In the middle of a rainy week on 24 May 2023, the morning gloom gave way to clear skies, and by 11 am, the sun shone brightly on the green of the Warren Golf and Country Club. Under the fortuitous weather, SMA Members and guests eagerly gathered for the 2023 run of the SMA Annual Golf Tournament, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
After a delectable buffet lunch, the 63 golfers gathered for a group photo before getting into their respective buggies. The golfers headed out to play their best games when the shotgun sounded off at 1.15 pm, vying for the attractive prizes up for grabs.
Towards the evening as the tournament drew to a close, participants freshened up and gathered at the Yan Palace Restaurant for dinner and the prize presentation ceremony. Dr Tay Jam Chin, the convenor of this year's tournament, gave a welcome address thanking the sponsors for their generosity, the participants for their continued support and the SMA Secretariat for their hard work organising the tournament. As the tournament had not been held for three years, Dr Tay expressed his joy at seeing many old friends and familiar faces. Dr Tay also added that it would be good to see more younger faces at the next tournament, and he wished everyone bon appetit before announcing the start of dinner.
As the golfers dug into the sumptuous eight-course Chinese-style dinner, the restaurant was abuzz with animated conversations as they caught up with one another and chatted about the day's events. Shortly into the dinner, Mr Chew Shao Liang of Summit Planners Pte Ltd shared about the importance of wealth management and business succession planning. Attendees were encouraged to speak with Mr Chew's colleagues to learn more about how Summit Planners' services could be relevant to their needs.
Soon after, the prize presentation commenced, and the participants awaited the results with bated breath. Emcee Dr Chan Kwai Onn took to the stage to announce the winners of each category, and cheers and applause erupted from the tables as each name was announced. For the fifth tournament in a row, the GP team received the Best Team award, though competition was fierce, with the Specialist team a mere eight points behind them!
Dr Adrian Tan Yong Kuan, a regular attendee of the SMA Annual Golf Tournament, took home the Best Nett prize with a whopping score of 68. When approached by SMA News, Dr Tan expressed his appreciation for the organising team and the beautiful golf course. He shared that he was glad to see so many old friends again and that this special event was less about the sport and more about the company. Dr Tan commented that "we don't get many opportunities to meet otherwise. I'm glad that my fellow doctors could take the time off midweek to attend and play."
The trophy for the Best Senior Lady Golfer – the Goh Swee Heng Challenge Trophy – was won by none other than Dr Goh herself! As Dr Goh received the trophy, she shared with the dining hall that she had contributed the trophy in order to encourage more senior women golfers to join the tournament. She emphasised that "we are not just doctors, but golfers as well" and urged participants to bring more lady colleagues, young and old, to next year's tournament.
The dinner ended with an exciting lucky draw. 20 prizes were prepared, including various items such as a Taylormade putter, a Honma golf bag and even Mitsubishi table fans, all courtesy of our generous sponsors. There was also an additional special lucky draw prize, a framed-up original Montreux Jazz Festival 1983 poster created by artist Keith Haring, which was won by Dr James Lee Chong Hwa.
Tired but with their hearts warmed and friendships renewed, the golfers bade each other goodbye and took their leave for the night. SMA would like to thank all Members and guests for supporting the event, and we look forward to the next time we meet!
