Four new venues to join Asian Tour Destinations
Sentosa, Singapore, December 9: Four of Asia’s most-exceptional golfing venues – Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club in Malaysia, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô in Vietnam, Sapporo Country Club and The North Country Golf Club, both in Japan – have become part of Asian Tour Destinations.
All four are award-winning venues, with a history of hosting world-class tournaments, and join a select group of members at Asian Tour Destinations – which is an exclusive network of elite golf clubs with direct ties to the Asian Tour.
Earlier this year Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand; Classic Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India; and Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, became part of the emerging network.
They joined Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore – which was the first golf club to sign-up in 2015.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “Asian Tour Destinations is flourishing and now boasts eight of the finest golf clubs in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asian Tour is delighted to welcome the latest additions to this exclusive membership body.
“The main objective of Asian Tour Destinations is to provide an affiliate membership programme between the associated venues and the Asian Tour – which will drive sustainable growth and development for the betterment of golf in our region as a whole.”
Johor Bahru, Malaysia:January 23: Pictured during the HORIZON HILLS MEDIA GOLF 2019 at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club,Johor Bahru, Malaysia. (Photo by Mike Casper / MYPHOTO2U )
Horizon Hills is one of the great golfing facilities in southern Malaysia and has hosted three Iskandar Johor Opens: Ireland’s Padraig Harrington won the event in 2010, Dutchman Joost Luiten was the winner in 2011, while Spaniard Sergio Garcia triumphed the following year.
“Within a short space of time, since our opening in 2008, Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club has become a household name in the regional golf industry,” said Tang Meng Loon, Director, Club, Townships & Property Management, Horizon Hills.
“It was therefore a logical step for us to become part of Asian Tour Destinations – which is a platform that will allow us to further build our brand in the region and beyond.”
Laguna Lăng Cô Resort boasts the distinction of having Sir Nick Faldo’s first Signature Design open for play and it is the home of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final – which is hosted by Sir Nick himself every year. The Asian Tour has been a long-time supporter of the Faldo Series, which has helped to grow the game of golf globally. Laguna Lăng Cô is an integrated golf and beach resort and is part of the Banyan Tree Group. It is the first golf course in Vietnam to be Earth Check Gold Certified.
Laguna Golf Lăng Cô
Said Adam Calver, Director of Golf, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô: “Vietnam continues to be at the forefront of golf expansion and development in the region and we are very proud that Laguna Golf Lăng Cô is a contributor in this evolution. We appreciate the work the Asian Tour continues to do to grow the game here and Asian Tour Destinations is a perfect fit for us and supports our resorts future plans and ambitions.”
Sapporo Country Club and The North Country Golf Club, in Hokkaido, are the first golf clubs from Japan to join the Asian Tour Destinations fold.
“This is an exciting development for Sapporo Country Club: to align ourselves with the Asian Tour Destination programme. And to have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with some of the other premier golfing venues in Asia will prove invaluable,” said Yamazaki Shigeki, President, Sapporo Country Club.
Sapporo Golf Club – Takino Country Club
The North Country Golf Club has been the home of The Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup on the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) since 2005.
And their championship course was designed by Japan legend Isao Aoki – the winner of 51 titles on the JGTO and the first player from Japan to win on the PGA Tour, at the Hawaiian Open in 1983
Said Yasuhiro Ota from The North Country Golf Club: “The North Country Golf Club is proud of its long association with The Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup – which demonstrates the club’s desire to connect with the game of golf at the highest level. Our involvement with Asian Tour Destinations provides us with a similar pathway for us to improve and reach the highest standards, operationally and commercially.”
The North Country Golf Club
Being a part of the Asian Tour Destinations network means that each venue is certified Tour calibre and operates a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year round.
Among the core benefits, Asian Tour members will be able to play and practice at each venue, allowing for the members at each club to enjoy direct engagement with the region’s best golfers.
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Sentosa Golf Club has marked its most recent award of ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’ by premiering a new environmental documentary film to raise awareness of the importance of climate change in golf.
The documentary forms part of the club’s GAME ON campaign, which has received backing from The R&A following its launch at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier this year.
Coinciding after it was named ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’ at the 2020 World Golf Awards this week, the film shows viewers some of the key measures already implemented at the club, such as the creation of bee colonies, the installation of reservoir-lakes and the banning of single-use plastics.
