Singapore: The redevelopment of the Singapore Island Country Club’s (SICC) Island Course was masterfully led by the late Neil Haworth, Principal of Nelson & Haworth Golf Course Architects, one of Asia’s most respected golf design companies.

For Haworth, this project was more than a professional commission, it was deeply personal.

During his years living in Singapore, Haworth was a member of SICC, spending countless hours walking, studying, and playing The Island Course. His knowledge of the land, its subtleties, and its quiet elegance gave him a unique perspective: not as an outsider imposing a design, but as a custodian of its spirit, seeking to preserve what made it special while preparing it for future generations.

The result is a course that balances subtle strategy with bold visuals, modern sustainability with timeless flow, a design that reflects both the club’s vision and Haworth’s own memories of The Island Course.

In a fitting tribute, a Weeping Fig Tree (Ficus Benjamina) has been planted near hole 15 in his honour. Symbolising prosperity, harmony, and endurance, it stands as a living legacy of his passion, philosophy, and enduring contribution to the club he once called home.

Thanks to Haworth’s vision, the Island Course now delivers an 18-hole experience where strategy meets scenery at every turn.

The opening hole welcomes with deceptive ease, while hole three tempts bold hitters with a risk-reward par-five at the reservoir’s edge and hole six demands precision with a tee shot over a natural pond.

On the front nine, hole eight charms with its short par-four framed by native flora, before hole nine challenges with a classic uphill finish. The back nine starts strong at hole 10 with undulating fairways leading to a split-tier green. Hole 12 showcases SICC’s green ethos, playing alongside a restored wetland habitat.

The closing stretch intensifies, peaking at the amphitheatre-style 18th, a true tournament finisher built for spectators and legacy moments.

*Nelson & Haworth Golf Course Architects and Singapore Island Country Club are members of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.