Which country club - Raffles or Orchid

Dear all,
Need your advice. I am looking at acquiring a golf club and I have narrow my search to between Raffles and Orchid. What are your thoughts? Beside enoying a game of golf with my friends, I am looking at using the club to host my clients and business partners. I also need the club to have other facilities to amuse my wife whilst I sneak off for a game of golf. I live along Upper Bukit Timah. Thanks in advance!

I will go for OCC...sliver member here ....
Kindlegolf for kid...,Christopher music ...
Bowling alley...,peach garden...Himawari Japanese Restaurant
75 room with very nice view.....

Raffles is less crowded with 2 x 18 and 1,500 golfing members but there is a problem with traffic during weekday. You need to leave your place before 6:45am in order to avoid the massive traffic heading toward Jurong. In generally no booking required on weekday, you can just walkin. RCC allow 1 ball on weekday. Course condition is very subjective. Lake course is nice, Palm fairway is rough but the green is nice. Recently member voted not to rebuild Palm course. Now they can spend the money on the fairway. OCC is nice and there is night golfing. OCC course is more forgiving.

If you need to please your wifey, OCC has bowling alley, gym, swimming pool, NTUC Fairprice supermart, etc. But it only has 3 x 9-hole courses whilst RCC has 2 x 18-hole courses ...

Yah if wifey come into pic, occ is the obvious choice, eventhough rcc had full course facilities as well. But will your wife travel all the way to tuas just for a swim???

Thanks for the response! Sounds like OCC beats RCC pants down for pleasing the wife. How about entertaining clients and business partners with a golf game? My customers are based mostly in Tuas and Kranji area. I hear that OCC can get very crowded and it will be hard to book a flight on short notice.

In addition what are your views about the courses? Which one is more pleasant and scenic to play at?

RT76 wrote:

Thanks for the response! Sounds like OCC beats RCC pants down for pleasing the wife. How about entertaining clients and business partners with a golf game?  My customers are based mostly in Tuas and Kranji area. I hear that OCC can get very crowded and it will be hard to book a flight on short notice.

In addition what are your views about the courses? Which one is more pleasant and scenic to play at?

Course wise rcc got 2 x 18 holes. Occ is 3x9 holes. Scenery I would say abt the same. U intend to play wkday or wkend. Wkday wise should not be a problem. Wkend, rcc stand a higher chance. But rcc I would advice wait until the land issue with sla is settle then decide. Because if the land renewal is no go by sla, you may end up with only 18 holes in years to come.

For the longer term, I prefer OCC. Many ministers and government officials patronise this club. The future at RCC remains uncertain as the lease is left with 15 years. Besides, the club intend to spend $26m on renovation to the course but was soundly rejected by members. See link below.

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/raffles-country-club-members-reject-26m-upgrading-plan

Thanks enwee for your input! I understand that OCC has a shorter lease at about 10 years and the site has been marked as a reserves site by the master planner. U reckon this should be a cause for concern? What are the likely scenarios for OCC when the lease is up?

Why not consider JCC?

If you look at today newspaper, there is an article about how SLA will be engaging the various clubs on the extension of the lease.  An announcement is expected by early next year.

One interesting point I notice in that article is that there is no mention of OCC...

hi, just my humble opinion. OCC location may infact serve as a landscape for surrounding estates and thus chances of it moving maybe very slim, not to mention its a nice course to play in.

enwee wrote:

Yah if wifey come into pic, occ is the obvious choice, eventhough rcc had full course facilities as well. But will your wife travel all the way to tuas just for a swim???

OCC also has hotel for a weekend gateaway with your mistresses ... Oops ... I mean your beloved wifey ...

RT76 wrote:

Thanks enwee for your input! I understand that OCC has a shorter lease at about 10 years and the site has been marked as a reserves site by the master planner. U reckon this should be a cause for concern? What are the likely scenarios for OCC when the lease is up?

fyi, the last meeting, initially they proposed a total of $28m for the rebuilding the whole palm course. current members need to top up for it as a form of installment. The rest they hope to sell membership for $60K which I thought it's impossible with the current mkt. But it had been shoot down during the last agm.

OCC wise, nothing mention on the land so far but I guess it's rather safe at the moment, but I think members had no say if the club going to do anything abt the course. Bro blee can advice you better since he's OCC members.

