With club open again after pandemic-related shutdown, Hong Kong golfers gather to contribute to a good cause – and squeeze in 18 holes
- The Hong Kong Golf Club hosted an Open Day on October 1 in support of the charity Operation Santa Claus
- The club is set to hold another benefit for the charity and others on October 11
For some golf fans and organisers, the recent reopening of the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling meant coming together last week to play for a charitable cause.
The club held an Open Day on October 1 to raise funds for Operation Santa Claus, an annual charity campaign jointly organised by the South China Morning Post and public broadcaster RTHK. The club even bucked its usual practice of closing on public holidays – the event coincided with National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival – both to mark the fundraiser and celebrate the course’s reopening just a few weeks ago.
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“We were closed for a long time because of Covid-19. We wanted to welcome everybody back to play on a public holiday, which they normally don’t get to do, and at the same time try to raise money for a worthy cause,” said Ian Gardner, general manager of the club.
The club raised around HK$80,000 (about US$10,300) on the Open Day – which they organise a few times a year – including extra donations from players and proceeds from selling souvenirs.
And the pandemic certainly didn’t scare away avid golfers. Nearly 3,300 people registered for the event, with just 156 of them selected by lucky draw due to limited spots. These players got to enjoy specially discounted greens fees of just HK$500 for 18 holes – usually a round costs HK$1,200.
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For golfers like Daniel Yeung Chi-ming, taking part in the Open Day also meant having a rare chance to play at the club itself.
“I’m excited to do my part for charity by joining this event. I also really admire this golf course and many of my golfing friends say this is a good opportunity,” he said.
The club is expected to hold its annual Cup of Kindness event on October 11 for its members to raise money for Operation Santa Claus and other charities.
In 2019, the club raised about HK$27 million for their beneficiaries through various golf events, including HK$4 million from the Cup of Kindness alone.
Gardner also said he hoped the pandemic could inspire more people to pick up golf, as the sport was relatively easy to play while maintaining social distancing.
“A lot of people realise playing golf is a healthy way of getting out in the open, getting exercise and fresh air without exposing yourself to danger,” he said. “We see this as an opportunity to develop and help people play the game.”