The club, which became the first golf club in the world to sign the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Agreement back in July, hopes the film will serve as inspiration to golf’s response to climate change, as well as help clubs around the world to understand the importance of reducing their carbon footprint by implementing initiatives for the betterment of the environment.
Sentosa is also planning a free environmental toolkit to further help golf clubs deal with the real threat of climate change.
With over 61 million golfers and 39,000 golf courses worldwide, the club firmly believes golf has the ability to become one of the leading industries to help reverse climate change and make a considerable impact.
The wider GAME ON campaign aims to educate and inspire the global golfing community to create a more socially conscious industry and consumer, who will be better prepared to introduce new modern practices for the betterment of the environment, as well as improving the quality of facilities on offer throughout the world. It is closely aligned with The R&A’s 2030 Golf Course Initiative.
Speaking about the unveiling of the documentary, Andrew Johnston, General Manager and Director of Agronomy at Sentosa Golf Club, said: “Today is a very special day. The unveiling of the GAME ON documentary marks the day golf’s major stakeholders and global community unite to fight climate change. Sentosa Golf Club are proud to be at the forefront of this campaign and hope to create a legacy with golf’s leading organisations and community that will have a huge bearing on our future.”
On being awarded ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Golf Facility’, Johnston added: “It is a tremendous achievement for Sentosa to be recognised by golf’s leading professionals as the ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Facility’ and once again as ‘Singapore’s Best Golf Course’ for the third year running. Being awarded these accolades is down to the hard work that is put in by all our staff and members to maintain the high standards that are set by the club 365 days of the year.
“Since 2018, we have worked hard to create a sustainable environment on-site at the club and are grateful for all the support we have received from our partners and stakeholders in our journey so far. Even with this recognition, the club will continue to improve and look to pioneer new sustainable initiatives as we look to lead the industry in tackling this critical issue.”
Sentosa fought off competition from other leaders in the environmental space to collect their latest eco accolade at the 7th annual World Golf Awards, recognised for the leadership and responsibility it has shown in planning, constructing and managing a resource efficient and ecologically rich golf environment, as well as playing an inspirational role in expanding environmental activity throughout the region.
The club also took home the title of ‘Singapore’s Best Golf Course’ for The Serapong course for the second year in a row. The course plays host to the SMBC Singapore Open every year, welcoming the world’s best players from all around the world.
Chris Gray, Head of Sustainability and Agronomy – Asia-Pacific at The R&A, added: “The R&A is delighted to be part of Sentosa Golf Club’s unveiling of their GAME ON documentary. It is great to be part of something so important and be able to work together on a global scale to fight the issues that really matter to golf and the world. GAME ON, which is closely aligned with our own Golf Course 2030 initiative, is not only a vital campaign in helping to reverse the impact of climate change, but it is also crucial to the overall survival of golf, a game that is so widely loved throughout the world.”
Commenting on the latest award for the club, Sentosa Development Corporation CEO, Thien Kwee Eng, said: “It is a great honour for Sentosa Golf Club to receive two awards at this year’s World Golf Awards. We are extremely proud of the work our team has put in throughout the year, not only expanding its environmental credentials, but also continuously maintaining the top-quality conditions of its two championship courses. By doing so, the club has attracted some of Asia’s most prestigious events and helped showcase Sentosa as one of the world’s top global tourist destinations.”
The newly crowned ‘World’s Best Eco-Friendly Facility’ also boosted its approach to environmental sustainability by forming a partnership with international sustainable golf non-profit, GEO Foundation. The collaboration will see the integration of GEO’s industry-leading OnCourse® program and GEO Certified label with Sentosa’s ‘green-culture’ to pioneer new innovative practices, as well as gather, verify, and report credible results to share with other clubs around the world.
A recent Golf Sustainability Fund Grant by The R&A made Sentosa the first club in Asia able to grind down food and horticultural waste to reuse as fertiliser on its golf courses.
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When American rookie Trevor Simsby holed a four-foot birdie putt to beat Andrew Dodt, from Australia, in a sudden-death play-off at the Bandar Malaysian Open in March, it not only sealed his first win on Tour but the occasion also helped cement an important relationship that has lasted over two decades.
Kota Permai Golf & Country Club, the tournament’s venue, has been the proud host of events on the Asian Tour since first staging the Volvo Masters of Malaysia in 1998 – the year the club opened.
