| THIS is where you can sip an icy cold Hoegaarden beer while enjoying the sun setting over the sea - without having to fork out a million dollars or more for a Sentosa Cove property. Sounds good, right? Given the current craze for waterfront properties, it's no surprise that a country club is trying to capitalise on its seaside location. The Changi Beach Club on Andover Road, with its dilapidated colonial facade and old-style chalet rooms, has given itself a shot in the arm with a $3 million makeover.  | | Pictures: Jonathan Choo | New floor to ceiling windows in the restaurants and lounge ensure that members have magnificent sweeping views of the sea and Pulau Ubin. They're even planning to invest in a 30-ft yacht for members keen to rent a vessel for special occasions such as weddings or private parties. The club is looking at spending about $100,000 for a second-hand yacht. The club has also refurbished its 17 chalet rooms and built a glass-panelled restaurant, lounge and a beer garden by the beach. The six-month renovation was completed last month. With all these new offerings, it's no wonder some members have flocked back to enjoy the club's new look and facilities. Retiree James Sng, a member of the 34-year-old club since the 1970s, was walking around the premises, admiring the revamped look with 4-year-old his granddaughter, Claire Yap. He smiled: 'Now, we can finally compete with the other country clubs. I like the new look very much. It is much better than before. You can admire the sea and get some fresh air.' The revamp was necessary to keep up with the times, retain old members and attract new ones, said chairman Robert Lim. The club's last renovation was about 15 years ago and its lease was recently extended till 2017. He said: 'We need to renew the club because it's old. I'd like to make the club accessible to all Singaporeans because of our beach-front location and proximity to nature. Our fees are also quite affordable to all.' The current membership fees are $10,000 for families and $4,688 for individuals. The club has also received in-principle approval from the Singapore Sports Council to make membership transferable, and this should be possible by next year. Its 4,000-strong membership base is facing an ageing problem like Singapore itself. About 75 per cent of its members are over 50 years old. So, it's no wonder that the club is eager to shed its old-fashioned image of line-dancing, taiji and mahjong activities to appeal to the younger ones. In the pipeline are activities like hip-hop, yoga and Pilates classes to connect to this group. Said Mr Lim: 'We need more patronage of our facilities, especially by the younger members. We want to encourage them to use our facilities and spend more at our F&B outlets.' The club, spread over 14,848 sq m of lush greenery, is about the size of three football fields. There are the usual country club facilities such as a swimming pool, tennis courts, bowling alley and restaurants, but there's also a badminton court and chalet rooms, rare for most country clubs. The chalet rooms used to look old and run-down but are now are chic and cosy, with fancy fixtures. The club will be officially re-opened next month. For those who complain about the club's 'ulu' location near Changi Village, Mr Lim said it is looking into providing shuttle bus services from Pasir Ris or Tampines MRT stations. The target group would be those living in HDB estates nearby like Simei, Pasir Ris and Tampines, and not just typical upper-crust types from the East Coast area. Said Mr Lim: 'It's quite simple. If you live in Bukit Timah or Holland Village, would you travel all the way here to enjoy the facilities? 'I don't think so. 'Anyway, the HDB heartlanders these days can afford country club memberships. Many have degrees and they own cars too.'
'Use beach to draw younger members' IT was a quick nip and tuck for this club in the east. But with its makeover, will it be successful in drawing in the younger crowd? Well, the club should concentrate on beach-oriented activities such as volleyball, seaside barbecue or jet-skiing to draw the younger ones, said Ms Fion Phua, a membership broker with teeup-golf.com. She explained: 'Why would anyone want to travel all the way there unless it's for the beach activities? 'The club has to go beyond providing just the usual country club facilities like tennis courts, swimming pool. 'The young want water-sports, so it would have to centre its activities around the beach.' Ms Lee Lee Langdale of club brokerage SingGolf felt that $3 million is a hefty sum to spend on renovating such a small club. But one of the club's advantages is its sea-front location, a rarity among social clubs here. She said: 'A waterfront lifestyle has become quite popular with the Sentosa Cove and Marina Bay properties. The renovation should enhance the membership and value of the club.' | 
