Tanah Merah Garden Course
A few minutes from Changi Airport, the Garden Course at Tanah Merah Country Club reopened in 2020 as a full Robert Trent Jones II redesign. The result is one of the most modern championship layouts in Singapore, a par 71 of strategic bunkering and water that has hosted the HSBC Women's World Championship.
Photo: Tanah Merah Country Club via Google.
The verdict
The Garden Course has a longer story than its 2020 reopening suggests. It was carved from reclaimed land near the coast and opened in 1984 as the East Course, taking the Garden name in 1987 when it hosted its first professional event. When the government requisitioned land for the expansion of Changi Airport, the club brought in Phil Jacobs to reconfigure the layout in 2015, and then commissioned Robert Trent Jones II for a full redesign, with the new course reopening in February 2020. What you play now is effectively a modern course on a storied site.
It is a private members club, so a round here takes a little arranging, but for the traveling golfer with the right connection or a tour booking it is a rewarding stop. The RTJ II layout is a par 71 of gently undulating fairways, strategically placed bunkers and water that comes into play without dominating, finished to the tournament standard the HSBC Women's World Championship demands. In a compact golf city, Tanah Merah is the championship counterpoint to the resort polish of Sentosa across the island.
Tanah Merah Garden at a glance
- Reopened
- 2020
- Designer
- Robert Trent Jones II redesign
- Type
- Parkland
- Par
- 71
- Yardage
- About 5,706 m
- Access
- Private members club
Design history, opening years, par and yardage verified June 2026 from the club and leading course databases. The Garden Course opened in 1984 as the East Course, was reconfigured by Phil Jacobs in 2015, and reopened in February 2020 as a Robert Trent Jones II redesign, a par 71 of about 5,706 meters from the back tees. As a private members club, Tanah Merah sets visitor access and any green fee case by case, so always confirm access directly before planning a visit.
The holes worth the trip
The Robert Trent Jones II redesign gives the Garden Course its modern character: gently undulating fairways framed by strategically placed bunkering, with water hazards woven through the routing to add both challenge and a clean visual line. It is not a long course by championship yardage, which puts the emphasis on placement and on a precise approach game, exactly the test the HSBC Women's World Championship rewards.
The greens are the centerpiece. Built and presented to tournament standard, they ask for the right angle off the tee and a controlled approach, and they punish the player who fires at every flag without thinking about the miss. Trent Jones II shaped the surrounds so that a missed green leaves a thinking recovery rather than a simple chip, the sort of detail that separates a good members course from a genuine championship venue. Water comes into play on several holes to focus the mind without turning the round into a card and pencil ordeal.
What makes the Garden Course worth the effort of arranging a game is the completeness of the experience: a historic Singapore club, a contemporary design, and a finish presented to the standard of a global tour event, all within sight of one of the world's great airports. For a stopover golfer with a long layover or a member's invitation, it is the most rewarding round on the main island.
How to get on
| What to know | Detail |
|---|---|
| Access | Private members club; visitors generally play as a member's guest or through a tour operator on selected weekdays, subject to availability |
| Green fee | Set case by case for guests and visitors rather than published; arrange and confirm in advance (indicative, 2026) |
| Booking | Through a member, the club, or a Singapore golf package; the club operates the Garden and Tampines courses with a full practice range |
| On the day | Carts and caddies available; smart golf attire and soft spikes; bring water and an early tee time for the heat |
| Getting there | In Changi, eastern Singapore, only a few minutes from Changi Airport, ideal for a long layover round |
| Best months | Year round tropical golf; February to April tends to be drier, and morning rounds avoid the afternoon storms |
Access arrangements verified June 2026; policies change, so always confirm directly before planning a visit. Check tee time availability.
Where to stay nearby
Most golfers playing Tanah Merah are either Singapore residents or stopover travelers, so the natural bases are the Changi area hotels close to the club and the airport, or the city center a short drive or train ride away. For a layover round the proximity to Changi is the whole appeal, with the course only minutes from the terminals.
On a fuller Singapore itinerary, Tanah Merah pairs with the resort golf across the island at Sentosa, where Serrapong and Tanjong give a polished, visitor friendly contrast to the private members feel of Tanah Merah. Singapore also makes an easy hub for a wider Southeast Asia golf trip into Malaysia and beyond.
Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Tanah Merah and Changi.
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Tanah Merah Garden questions
Who redesigned the Garden Course at Tanah Merah and when did it reopen?
The Garden Course was redesigned by Robert Trent Jones II and reopened for play in February 2020. The original layout opened in 1984 and was first reconfigured by Phil Jacobs after land was taken for Changi Airport's expansion.
What is the par and length of the Garden Course?
The Garden Course is a par 71 parkland layout that stretches about 5,706 meters, roughly 6,240 yards, from the back tees.
Can visitors play Tanah Merah?
Tanah Merah Country Club is a private members club. Visitors generally play as the guest of a member or through a tour operator on selected weekdays, subject to availability. Always confirm access directly before booking.
What tournament has the Garden Course hosted?
The Garden Course has hosted the HSBC Women's World Championship, one of the leading events on the LPGA's Asian swing.
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Researched and written by the GolfForKings editorial desk. Design history, par and yardage verified June 2026; access verified June 2026. Last reviewed June 2026.