Record, 600,000 dollars for a registration fee

On several occasions, the players of the European Tour have had the opportunity to rub shoulders with the course of the Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore but for ordinary mortals the club which has two championship courses is simply inaccessible.

Registration fee, record

“Since the end of 2019, registration fees at this club have more than doubled to reach 840,000 Singapore dollars”, reports Bloomberg, or 580,000 euros. Those who paid less before prices soared in the city-state can resell their dues, as there is indeed a thriving parallel market.

This unprecedented situation is linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. Singapore has benefited from the health crisis with high-end real estate prices rising sharply. Membership in private sports clubs has also become very popular.

It is mainly the Chinese who cause this craze in Singapore, renowned for attracting the “super rich” from all over Asia, in particular because of its stability and its low level of taxation.

The government is also responsible for the situation. By closing courses to reclaim land, it has considerably reduced supply.

And foreign amateurs, who cannot afford the Sentosa or other private clubs such as the Tanah Merah Country Club, or the Laguna National, must fall back on courses located in Malaysia or on the neighboring island of Batam .

The Rules of Golf are a set of standard rules and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and maintained by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body for golf worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert commission made up of members of the R&A and USGA, oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision has been in force since January 1, 2016. Changes to the rules of golf generally fall into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that in certain cases reduce penalties to ensure balance. The rule book, entitled “Rules of Golf”, is published on a regular basis and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy it is up to Federgolf to supervise the competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R & A, checking that these rules are observed by the Clubs, Associations and their members and manages the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.

The rules of golf are relatively complicated compared to other sports because they apply outdoors, close to nature and animals. Respect for the rules is a basic element in the game of golf which, almost always based on self-control and the free conscience of the players, often sees distorted results, sometimes consciously, but often unconsciously or lightly, due to non-compliance by many players of the game rules. In addition to the rules, golf adheres to a code of conduct, known as etiquette, which generally means playing your game with due respect to the golf course and other players. Etiquette is an essential component of this sport.