Hong Kong golfers want four-storey waterfront driving range at Kai Tak in Kowloon, to match New York, Chicago and Tokyo
Alliance of Golfers says the sport deserves more government support as an Olympic event, and rejects growing clamour for closure of Fanling course to make way for housing
Golf lovers in Hong Kong have called for construction of a four-storey downtown driving range on a waterfront site in Kowloon, amid fierce debate in the city over whether to close a course in the rural New Territories to make way for housing.
The Hong Kong Alliance of Golfers, formed of players, coaches and industry workers, said the city lagged behind New York, Chicago and Tokyo by not having such a facility.
The alliance said an “integrated golf centre” should be built near a sports park under construction at Kai Tak, the site of the city’s old airport. It could cover about 1,800 square metres and host 60 driving bays, the group said.
The proposal was a core part of a study released by the alliance on Monday that found 78 per cent of 4,516 golf fans and players opposed any closure of Fanling golf course, situated in the northern part of Hong Kong near the border with mainland China.
Some 78.8 per cent of respondents wanted more driving ranges in urban areas. There are already a number of indoor facilities downtown, many being simulators.