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Even RCC range closes late, unless u work in Tuas or else I don't think anyone would go there for range?

OCC has night golfing but not RCC ... But I stand corrected ...

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall plus one small Sembawang mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

enwee wrote:

RT76 wrote:

Thanks enwee for your input! I understand that OCC has a shorter lease at about 10 years and the site has been marked as a reserves site by the master planner. U reckon this should be a cause for concern? What are the likely scenarios for OCC when the lease is up?

fyi, the last meeting, initially they proposed a total of $28m for the rebuilding the whole palm course. current members need to top up for it as a form of installment. The rest they hope to sell membership for $60K which I thought it's impossible with the current mkt. But it had been shoot down during the last agm.

OCC wise, nothing mention on the land so far but I guess it's rather safe at the moment, but I think members had no say if the club going to do anything abt the course. Bro blee can advice you better since he's OCC members.

I have spoken to one of the committee member a few months ago and was told that they have already submitted the lease extension form to SLA for approval.  However as yet, nothing has been heard till the newspaper article this morning (again, no mention of OCC though).  Guess this is still very much a watiting game at the moment.

To a certain extent it is true about members having no say in the club management as the club is controlled by SLF.  However, members have been known to the management about issues in the past that the club has taken note and act upoin (not all though from what i heard and seen).  One word of caution though.  The club is not as exclusive as other clubs as you must not forget that the intention of this club was to give access to Union members as afforadable rates (i.e day passes, etc).

Turbo wrote:

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

Bro Turbo, when you mentioned vicinity, you take into consideration the distance?  Just making an observation only...

blee wrote:

Turbo wrote:

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

Bro Turbo, when you mentioned vicinity, you take into consideration the distance?  Just making an observation only...

Yes of course ...

North Point mall - 3 mins by car to OCC
Sembawang mall - 10 mins by car to OCC

Jurong Point mall - 15 mins to RCC by car
Jux box & Jem - 15 mins to RCC by car
IMM - 15 mins to RCC by car

Turbo wrote:

blee wrote:

Turbo wrote:

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

Bro Turbo, when you mentioned vicinity, you take into consideration the distance?  Just making an observation only...

Yes of course ...

North Point mall - 3 mins by car to OCC
Sembawang mall - 10 mins by car to OCC

Jurong Point mall - 15 mins to RCC by car
Jux box & Jem - 15 mins to RCC by car
IMM - 15 mins to RCC by car

I thought North Point expanded? Also in future, there will be a new seletar mall.

Turbo wrote:

blee wrote:

Turbo wrote:

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

Bro Turbo, when you mentioned vicinity, you take into consideration the distance?  Just making an observation only...

Yes of course ...

North Point mall - 3 mins by car to OCC
Sembawang mall - 10 mins by car to OCC

Jurong Point mall - 15 mins to RCC by car
Jux box & Jem - 15 mins to RCC by car
IMM - 15 mins to RCC by car

 Thanks!

I can show this to my wife now....

enwee wrote:

Turbo wrote:

blee wrote:

Turbo wrote:

nutty88 wrote:

I would suggest OCC also. Not sure if you range often but RCC range closes damn early. OCC has more facilities over RCC. Moreover, OCC has a better location as in you can still drop your family at nearby shopping malls while you go golf.

Bro, there is only a relatively small North Point mall in the vicinity at the moment ... You sure your wife and kids can shop at one miserable mall for 4-5 hours? Over at RCC, there are a few malls in the vicinity ... Jurong Point, Jem, Jude Box, IMM, etc.

Bro Turbo, when you mentioned vicinity, you take into consideration the distance?  Just making an observation only...

Yes of course ...

North Point mall - 3 mins by car to OCC
Sembawang mall - 10 mins by car to OCC

Jurong Point mall - 15 mins to RCC by car
Jux box & Jem - 15 mins to RCC by car
IMM - 15 mins to RCC by car

I thought North Point expanded? Also in future, there will be a new seletar mall.

North Point mall has expanded under the stewardship of Capital Mall ... but still smaller than IMM or Jux box, etc. Sembawang is also small but there is a Giant hypermart inside ...

Yes, there will be a new Seletar mall but not sure when it will be materialized ...