Singapore has no shortage of social and sporting clubs. Whether you’re looking for a super-sized swimming pool for the nippers to practice their butterfly (Hollandse Club), play tennis and drink great milkshakes (British Club), need a course for your weekly golf fix, or are looking for somewhere to take clients to enjoy a good whisky (get the boss to sign off on the Singapore Cricket Club), here’s our round-up of Singapore’s finest club memberships..
Hollandse Club
Joy and Urs Brudermann, Thai and Swiss; James (13), Kimberly (4), Jake (2)
We moved to Singapore in April 2012 and have been here ever since. We were hunting for a new home last March and found the perfect place, but there was no kids’ pool. The Hollandse Club was in the neighbourhood so we signed up for a trial – we confirmed our membership just a week into it! We liked that the club doesn’t require an upfront payment; it’s a monthly membership fee, which allows flexibility.
We wanted a place where our children can play and swim, but also with activities for our own enjoyment as parents, such as sports. For the kids, the club is a great place to spend time. There are always other children around and it’s more family-oriented than a condo or public pool. We’re not Dutch and can’t speak the language but we enjoy the Dutch related activities, which have been fun and interesting. The club offers a mix of local, international and Dutch culture and everyone feels comfortable. Our kids have fun and we feel part of a great community.
Our younger children take swimming classes at the club, and soon there will be tennis lessons available for little ones too; we’re considering sending Kimberly to them. James, our oldest, mainly swims and plays basketball. From time to time, we also play tennis or squash. The good location of the club and the yummy food at the restaurant makes it a great place. There’s also a weekly quiz night. For kids, there are movie screenings and other fun activities like bouncy castles.
Hollandse Club
22 Camden Park
6464 5225 | hollandseclub.org.sg
The British Club
Jim and Elena Campbell, Australian and British; Nathaniel (7)
We’ve been living in Singapore for four years. When we first moved here, we hadn’t initially planned to join a club. Then a friend invited Elena to yoga classes at The British Club and she really liked it. We lived in a condo with a pool, tennis courts and gym so we felt like we didn’t need to join a club. However, after a while we realised there was so much more to it than just the pool. We started looking around at different places and found that The British Club suited us the best in terms of its facilities, membership packages and, of course, the great atmosphere. With good sports offerings, a nice pool, kids’ activities, dining options and more, it checked all the boxes.
We are all at the club on Saturday mornings; Nathaniel has tennis lessons, Elena has yoga classes and Jim goes to the gym. After that, we enjoy the coffee and milkshakes at the Scores Sports Bar & Restaurant, followed by lunch by the pool or in one of the restaurants. Sometimes, we even stay all day around the pool and end up having dinner there. We also enjoy many of the great events the club organises, such as the Wine & Gourmet Dinner evenings.
The club is a great place to relax with friends and family. It’s also one of the best places in Singapore to enjoy a fantastic Indian curry!
The British Club
73 Bukit Tinggi Road
6410 1100 | britishclub.org.sg
Singapore Cricket Club
Pete and Ness Murray, Australian; Jock (5) and Blake (2.5)
My father was a member of the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC) in the late 1960s, so I grew up hearing stories about cricket, rugby and tennis being played on the Padang for the SCC. Sport is an important part of our life, especially cricket. We were looking for a club that focused on sport and social connections with expats and locals, and SCC was a good fit.
I (Pete) am a playing member of the cricket section where I captain the Cougars, a junior development team. I’m also coaching the Under 6 Division at the SCC Rugby Academy, which Jock is part of. We love the club’s sporting facilities, especially the Padang field. As our kids get older, we look forward to enrolling them in the SCC Cricket Youth Development squad. It’s fantastic to see cricket growing in Singapore and the club is really driving that locally. We also love the events organised throughout the year such as the Rugby 7s, Invitational Cricket T20, Hockey 6s, National Day celebration and, of course, the F1 Race Night.
Each weekend, the kids enjoy their time with the Rugby Academy at the Dempsey Field. We also regularly patronise the club’s F&B outlets, especially Stumps, as a family and with friends, visitors to Singapore, clients and colleagues. We’ve made many good friends and enjoy the diversity of the membership, brought together by the love of sport. The staff do an incredible job too, and they are a significant part of what makes the club so great.
SCC
Connaught Drive
6338 9271 | scc.org.sg
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section.
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This article first appeared in the March 2019 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
Other sporting, leisure and social clubs in Singapore:
Singapore Polo Club
The Tanglin Club
ONE°15 Marina Club
Laguna National Golf and Country Club
China Club
Raffles Country Club
Singapore Island Country Club
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section!
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This article first appeared in the March 2018 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!
