Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club
The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club (Chinese: 清水灣高爾夫球會) is a privately owned and run country club, located on the Clear Water Bay Peninsula in Sai Kung, New Territories, Hong Kong. Access is restricted to members only.
Aerial view | |
Club information | |
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Location within Hong Kong | |
Coordinates | 22.2707°N 114.2980°E |
Location | Clear Water Bay, New Territories, Hong Kong |
Established | 1982 |
Type | Private |
Total holes | 18 |
Website | www |
Designed by | T. Sawai & A. Furukawa |
The club host the PGA Tour China Clearwater Bay Open yearly.[1] The club will also host the World Amateur Team Championships in 2020.[2]
History
The Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club was built at a cost of about HK$250 million by a number of wealthy people including Kenneth Fung, Run Run Shaw, and Yue-Kong Pao. Environmentalists criticised the project for the environmental damage the construction inflicted on the peninsula. A report by the Hong Kong Government agreed, claiming that the methods used for construction of the club and access roads resulted in "unnecessary scars". It also called the access roads a "major eyesore visible over a wide area".[3][4] Members of the government's Environmental Protection Advisory Committee accused the club of having little regard for the environment.[5]
On the morning of 4 November 1982 the club was attacked by six masked arsonists who assaulted a security guard and set a maintenance shed ablaze, destroying about $2 million worth of machinery, including tractors, buggies, and lawnmowers.[6][5] The incident slightly delayed the club's opening.[7] It eventually opened in December 1982.[8] The first phase included a nine-hole course.
Heavily indebted, the club opened when Hong Kong's economy was faltering due to fears over the 1997 handover to China.[4] The club struggled to attract members, and went bankrupt in 1983 and closed.[9] It reopened on 18 April 1984 after cutting staff levels and receiving a $6 million injection from a member.[10][11] It began making a profit in 1985.[12]
Membership
New members could buy into one of the six types of membership by purchasing units of the club's debenture after passing a very stringent character check. Price starts from little under HK$500,000 and could reach over HK$3,500,000. On top of that, members are required to pay additional subscription fee each year.
Type of membership:
- Company Golf
- Individual Golf
- Company Country Club
- Individual Country Club
- Company Marina
- Individual Marina
Controversy
The club was accused of racial discrimination in 2018 after signage was posted barring domestic helpers from the poolside area.[8]
References
- "Revitalised Hong Kong golfer Jason Hak to compete in front of home fans at Clearwater Bay Open". South China Morning Post. 26 September 2016.
- "Hong Kong to host golf's World Amateur Team Championships in 2020". South China Morning Post. 21 September 2016.
- Chugani, Michael (24 August 1982). "Super rich club raps environment report". South China Morning Post. p. 11.
- Lane, Winsome (24 December 1983). "No room for a sliced shot". South China Morning Post. p. 16.
- Chan, Julina (13 November 1983). "Rescue bid for luxury hideaway". South China Morning Post. p. 8.
- "Arson at club for rich". South China Morning Post. 7 November 1982. p. 11.
- "Arson gang attacks 'club for rich'". South China Morning Post. 6 November 1982. p. 1.
- Knott, Kylie (22 April 2018). "'No domestic helpers allowed' sign at Hong Kong private club called discriminatory". South China Morning Post.
- Fisher, Mark (3 March 1984). "Clearwater Bay club rescue fails". South China Morning Post. p. 21.
- Suen, Ophelia (18 April 1984). "Country club set to reopen today". South China Morning Post. p. 16.
- Chan, Julina (10 June 1984). "Hopes rise for troubled club". South China Morning Post. p. 12.
- "Country club sees black ink". South China Morning Post. 22 May 1985. p. 29.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club. |