Sembawang, for the first timer, you need someone who play or a members, to guide you. The 3th holes par 5, super dog leg left over canal, you not careful, you can land your ball to the other fairway with buggies and players waiting to throw club at you !!!

Think the course may have shorten, with a full capacity, 9 holes played under 2 hours, repeated 2x9 holes, 18 holes finish in 2 hour and 5 minutes.

Par 3 are all downhill, my Rabbit missed a hole in one chance by merely half her putter head length, make two birdie in all.

I enjoyed Sembawang very much but i sorely missed the good old British style cowgrass, lush thick forest course...and most of all, my good old buddy...Osman Latiff, he will be proud to see me today playing 100's where last time 200's was a norm.

Now looking forward to November where it will opens the full 18 holes Sembawang course...

PS:- Playing Sembawang, you need strong irons and short game to score, the hill undulating terrain will humble even the single HCP players

Enjoy everyone !!

UL, I think you were kind with your words. I believe the whomever that did the works on SCC, literally took apart and left it hanging. The notion is that SCC has always been known to have a nice and challenging course, now it is more like mickey mouse course.

I was disappointed with some of the holes and totally dislike it. Thumbs down for me.

UL, enjoyed your nostalgic return to SGC, haven't been back at SGC for 10 years, really sad to hear its no longer uphill commando (used to be walking too). In the 1990s, there was also the well-hidden Seletar Base 9 hole walking. That one was cow grass all the way, lots of British tradition (even some old rattan chairs I was told was from the 1960s). It had one par 5 parallel to the Seletar Airport runway, and the last hole with a tee box next to the Navy unit's parade square. At last parade time, if you happen to be at the tee box, you would be kindly requested to stand at attention during flag lowering by the DO! An old taxi driver kaki of mine ignored the request around 1990 or 1991, the DO reported him to the club, and he was told not to come ever again (which he ignored also)

Daffu wrote:

UL, I think you were kind with your words. I believe the whomever that did the works on SCC, literally took apart and left it hanging. The notion is that SCC has always been known to have a nice and challenging course, now it is more like mickey mouse course.

I was disappointed with some of the holes and totally dislike it. Thumbs down for me.

daffy dun say like tt. Now still challenging. But alot of blind holes n more narrow. I think vry dangerous.

dodo wrote:

UL, enjoyed your nostalgic return to SGC, haven't been back at SGC for 10 years, really sad to hear its no longer uphill commando (used to be walking too). In the 1990s, there was also the well-hidden Seletar Base 9 hole walking. That one was cow grass all the way, lots of British tradition (even some old rattan chairs I was told was from the 1960s). It had one par 5 parallel to the Seletar Airport runway, and the last hole with a tee box next to the Navy unit's parade square. At last parade time, if you happen to be at the tee box, you would be kindly requested to stand at attention during flag lowering by the DO! An old taxi driver kaki of mine ignored the request around 1990 or 1991, the DO reported him to the club, and he was told not to come ever again (which he ignored also)

Yrs bro DoDo, myself and many of my old boys club were trained in Seletar...when it closed for Aviation Hub...many gave up golf and took up One Arm Bandit in Genting, myself was lucky...saved by NSRCC. So bro where you golf now? Would love to golf with you and catch up with old times..PM me...

PS / You may enjoy my PC days in Seletar base

http://www.reddotgolfers.org/t1550-uncle-lau-s-pc-days?highlight=Uncle+Lau+PC+days

When are you arranging a game at Sembawang?

Silver wrote:

When are you arranging a game at Sembawang?

From reliable source...no more goodie....all sold out...