76
FAHTHAI
URBAN STROKES
Serapong Sentosa, Singapore
A little goes a long way in
Singapore. The city-state may be
small, but somehow room was
made for over 30 golf courses, the
best of which are found on the
resort island of Sentosa. If space is
at a premium on the main island,
it’s an even tighter squeeze on tiny
Sentosa, so it’s a testament to the
ingenuity of architect Ron Fream
that the Serapong course is one
of the region’s finest tests. More
than 3 million cubic metres of
sand were pumped and dredged
from shipping channels in order
to provide land for the course,
and the result is a masterpiece.
The first nine holes were mostly
laid out over pre-existing land
and have a more sheltered feel to
them; on the other hand, the bulk
of the holes on the back nine are
routed over reclaimed land and
are more open. Both front and
back nine have their merits, but
it’s the closing stretch that defines
the course. The 14th, a long par-4,
is played into the prevailing wind
towards the towering skyscrapers
of Singapore’s financial district,
while the 15th and 16th holes are
classic death-or-glory set pieces
played along the water’s edge.
(sentosagolf.com)
3
INNOVATION
Carved out
of reclaimed
land, Sentosa's
Serapong is a
masterpiece
The 14th, a
long par-4,
is played into
the prevailing
wind towards
the towering
skyscrapers