And over the past 22 years it has staged a wealth of Tour events, including: two Malaysian Opens, the Selangor Worldwide Masters twice, six Volvo Masters and a pair of World Cup Qualifiers.
It has been a special venue on Tour ‒ something that Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant will agree with having won the 2001 Volvo Masters of Malaysia and Selangor Worldwide Masters in 2012 on Kota Permai’s pristine playing surfaces.
Hole No. 2 at Kota Permai GCC
Many will also remember American Kevin Na ‒ aged just 19-years-old ‒ winning the Volvo Masters of Asia at Kota Permai in 2002, before departing on a highly successful and lucrative career on the PGA Tour.
In August, the popular Kuala Lumpur venue took another exciting step forward with its’ Tour association by becoming part of Asian Tour Destinations – an exclusive network of world-class golf venues, with direct ties to the Tour.
The other current Destinations venues include: Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore, Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, and the Classic Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India. Additional world-class Destinations will be added to the network over the coming months.
The Asian Tour Destinations brand offers a wide range of benefits to its members and the Tour, helping them to achieve their commercial and strategic goals.
It provides an affiliate membership programme between the associated venues – which have a collective membership base of 7,500 golfers.
Also, being a part of the network means that each venue is certified Tour calibre and operates a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year round.
Among the core benefits, Asian Tour members will be able to play and practice at each venue – allowing for the members at each club to enjoy direct engagement with the region’s best golfers.
“This is a very exciting development – one we have eagerly been anticipating. In terms of what we are looking forward to, it is pretty much threefold,” says Tang Meng Loon, Director of Club, Township & Property Management at Gamuda Land – the owners of Kota Permai.
“Firstly, more involvement with the Asian Tour – to be a host venue for tournaments or a platform for any programmes sanctioned by the Tour.
“Secondly, seeing Tour players here at Kota Permai away from tournaments will be amazing. We will be able to get their feedback for improvements, plus members and guests will really enjoy seeing them here, whether playing, practicing or socializing in the clubhouse. It’s going to be great to see them here and it will definitely increase interest to play here.
“Thirdly, we will be able to foster interclub relations with the management teams of the other Asian Tour Destinations’ partners, exchange advertising and promotion support, and welcome their members to Kota Permai, relishing the chance to host them.”
Hole No. 16 at Kota Permai GCC
In addition, by aligning themselves to an even greater degree with the Asian Tour, the club are hoping to achieve one of their key objectives: to see their venue continue to rise from being one of Malaysia’s top golf club’s – a position it proudly holds today – to one of the premier golfing Destinations in the region.
“We want to provide the best possible experience to all who walk through our doors and we want to constantly improve in all areas. With Asian Tour Destinations, this is now very possible,” added Tang.
The club currently has over 4,000 members and averages 5,900 rounds a month. And it is well known for being the ultimate recreational hub, for as well as boasting an 18-hole golf course – designed by Ross Watson – it also has a pro shop, driving range, gymnasium, badminton, squash and tennis courts, swimming pools, sauna and steam baths, F&B outlets, function rooms, and a children’s playground.
Says Tang: “We have a constant drive to improve in all areas – whether it be in operations, branding, marketing, strategic partnerships, or administration.
“We are continuously working on the maintenance and upgrade of the golf course, plus the provision and upkeep of world-class club facilities and amenities that offer excellent customer service.”
This policy of progression has resulted in the club being the recipient of a host of important accolades – including the coveted “Malaysia’s Best Golf Course” award in 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018 at the World Golf Awards. And, it has also earned similar honours at the Asian Golf Awards over the years.
And, the club have weathered the storm caused by the coronavirus pandemic by gradually resuming business.
“As per government directives, we had to close the club and cease all operations earlier in the year. Since the beginning we have followed the strict standard operating procedures but we are delighted to say we are almost back to normal – just operating under the ‘new norm’ of things,” said Tang.
Simsby, for one, will be happy to hear that.
Said the American after his win: “I really felt good about the golf course, and was in awe of how good the condition was. It was in tremendous shape all week.”
Trevor Simsby of the United States
The R&A has awarded the Singapore club a Golf Sustainability Fund Grant that will further boost its environmental credentials.
Sentosa Golf Club is set to install two digesters that will make it the first club in Asia with the ability to grind down food and horticultural waste to reuse as fertiliser on the golf course.
