As of the time of writing, it has been three weeks since the election, and they have been an interesting and tumultuous three weeks. All the convenors were appointed in the first few days and they have since organised their subcommittees and it’s a good, hardworking, competent team. We all look forward to serving RSGC.
Much time has been spent this week by The Committee (TC) and management on F&B including our President, who was in London and went almost without sleep on some nights. As of this morning, the caterer formally announced that they will cease operations within a month, ending on 31 July, which is about the same time The Circular is in your hands. We are working very hard to achieve a reasonable transition albeit with a truncated menu starting August as well as to be able to cater to some larger events in early August such as the Ladies Amateur Open.
Ally and management are working expeditiously on the list of caterers that recently bid for the job, and one key criterion is to be able to commence operations on 1 August even with a limited menu and drinks. TC’s immediate and utmost priority is the continuation of services and to minimise disruption to Members. One lesson out of this is that it is imperative that the agreement with the caterer be signed and in place before or soon after operations commence.
On a separate note, at the recently concluded AGM, it was announced that our current General Manager (GM) will be leaving after his term expires in early September. We wish him well in his future endeavours. A new GM has since been hired and he is expected to start in the middle of September. We look forward to onboarding him and introducing him to Members.
SPORTS FACILITIES, ESTIMATED COMPLETION & COSTS
There are many ongoing sports projects under development and some are fast approaching completion. The Committee along with management have been conducting weekly or twice a week site visits as the detailing and specifications to completion are important to achieve the high standards befitting RSGC.
Starting with the Children’s Pool, outdoor shower and the Plunge & Infra-Red Sauna facility (two rooms), these facilities are scheduled to open by mid-August 2026. Detailing work has been underway around the Children’s Pool area—for example, jagged edges and uneven tiles are being addressed, as safety is a key priority—along with the surrounding flora and fauna. The two plunge and infra-red sauna rooms are being completed, with equipment currently being installed.
Safety is a key consideration with the opening of the Children’s Pool. Hoarding will need to be secure to separate the Children’s Pool from the 50 metre pool and surrounding areas, as parts of the 50 metre pool are deep.
The 50 metre pool is expected to complete and opened by the end of September 2026, as tiling and grouting will be completed by July. Thereafter, the pool needs to be chemically washed and filled, which may take a week as the volume of water is substantial, followed by water treatment and balancing. Getting the water balance and chemistry right may take a while if the Children’s Pool is any indication, as the entire system — including filtration and pumps — is new.
Once the 50 metre pool is complete and reopened, hoarding will be up and the same will be done for the 25 metre pool, which is expected to complete and reopen in January 2027.
Grass Tennis Courts 1 & 2 are scheduled to open in October 2026. The turf has been sodded (planted), and it takes three months for the grass and surface to settle before regular play can commence. We are looking to invite elite players to try out the courts in September, akin to user acceptance testing.
Grass Tennis Courts 3 & 4 turf sodding is commencing soon, with the grounds being cleared of equipment and debris now that work on the 50 metre swimming pool is nearing completion. The courts are scheduled to open in November 2026.
Annex Building: concrete casting for the ground floor is nearing completion, while casting for the first floor is expected to complete early August, for the second floor end August and the roof by end September. Interior works and detailing (flooring, lighting, kitchen, lift, banquet hall, ground-floor balcony exercise area and rooftop) will commence around that time, with the Annex Building expected to be completed and opened in January 2027.
Dedicated Pickle & Padel Courts: work will commence in October after the Annex Building is erected. Completion is scheduled for February to March 2027.
Grass Tennis Courts 5 & 6: Concurrent with the Dedicated Pickle & Padel Courts, February to March 2027.
There is currently a negative variance of RM1.546 million due to the Pickle and Padel courts, and management is still trying to get a line-item breakdown from the QS and Project Manager explaining why the numbers are so far out. Reasons cited to date are: (a) a covered top structure for the pickle and padel courts matching the design of the top of the covered tennis courts is expensive (b) an extra three metres of height provided for both the padel and pickle courts beyond the minimum heights based on international standards, and (c) softer soil conditions than expected. TC has requested a detailed review of the costs and is exploring alternative roof designs and layouts, without compromising functionality or playability, including potentially aligning the pickle and padel courts in a row to reduce costs. TC has also requested Management to stop construction work at night as the overtime costs are high. The contracted working hours are Monday to Saturday, 8am to 6pm, with occasional Sunday work being carried out at the contractor’s own expense.
