How Keppel Club Is changing golf here!

Want to play golf in Singapore? One of the oldest golf clubs in Singapore (founded in 1904) has reinvented itself, allowing you to play without committing to full-time membership. The Keppel Club – named after Admiral Sir Henry Keppel – now offers flexible ways to play, from beginner golf lessons through to obtaining a handicap, at its newly redesigned Sime Road golf course. We look at how the reimagined Keppel Club has more to offer than ever.

It began modestly, as a three-hole course carved out of a nutmeg plantation, with members drawn largely from the Singapore Harbour Board and European shipping companies. By 1908, the course had expanded to nine holes, and eventually it became a full 18-hole course. It even survived World War II intact, despite being occupied by Japanese forces who built their headquarters on what was then Fairway 1. When the British returned in 1948, the club merged with the old Singapore Harbour Board social club – forming the Keppel Club many remember today.

A new address for Keppel Club

Fast forward to November 2022, and the club turned a new page. After leaving Bukit Chermin, it relocated to Sime Road, bringing with it a fresh approach.

The Sime Course has its own rich heritage, dating back to 1923. Located beside the Central Catchment area and overlooking MacRitchie Reservoir, it’s a serene pocket of greenery with casuarinas and tembusu trees lining the fairways. The course was redesigned by internationally recognised golf course designer Phil Jacobs, and it shows. The front nine flows away from the clubhouse toward Lornie Road; the back nine loops back and weaves alongside Singapore Island Country Club’s Bukit Course. Expect subtle doglegs, elevated shifts and revetted bunkers that test your decision-making as much as your swing.

But the biggest change isn’t the fairways – it’s the philosophy. Keppel Club remains a members’ club, but it now operates on a hybrid system, welcoming both members and public golfers. That means you don’t need to commit to a traditional long-term golf membership to play the 18-hole Sime Course, practice at the 58-bay driving range or use the Sime Practice Facility.

Beginner golf lessons and flexible golf memberships in Singapore

Always been “golf curious” but never quite known where to start? The club has programmes designed for that. Learn Golf@Sime is a structured set of 10 beginner golf lessons designed to take newcomers from theory and fundamentals through to obtaining a handicap. For more experienced players without an official handicap, Get Handicap@Sime offers a pathway in. Then there’s Friends of Sime Power+, a flexible, credits-based programme for golfers who prefer freedom over full membership.

Beyond the 18 holes

Beyond the game, the club also positions itself as a social space. Private and corporate golf events are tailored to suit different groups, while two dining venues – Tee Top Restaurant and Thirsty Monkey – provide everything from family-friendly meals to relaxed post-range drinks.

So, yes, Keppel Club has history – plenty of it. But what makes it interesting now isn’t just its past. It’s the way a 122-year-old institution is rethinking tradition and inviting a wider community onto the green.

WhatsApp 8380 5719 | keppelclub.com.sg

This article on golf memberships and programmes at Keppel Club first appeared in the April 2026 of Expat Living magazine in Singapore. You can buy the latest issue or an annual subscription, or read the digital version for free now.

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