Singapore Island Country Club

Singapore Island Country Club Description:
(Singapore's largest private golf club)

Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) boasts five courses - the Bukit, Sime, Island, New, and 9-hole Millennium - all of which strictly preserve the club's members and their guests. Visitors (local or overseas) cannot play on any of the courses unless introduced by a member.

At SICC's Bukit location, the Bukit and Sime Courses share a clubhouse and are both played alongside the picturesque MacRitchie Reservoir. Four kilometers away along the Upper Thompson Road, the club's Island location is home to the Island, New, and Millennium courses, which share another clubhouse. These three courses are located within Singapore's Central Catchment Nature Reserve and are among Singapore's most natural and jungle-lined courses. Wildlife, including monkeys, boar, squirrels, and tropical birds, roam in the dense forest, hills, and many golf holes alongside the Peirce Reservoir.

The fabulous Bukit course has been rated among the top three in Singapore and is regarded as SICC's top competition course, hosting many top-level professional events. The Bukit Course borders the sprawling MacRitchie Reservoir and boasts more than 3,000 fully-grown natural hardwood trees. SICC's 18-hole championship course has hosted many international events, including the 1969 World Cup, the 1993 Johnnie Walker Classic, Rolex Masters (1973 to 1998), 28 Singapore Opens (1962 to 1995), and the Caltex Singapore Masters in 2001. With such pedigree, it is no wonder that it is the most famous golf course in SICC.

The Island Course is the shortest of the four 18-hole courses, a challengingly tight layout with many testing short par-4s. Weaving through old trees, the Island Course is both hilly and picturesque. Both nines start and finish with very similar holes.

In 2021, Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) unveiled 27-new holes designed by Australian golf architect Graham Marsh to replace the previous 18-hole New Course. The nines named Millennium, Peirce, and Reservoir are playable in any combinations to form an 18-hole round and collectively retain the New Course moniker.

Greens have been grassed with Primo Zoysia while tees, fairways, and rough feature Zeon Zoysia. Extensive earthworks reshape former holes, and upgraded drainage and irrigation makes the New Course perfectly suited for dealing with frequent monsoon downpours.

Satisfaction and experience of individual holes are equal among the 27 holes. The Millennium and Peirce nines are a mix of well-balanced holes with similar terrain, creek crossings, lakes, reservoir views, and strategic challenges. The Forest Course exists in a separated jungle environment with several risks-reward holes, establishing its notoriety for all proficiencies for golfers.

The layout features several heritage trees, some of which are the oldest specimens in Singapore. The trees frame holes and act as wildlife corridors.

Golfers experience an unsurpassed view of the Lower Peirce Reservoir on many holes. Playing on slopes and terrain carved out from the natural landscape makes for mostly uneven fairway lies. However, playing in harmony with the delicate surrounding ecosystem using bridges and boardwalks creates a pleasant and tranquil transition between holes.

Over time the Singapore Island Country Club will undergo significant additional revisions. The Sime Course is a public-access course in 2025 to compensate for the closure of other courses on the island. Named after a former President of Royal Singapore Golf Club, this layout also ranks in the island's top ten golf courses. The Sime Course offers a scenic and serene view of the MacRitchie Reservoir. It has prompted many descriptions, such as reminiscent of the Thames in the summer, and is a welcome addition to public golf in Singapore.