Hong Kong Golf in the 1960s - Part One

44 years ago, British writer George Houghton travelled across Asia and played on 50 courses around the region, including the Royal Hong Kong Golf Club. This extract, which focuses exclusively on Fanling, is taken from chapter six of Houghton's resulting book, Golf Addict Goes East (Country Life, 1967).

Before tackling Tommy Tucker, most golfers linger at the Chinese shelter to suck in something cool and fruity. We did, and Sir David Trench entertained us with stories of golf in the Solomon Islands, where he had been Governor. At Honiara, which was built as an American Air Force fighter base, a 9 hole course was laid out and even twenty years after the main hazards are unexploded shells! The clubhouse is a shack. At one end a notice-board says ‘Honiara Airport’; at the other end a board says ‘Honiara Golf Club’.
Alan Sutcliffe and Jock Mackie, Hong Kong Club, Oct 2008We learnt of a sparkling incident which once took place at Fanling. In a high-level, four-ball match, one of the players did the first seven holes 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 3. This incredible scoring, four inside par, had the opponents’ teeth gnashing. One of them was Kim Hall, a red-hot little Welsh international golfer.
‘If this so-and-so gets another 3 I’m quitting,’ said Kim.
Whereupon a twenty-five foot putt dropped for the seventh 3 in eight holes!
A road runs alongside the 8th fairway and at that precise moment a motor ‘bus appeared. Taking Kim at his word, the other three bundled him aboard!
For the record, the four chaps involved in the lark were Alan Sutcliffe (who performed the super golf), Dick Carroll, John Mackie and of course Kim. All have been champions of the Colony and county golfers in England. It is appropriate to mention that Sutcliffe and Hall are prime movers in the organisation for the Far East Professional Golf Tournament. In fact, without Kim’s early efforts the tour would not exist.
These notes about Hong Kong started with the regrettable item about shrinkage in golf facilities. But there is a ray of hope. Kim Hall showed me his plan to ease the strain. On Mawan Island [now known as Park Island], twenty-five minutes by hydrofoil from Hong Kong, he wants to create another Hawaii. There are lovely beaches and the site for a super championship golf course. Also, as one would expect, there are problems. Nevertheless, with co-operation from the right quarters, it could come and it won’t be Kim’s fault if it doesn’t.

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