Using a Golf Sustainability Fund Grant awarded by The R&A, the Singapore-based club set on Sentosa Island will reuse 40kg of food waste generated each day along with the one tonne of horticultural waste produced every month.
The grant is part of a project that will also help bring sustainable organic waste management practices to golf courses in Asia with Sentosa Golf Club estimating cost savings of up to 30% on monthly waste disposal over a one-year period.
It also comes shortly after Sentosa Golf Club was announced as the world’s first golf club to sign the UN’s Sports for Climate Action Initiative.
Embarking on a two-stage process, the first will see Sentosa using a food waste bio-digester to process and grind down waste from its three F&B outlets on site. Once microbes are added to the waste it is ready for use as organic fertiliser on the golf courses, SMBC Singapore Open venue, The Serapong, and The New Tanjong, which hosts the HSBC Women’s World Championship and was also the chosen venue for the 10th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) and the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) in 2018.
The second stage of the project will introduce a heavy duty woodchipper and bio-digester shredder to grind an estimated one tonne of horticulture waste that is generated per month at the club. The club does not currently purchase and apply compost material on the golf course, but foresees that a suitable compost by-product can be derived from this project and used to improve the golf course, including the retention of vital moisture across the fairways, thereby reducing the need for irrigation.
Andrew Johnston, Director of Agronomy and General Manager at Sentosa Golf Club, said: “It is very humbling for Sentosa Golf Club to be chosen by The R&A to be part of its Golf Sustainability Fund. Personally, I’m very proud of what the club has achieved in recent years with its environmental efforts. The entire team at the club can be recognised for their hard work and dedication towards creating an environmentally sustainable environment – it has become a way of life at the club.
“This grant will help us go a long way towards further achieving our goals and the waste recycling project along with all the other initiatives we have implemented here at the club, will hopefully inspire other clubs around the world to play their part in becoming more sustainable.”
On the importance of such an initiative, Johnston added: “Most horticultural and golf course waste is currently disposed through the process of waste incineration or burial administered by the local authorities. This adds to air pollution and applies pressure to landfill sites, which is particularly pertinent to land-starved Singapore.”
Both The R&A and leadership team at Sentosa Golf Club envision achieving a major leap in golf course specific waste recycling and fertiliser use across the fairways of courses all over the world along with a major change in the consideration of how golf clubs approach their waste management strategies. The club’s initiative will also help with the research and development of bi-product fertilisers that can be used on primary roughs and fairways and shared with other golf clubs in Asia and around the world.
Dominic Wall, Director – Asia-Pacific at the R&A, said: “Sentosa Golf Club has introduced many environmental-friendly golf course practices over the last few years and The R&A is excited to work with them on this project, not only to allow them to further a more sustainable environment at the club, but also to provide the vital research needed for other clubs in Asia and around the world to use as best practice.”
Chris Gray, Head of Sustainability and Agronomy – Asia-Pacific at The R&A, added: “The R&A is extremely pleased to be able to work closely with Sentosa Golf Club through our sustainability fund and help them continue to raise the bar and act as a model for other golf clubs around the world to follow in terms of environmental sustainability.”
Sentosa Golf Club’s green agenda was initially brought to the attention of the golfing world with the launch of its #KeepItGreen campaign at the SMBC Singapore Open in January 2018. It saw a number of key environmental features implemented at the club, such as the creation of their own Bee colonies; using rechargeable lithium batteries in their golf carts; banning single use plastics from the golf course and replacing them with water stations; as well as installing electric vehicle charging sockets and building their own sustainable herb garden.
The club also unveiled a new global campaign, GAME ON, at the start of the year, which is designed to unite the global golf community in addressing the growing concerns of climate change. The aim is to educate and inspire the global golfing community, helping golf clubs around the world to better prepare by introducing modern sustainability practices to reduce their environmental impact.
The campaign is closely aligned with The R&A’s 2030 Golf Course Initiative that considers the impacts, both positive and negative, of the changing climate, resource constraints and regulation on course condition and playability. The R&A has also recently pledged their support of the GAME ON initiative.
For more information on Sentosa Golf Club, visit www.sentosagolf.com.
Sentosa, Singapore, August 21: Asian Tour Destinations – an exclusive network of world-class golf venues with direct ties to the Asian Tour – has significantly strengthened its presence in the region with the addition of three premier golf clubs.
Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand; Classic Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India; and Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, have all become part of the exciting network, which will be adding prominent venues from the Asia Pacific region to its portfolio in the near future.