I personally like the layout, design and functionality of the new facilities. Credit goes to the previous Committee, from President Eddy Chen and Captain Raymond Yeoh to Sports Convenor Justin Ong, Facilities Convenor Wan Din, the rest of TC, and their architect. Our objective as TC is to ensure management completes the ongoing projects well and in accordance with the approved specifications, so that Members can enjoy these facilities for decades to come. That is part of continuity and teamwork, guided always by what is in the best interest of RSGC.
GOLF COURSE RENOVATION AND RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Project Steering Committee (PSC) has been formed for the golf course renovation and reconstruction project and the design brief for the golf course architects has since been prepared and sent out.
For the design brief, the following were some of the items added beyond the deck brilliantly prepared and presented by Captain Raymond in the recent AGM (retain parkland character, mature trees & KL skyline views; drainage; consistent highquality turf; de-contaminate, deepen and beautify ponds; enhanced strategic bunker layouts and green complexes; world-class short game and practice facilities, halfway huts and other course infrastructure; and take into account non-permanence of lot 1026):
(a) three 9-hole championship courses (1st New is not long enough) with the Black Tees for tournament play while Blue, White, Gold and Red for Members to play with various levels of difficulty while ensuring an enjoyable round of golf for all skill levels
(b) at least one signature hole for each nine-hole course
(c) course is ready to resume play approximately 30 minutes after a downpour
(d) the fairways should be firm enough to achieve 10-30 yards of ball roll after a drive
(e) to look into designing the green complexes to have sufficient areas for at least six pin placements and a bit more undulation
(f) More maintenance-friendly, reduced turnaround time for play, and lower long-run upkeep and maintenance costs
(g) consider reducing the number of bunkers around the golf course. Landscaping, if any, should be strategic and must add value to the playing experience without adding too much in maintenance costs (RSGC currently has 165 bunkers and more than 10,000 trees)
(h) the design should be mindful of escalating labour and material costs, as well as ong-term operational and financial sustainability. Aside from reducing bunkers and landscaping, less labourintensive design features, natural areas, etc. should be considered.
We have so far reached out to four golf architects – Nelson & Haworth (RSGC, SICC Island, KLGCC West), Mackenzie & Ebert (British Open courses such as Royal Troon, Royal Birkdale and Hirono Japan), Curley-Wagner (Amata Springs, Siam Country Club, Mission Hills) and Faldo/GWD (KLGCC East ongoing) – and have met with some of them virtually. We are targeting to finalise and select the golf architect by September.
GOLF COURSE MAINTENANCE
In the meantime, we need to live with what we have and our brief to Jack, our head greenskeeper, is to assume that there is no upcoming renovation and to maintain our current golf courses accordingly. Most of us look back fondly on the time when RSGC hosted the European Tour Maybank Championships and how good the golf course was back then, supervised by our current greenskeeper. The target is to bring our golf courses back to 70 to 80 per cent of the conditions they were in then (excluding the greens which would require closing) and our head greenskeeper reckons he can get this done over the course of eight months, progressively step by step, with extra focus on the 2nd New, which is likely the last Nine to be renovated with the non-permanence of lot 1026.
In addition, it is imperative that RSGC remains immaculate, neat and tidy, with all facilities functioning properly — from jet spray and air hose for cleaning shoes to washrooms. This is especially true of the overall presentation of RSGC, from the guardhouse entrance through to the clubhouse, starter boxes and driving range, all nicely presented with no weeds, overgrown grass or litter.
SUMMARY
It has been an interesting three weeks and there is much work to be done. During my term as Captain, I generally hope to accomplish and see a more harmonious and less divisive club, where Members and Committee alike work together in the same spirit of goodwill, guided always by what is best for RSGC. I hope to see continued investments so that all of our facilities are of very high standards serving all RSGC Members, while always factoring in the costs of maintenance and affordability.
Best regards,
Your Captain
Lee Kok Kwan