All with a history of hosting prestigious Asian Tour tournaments, they join Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore which was the first golf club to become part of the Asian Tour Destinations network in 2015.
In addition, Asian Tour Destinations has further enhanced its portfolio by partnering with online booking portal Tee Time Saver and the globally leading Customer Service Analysis provider 59Club Asia.
The iconic 18th hole of the New Tanjong and the clubhouse at Sentosa Golf Club.
Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “We welcome the new venues on board, and we look forward to working with them and further developing our relationships. They represent the top-tier of golfing properties in Asia and are a perfect fit for Asian Tour Destinations.
“Through our combined resources these golf clubs will benefit from the significant value that the Asian Tour and Asian Tour Destinations brand will add to their commercial and strategic goals in combination with support from Tee Time Saver and 59Club Asia.”
The primary mission of Asian Tour Destinations is to provide an affiliate membership programme between the associated venues – with a collective membership base of 7,500 golfers – and the Asian Tour which will help grow the game of golf in the region.
In particular, being a part of the Asian Tour Destinations network means that each venue is certified Tour caliber and operates a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year round.
Among the core benefits, Asian Tour members will be able to play and practice at each venue facilitating for the members at each club to enjoy direct engagement with the region’s best golfers.
“Black Mountain is delighted be part of this new community of leading golf courses. We pride ourselves on being a desirable destination for visitors from all over the world and our association with the Asian Tour and Asian Tour destinations will truly help with this objective. Several Tour players already base themselves at our property and we look forward to welcoming more in the future as well as the members from the other Asian Tour Destination clubs around Asia,” said Harald Elisson, General Manager, Black Mountain.
The renowned Hua Hin venue has played host to a number of Asian Tour sanctioned tournaments including the Black Mountain Masters, the Thailand Classic, the King’s Cup, and the Royal Trophy.
Classic Golf & Country Club
“Classic Golf and Country Club has worked hard to build an international profile that highlights our world-class venue and so our new relationship with Asian Tour Destinations network is the perfect conduit for this, among many other benefits,” added Deepak C. Menezes, the Managing Director of Landbase India Ltd., Classic Golf & Country – venue for the Panasonic Open India, the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship, and the Sail Open.
“Kota Permai Golf & Country Club has always embraced the spirit of providing the best golfing experience possible to all our patrons. As one of the leading golf clubs in Malaysia, we would like to ensure that we are aligned with other elite clubs in Asia plus the region’s foremost professional golf Tour. Becoming a member of Asian Tour Destinations is an honour and an exciting opportunity for Kota Permai to showcase our pristine golf course, excellent club facilities as well as warm hospitality. We look forward to welcoming both Tour players and Asian Tour Destinations members alike,” said Tang Meng Loon, Director of Club, Township & Property Management at Gamuda Land.
Kota Permai Golf and Country Club
The golf club has been hosting events on the Asian Tour for nearly 20 years such as the Volvo Masters of Asia, the Selangor Masters and more recently the 2020 Bandar Malaysia Open.
Sentosa Golf Club, home of the Asian Tour and the SMBC Singapore Open, has enjoyed its role as a founding member of Asian Tour Destinations.
“Sentosa Golf Club boasts a strong bond with the Asian Tour and our involvement with Asian Tour Destinations allows us to push ahead with one of our key roles, which is to help the golf industry in the region, as a whole, attain new levels of quality and excellence. We look forward to working with the venues who have recently joined,” said Andy Johnston – General Manager and Director of Agronomy at Sentosa Golf Club.
In addition, Asian Tour Destinations has established a partnership with the Tee Time Saver to promote its network of venues. Tee Time Saver provides an integrated search and booking engine for golfers to easily find the best tee-time and golf packages available for Asian Tour Destinations venues. They will also produce dedicated content on their website and social media platforms for golf fans to have in-depth reviews from Asian Tour professionals on the destination venues including strategies to adopt when playing signature holes.
As the leading sales & service analyst and performance training provider in Asia, 59club Asia delivers the resources to significantly improve and maintain sales & service etiquette, in turn increasing customer satisfaction, revenue and ultimately profits. 59club Asia are the only company in golf industry that rewards venues achieving improved customer service levels, recognised though mystery shopping audits, presenting Service Excellence Awards, famously known as the ‘Oscars’ of the industry.
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